Possibilities for Mountain-Based Adventure Tourism: the Case of Serbia
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Bulletin of Geography. Socio–economic Series No. 19 (2013): 99–111 BULLETIN OF GEOGRAPHY. SOCIO–ECONOMIC SERIES journal homepages: http://www.bulletinofgeography.umk.pl http://versita.com/bgss ISSN 1732–4254 quarterly Possibilities for mountain-based adventure tourism: the case of Serbia Snežana Vujadinović 1, CDFMR, Dejan Šabić 2, CDFMR, Marko Joksimović 3, CDFMR, Rajko Golić 4, CDFMR, Mirjana Gajić 5, CDFMR, Ljiljana Živković 6, CDFMR, Miroljub Milinčić 7, CDFMR University of Belgrade, Faculty of Geography, Studentski trg 3/3, 11.000 Belgrade, Serbia; phone: +381 641 156 199, e-mail: 1 [email protected], [email protected] (corresponding author), [email protected], 4 [email protected], 5 [email protected], 6 [email protected], [email protected] Vujadinović, S., Šabić, D, Joksimović, M., Golić, R., Gajić, M., Živković, L. and Milinčić, M., 2013: Possibilities for mountain-based adventure tourism: the case of Serbia. In: Szymańska, D. and Biegańska, J. editors, Bulletin of Geography. Socio-economic Series, No. 19, Toruń: Nicolaus Copernicus University Press, pp. 99–111, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.2478/bog-2013-0007 Abstract. Adventure tourism is a specific type of tourism that has been increas- Article details: ingly popular in Serbia in recent years. In this regard, the paper identifies the basic Received: 11 May 2012 characteristics of adventure tourism, its development in Serbia, with a great em- Revised: 17 September 2012 phasis placed on high mountain areas that, owing to their physical and geographic Accepted: 23 November 2012 characteristics, possess huge potential. The paper aims, among other things, to identify factors encouraging or limiting development of adventure tourism in Serbia, analysing the practice, defining potential destinations and suggesting ap- propriate measures in order to promote it. Key words: Serbia, adventure tourism, extreme © 2013 Nicolaus Copernicus University Press. All rights reserved. sports, high mountain areas. Contents: 1. Introduction ....................................................................... 99 2. Theoretical background .............................................................. 100 3. Material and research methods ........................................................ 101 4. Results and findings . 102 5. Discussion ......................................................................... 106 6. Conclusions ........................................................................ 109 Note .............................................................................. 109 References . 110 1. Introduction of change and which mark the start of a new stage in the history of this key economic and social In recent decades the development of tourism in phenomenon. New trends in the tourism market various areas has displayed a number of charac- have influenced the appearance of specific types of teristics that have come to be seen as symptomatic tourism (special interest tourism), different from © 2013 Nicolaus Copernicus University Press. All rights reserved. Unauthenticated Download Date | 10/4/16 6:02 PM 100 S. Vujadinović, D. Šabić, M. Joksimović, R. Golić, M. Gajić, L. Živković, M. Milinčić / Bulletin of Geography. Socio-economic Series 19 (2013): 99–111 the traditional ones. New or alternative tourism is based, because of the changes in tourist demand, 2. Theoretical background on the concept of sustainable development and re- sponsible exchange of all participants, because it is mutually beneficial both to tourists and the local Notwithstanding its growing popularity in the community. One of the important characteristics world, there is not a uniform definition of adven- of tourist demand is a desire to stay in an unpol- ture tourism (Buckley, 2000; Bentley, Page, 2001; luted, protected environment. Potential tourists Weber, 2001: 374; Neirotti, 2003; Swarbrooke et al., are willing to pay more if it provides them with 2003; Page et al., 2005: 382; Shephard, Evans, 2005), a stay at a tourist destination the characteristics of which points to the complexity of this tourist phe- which are compliant with their desires, needs and nomenon. This is a consequence of the following expectations. factors: numerous activities of adventure tourism, According to the research of Ewert and different perceptions by participants (adventures Jamieson (2003) and Swarbrooke et al. (2003) ad- are experienced in different ways by different venture tourism is one of the sectors of tourism participants), and the overlapping of the contents that has rapidly developed in the world for the last of adventure tourism and adventure recreation. two or three decades. The foundation of adventure The biggest problem in defining adventure tour- tourism is adventure, and it brings large revenues ism is that most types of tourism entail a certain to the world economy, with tendencies of further form of recreation, in terms of resources, facilities, growth. The affirmation of adventure tourism was and impact on the environment (Hall, Page, 2002; influenced by the internet as a revolution in mar- Williams, 2003). What clearly distinguishes adven- keting, as well as by extensive use of adventure ture tourism from adventure is that this type of photographs in promoting a destination (Buckley, tourism is a commercialised adventure in which the 2003; Swarbrooke et al., 2003). activities are organised and directed beforehand. An adventure in tourism is a well-conceived In a real adventure, a participant is responsible for experience that is ‘for sale’. A tourist adventure can creating an adventure, whereas a tour operator is sometimes be riskier than a real one in which pro- responsible for a tourist adventure. fessionals participate, whereas tourists are mainly Some researchers underline the importance of amateurs with significantly lower skills and abili- motivation as driving force elements in the analysis ties to respond to challenges. According to Čomić of adventure tourism (Veal, 2006). Tourists, when and Davidovic (2003), what distinguishes every- asked about the motives for taking part in an ad- day life from an adventure is more related to the venture, state that they want to forget their job intensity of inner experience than to the change and everyday life, and become part of something of scenery. An adventure has the power to com- completely different, forget about responsibili- pensate for boredom and lack of excitement in ties and their surroundings (Wickens, 2002: 843). everyday life. It breaks the stereotype of living en Several motivating factors for tourists in adventure route between work and home, where time keeps tourism can be distinguished: (a) fun and inde- monotonously repeating. It involves a certain dose pendence; (b) vacation; (c) health and recovery; of fear or the presence of a real danger, a conscious (d) wanderlust; (e) nature (Dey, Sarma, 2010: 343). exposure to fear and threat, but with a belief in Depending on the region where an activity takes a happy and safe outcome. An adventure inter- place, some of the aforementioned factors will rupts the continuity and repetition of the same prevail. Some participants are more motivated by events and introduces new events to life that are a desire for new knowledge than by risk, although seemingly ‘beyond time’. As an escape from the adventure involves both. The final outcomes of ad- everyday, adventure destinations are most often ventures are most frequently overcoming dangers far from very populated areas, which make them and risks, with development of personal skills and unknown and mystical. their application in a certain situation and learn- ing based on experience and achievement (Page et al., 2005: 382). Other authors mostly studied Unauthenticated Download Date | 10/4/16 6:02 PM S. Vujadinović, D. Šabić, M. Joksimović, R. Golić, M. Gajić, L. Živković, M. Milinčić / Bulletin of Geography. Socio-economic Series 19 (2013): 99–111 101 the characteristics of adventures, experiences and Development of adventure tourism in Serbia perceptions by participants (Sung et al., 2001; Sung, requires the establishment of the existing trends in 2004; Trauer, 2006). The structure and composition a macro environment and in all its domains (eco- of adventure tours were described in some stud- nomic, social, technological, etc.), identification of ies: rafting (Fluker, Turner, 2000), mountaineering opportunities and threats (on the local and foreign (Beedie, 2003; Pomfret, 2006), adventure tourism market) and performance of a detailed analysis more generally (Foley et al., 2001; Weber, 2001; of internal resources (strengths and weaknesses) Cloutier, 2003), etc. in accordance with the changes, tendencies and Adventure sports promise challenges (Mortlock, trends in tourism. 2000), excitement, stimulation (Tomlinson, 2001), risk, uncertainty, and novelty (Swarbrooke et al., 2003). An activity can be classified as an adventure 3. Material and research methods if it possesses the following characteristics: (a) un- certain outcomes; (b) some element of danger and risk; (c) challenge; (d) anticipated rewards; (e) nov- In this paper we used methods of human geogra- elty; (f) stimulation and excitement; (g) escapism phy and tourism, which combine methods of scien- and separation; (h) exploration and discovery; tific research with the methods of communicating (i) absorption and focus, and (j) contrasting emo- the achieved results. These two standpoints deter- tions (Swarbrooke et al., 2003). The common mined the methodology