Geographica Timisiensis, vol. 20, nr. 2, 2011 (pp.67-78) ● TOURISM DEVELOPMENT OF MALI STAPAR AS ONE OF THE POSSIBILITIES FOR DECREASING DEPOPULATION OF WEST BAČKA DISTRICT (VOJVODINA, SERBIA) Milana PANTELIC, Ugljesa STANKOV, Vladimir STOJANOVIC University of Novi Sad, Faculty of science, Department for Geography, Tourism and Hotel Management, Novi Sad, Serbia E-mail: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] Abstract: The population of the municipalities in Western Backa records a decreasing trend, this is one of the reasons for that is the lack of economic development. The development of alternative forms of economy, such as tourism would contribute to the stabilization of the demographic situation. The foundation of Mali Stapar settlement is related to the construction of the oldest canal in Bačka, and as such has a large unexploited tourist potential. In order to develop tourism in this area authors will examine the attitudes of local residents regarding the use of the Grand Canal in recreational and tourism purposes. The results presented in this paper are obtained by statistical analysis using the application of chi-square test, descriptive statistical analysis and one-way analysis of variance ANOVA. A post-hoc Scheffe's test was used to determine the significance of differences between groups. The sample included 100 subjects in the two villages, Sivac and Mali Stapar. The results showed that local people have a positive attitude when it comes to tourism development on the section of the Grand Canal at Mali Stapar, with special emphasis on the development of rural and ecotourism. The results of the research provide the possibilities for creating guidelines that may affect the development of tourism in this and similar areas. Rezumat. Dezvoltarea turismului din Mali Stapar ca una dintre posibilităţile de reducere a depopulării din vestul districtului Bačka (Voivodina, Serbia). Populaţia comunelor din Backa de Vest înregistrează o tendinţă descrescătoare, acesta fiind unul dintre motivele pentru care se înregistrează lipsa de dezvoltare economică. Dezvoltarea unor forme alternative ale economiei, cum ar fi turismul, ar putea contribui la stabilizarea situaţiei demografice. Fondarea aşezării Mali Stapar este legată de construcţia celui mai vechi canal din Bačka, şi, ca atare are un mare potenţial turistic neexploatat. Pentru a dezvolta turismul în această zonă autorii vor examina atitudinile rezidenţilor locali în ceea ce priveşte utilizarea Marelui Canal în scopuri de agrement şi turism. Rezultatele prezentate în această lucrare sunt obţinute prin analiza statistică, folosind metoda pătratelor, analiza descriptivă statistică şi un mod de analiză a varianţei ANOVA. Un test Scheffe a fost utilizat pentru a determina semnificaţia diferenţelor dintre grupuri. Eşantionul a inclus 100 de subiecţi din cele două sate, Sivac şi Mali Stapar.Rezultatele au aratat că localnicii au o atitudine pozitivă atunci când vine vorba de dezvoltarea turismului de-a lungul Marelui Canal din Mali Stapar, punându – se accent pe dezvoltarea agroturismului şi a ecoturismului. Rezultatele de cercetare furnizează posibilităţi orientative care ar putea conduce la dezvoltarea turismului în acest areal şi în alte areale similare. Keywords: tourism, local residents, Grand Canal of Bačka, Mali Stapar, Vojvodina 68 ● Tourism development of Mali Stapar Cuvinte cheie: turism, rezidenţi locali, Marele Canal din Backa, Mali Stapar, Voivodina 1. INTRODUCTION Population numbers in most municipalities of Vojvodina have a steady falling trend, which can be best illustrated by the data from the last census in 2002. General characteristics of the municipalities and settlements are extremely unfavourable. They are characterized by depopulation which is the result of low population growth, unfavourable age structure of the population, emigration processes and high unemployment rate (Vuksanović et al, 2004). The processes of depopulation and economic stagnation result not only in social and economic changes, but also in functional and physical changes (Vujadinović, Gajić, 2008). There are numerous possibilities for revitalization of depopulated areas. Tourism development is a significant prerequisite to mitigating problems of depopulation in these areas, because tourism development activates an entire system of other complementary activities, solving the problem on a higher level then it seemed at first (Ivkov et al, 2007). The lack of strong economy, especially in rural communities, has to be compensated for by adequate alternatives. Full of history and tradition, created by numerous generations of men and women, rural regions offer rich heritage as their cultural identity. Support and development of rural and ecotourism can create opportunities for new job openings and improvement of the economic situation of the region. Rural communities have favourable conditions for the development of different types of tourism, which include, first of all, preserved nature, unpolluted air and rich vegetation (Pavlović, Jovanović, 2009). Based on what has been said, the purpose of this paper is to present the existing plan to turn Mali Stapar into prospective tourist destination and to compare this proposition with the attitudes and actions of local population who are the only real consumers of the area at this moment. The paper tries to promote tourism development within small tourism destinations, such as Mali Stapar. Therefore, the attitudes of the population of Sivac and Mali Stapar towards the recreational and tourism use of Veliki Bački Canal (Great Bačka Canal) will be investigated. The foundation of Mali Stapar is connected with the construction of the oldest canal in Bačka, constructed in 1786. Veliki Bački Canal comprises a series of smaller drainage canals and irrigation canals in the central part of Bačka (Milovanov, 1986). Today, the functions of the canal are: irrigation, sport, recreation, tourism but also collecting waste water from settlements, industry and agricultural areas situated on the canal banks (Andrejev, 2002). In order to manage the height difference between the Danube and the Tisza and in addition to planned canal locks near Bački Monoštor, Vrbas and Bačko Gradište, a decision was made in 1794 to build another canal lock near Mali Stapar. In October 1795, the State Administration in Vienna allowed the construction of mills at Mali Stapar and Vrbas, since there was a need to increase income because of the financial problems at river dams (Plan of Detailed Regulation of Mali Stapar Tourism Site, 2009). Mali Stapar lies 5 km to the west of the bordering area with the construction area of Sivac. This is a residential settlement formed around facilities complex including: canal lock, mill and the administration building. In addition to residential settlement, Mali Stapar comprises agricultural areas in the contact area and parts of Veliki Bački Canal (Vrbas- Milana PANTELIC,Ugljesa STANKOV, Vladimir STIJANOVIC ● 69 Bezdan), Mali Bački Canal (Kosančić – Mali Stapar), as well as a part of the melioration canals network. A street corridor with about thirty buildings was formed at the same time as the canal basin. Family housing is its primary function (Plan of Detailed Regulation of Mali Stapar Tourism Site, 2009). Mali Bački Canal (Small Bačka Canal) from Mali Stapar to Novi Sad was built from 1872 to 1875. When the Emperor Franz Joseph was in Mali Stapar for the grand opening of the construction work on the future canal, he laid the foundation stone for the monument dedicated to Pannonia. The Central Administration Office for Canal Management was established in 1898 in Budapest, and the technical office was established in Mali Stapar the same year, which is when the administration building also dates back to. Due to its favourable geographic position, water surfaces – canals, technical culture heritage, unique scenery, good connection with the road to Sivac, the complex of Mali Stapar has a potential to become a tourism site (Plan of Detailed Regulation of Mali Stapar Tourism Site, 2009). 2. PLANNED TOURISM DEVELOPMENT IN MALI STAPAR Plan of Detailed Regulation of Mali Stapar Tourism Site was accepted upon the initiative of the municipality of Kula in 2009. This plan determined a long-term projection of development and spatial organization of Mali Stapar tourism site, as well as the rules of regulation, organization and construction. The plan documented elements for the development of various types of tourism: sports and recreational, hunting, fishing, rural, cultural and event, nautical and educational tourism. In 2010, the Department of Geography, Tourism and Hotel Management, Faculty of Sciences, Novi Sad, completed a study called Presentation, Promotion and Activation of Natural and Cultural Assets of Mali Stapar. The basic aim of the study is the realization of all the values of the technical heritage assets within the complex of Mali Stapar, as well as the natural assets of its surroundings in order to create a tourism product with the type of tourism and activities that would be in accordance with the protection and conservation of this site. Also, one of the aims is to support local economies and social welfare in the way it has been done in other tourism destinations or sites of this type (Presentation, Promotion and Activation of Natural and Cultural Assets of Mali Stapar, 2010). The study shows that the main tourism offer of Mali Stapar can be related to the following: Veliki kanal (Great