(IJCRSEE) International Journal of Cognitive Research in Science, Engineering and Education Vol. 5, No.1, 2017. GEOGRAPHY AND ENVIRONMENT – ANALYSIS OF INDICATORS OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF TOURISM Dr. Jovana Brankov, Geographical Institute “Jovan Cvijić” SASA, Belgrade, Serbia E-mail: [email protected] Dr. Marko D. Petrović, Geographical Institute “Jovan Cvijić” SASA, Belgrade, Serbia; South Ural State University, Institute of Sports, Tourism and Service, Chelyabinsk, Russia E-mail: [email protected] Dr. Milan Radovanović, Geographical Institute “Jovan Cvijić” SASA, Belgrade, Serbia; South Ural State University, Institute of Sports, Tourism and Service, Chelyabinsk, Russia E-mail: [email protected] Dr. Tatiana N. Tretiakova, South Ural State University, Institute of Sports, Tourism and Service, Chelyabinsk, Russia E-mail: [email protected] Dr. Yulia A. Syromiatnikova, South Ural State University, Institute of Sports, Tourism and Service, Chelyabinsk, Russia E-mail: [email protected] A R T I C L E I N F O A B S T R A C T National parks as the most complex category of protected resources Original Research are provided for the overall sustainable development, and coordination Received: May, 18.2017. of geography, tourism and nature conservation is a basic development Revised: June, 01.2017. orientation of these areas in the future. In order to analyze the state of Accepted: Jun, 06.2017. environment, but also the impact of tourism on nature, the method of doi:10.5937/IJCRSEE1701131B indicators of sustainable development of tourism of the World Tourism UDK Organization (UNWTO) is applied in the paper in the case of the National 338.48-6:502/504(497.11-15) Park Tara (Western Serbia). The study included analysis and evaluation of 502.1(497.11-751.2) indicators related to the ecological value of the area and direct impact of tourism activity on the protection of nature. Keywords: geography, © 2017 IJCRSEE. All rights reserved. sustainability, tourism development, environment, national park. 1. INTRODUCTION that determines whether society has awareness and sufficient level of understanding to pre- Many researchers have suggested that serve a certain area. If we take into account the the relationship between geography, tour- fact that recreational tourism is one of the most ism and protection is dynamic and complex massive form of tourism and that recreational (Sharpley, 2009; Williams, Ponsford, 2009; needs of visitors are most fully resolved in the Nyaupane, Poudel, 2011; Briassoulis, Van der best preserved natural areas, then the role of Straaten, 2013; Holden, 2016). Eagles and protected natural resources in tourist develop- McCool, 2002 (according to Brankov, 2010) ments is clear. Here the emphasis is particu- argued that tourism is a fundamental element larly placed on the national parks as the most complex category of protected resources. By Corresponding Author their protected status, these areas are provided Dr. Marko D. Petrović, Geographical Institute “Jovan for the overall sustainable development, and Cvijić” SASA, Belgrade, Serbia; South Ural State the question of realization is set as a priority University, Institute of Sports, Tourism and Service, in the sphere of managing these facilities. The Chelyabinsk, Russia, E-mail: [email protected] links between tourism and sustainability are complex. At large scale, prosperity increases environmental impact. At smaller, local scale, This work is licensed under aCreative Commons Attri- in developing nations, tourism wealth buys bution - NonCommercial - NoDerivs 4.0. The article is fishing boats, chainsaws, livestock, and labor, published with Open Access at www.ijcrsee.com with costs to conservation and equity (Buck- www.ijcrsee.com 131 (IJCRSEE) International Journal of Cognitive Research in Science, Engineering and Education Vol. 5, No.1, 2017. ley, 2012; Lee, 2013; Jamal and Camargo, 2014). The main objective of nature protection in national parks is to provide permanent pro- tection and preservation of the complex eco- systems and landscapes, as well as rare spe- cies, attractive sites and natural phenomena. Since such protected natural areas attract great interest of visitors, the question of harmoniz- ing the interests of tourism and nature con- servation arises. Different authors (Jovičić, 1997; Nikolić, 1998; Eagles, McCool, 2002; Stojanović, 2005; Bushell, Eagles, 2007; No- velli, Scarth, 2007; Žujović, Brankov, 2008; Brankov, 2010; Bjeljac et al., 2012; Srdanović, Figure 1. Map and position of the Na- Pavić, 2015) wrote about initial conditionality tional Park Tara in Western Serbia of tourism and the resources, which are placed under the protection (in particular the national The NP Tara was declared in 1981. It parks). Researchers agreed that the protec- covers an area of the municipality of Bajina tive function is the basic function of each of Bašta, and its special value is the canyon of the national parks, because their formation is the Drina River, built of limestone rocks up to based on the idea of preserving original value 1000 m high. The most spacious and most at- of nature. Also, less degraded nature may be tractive part of the mountain is the Ravna Tara more attractive for tourist visits. Therefore, plateau (Nikolić, 2006). national parks provide exceptional possibility The complex structure of relief, a vari- of tourism activation (Brankov et al., 2015), ety of geological ground and specific climatic and their tourism function cannot be ignored characteristics led to large biogeographic rich- in the implementation of sustainable manage- ness and diversity. Unique natural conditions ment (Lozano-Oyola et al., 2012; Torres-Del- and isolated position of the mountain enabled gado and López Palomeque, 2014; Bramwell, the development and survival of diverse flora 2015). and fauna, with significant participation of en- Serbia declared five national parks, demics and relics. Forest ecosystems are one which are partly or fully accessible for tourist of the basic phenomena of the NP Tara, which visits, with the exception of sites for specific cover more than 75% of the total area of the purposes, with the limits regulated by protec- mountain. tion zones. National parks are managed by separate public companies, in accordance with 2. MATERIALS AND METHODS the Law on National Parks. The subject of this research is to analyze the relationship tourism – nature protection in the National Park Tara, In order to comprehensively analyze through the interpretation of the indicators of the relation tourism – environmental protec- sustainable tourism development. tion, the Method of indicators of sustainable tourism development is applied in the paper, defined by the World Tourism Organization 1.1. Research geographical area (UNWTO, 2004). Under this approach, the UNWTO developed about 50 problem topics The National Park Tara covers most of (each with about 10-15 subtopics), classified the mountainous Tara region in the far west of into 4 categories (economic, social and cul- Serbia, on the border with Bosnia and Herze- tural, environment and management), wherein govina (Republic of Srpska). Tara is linked by sets of indicators for tourist destinations are the Drina valley from the north and west, the proposed within each problem topic and sub- Rzav valley from the southwest, and by the topic. The method has been used with the goal Kremna valley from the south that separates of identifying and measuring the results of hu- it from the Zlatibor plateau. Mountain space man activity within the NP Tara and indicat- is a unique geographic unit, about 45 km long ing the possible risks and directions of future and up to 18 km wide in the central part of the actions. mountain and the average altitude of 1 200 m Research was focused on the indica- (Figure 1). tors defined in the problem issue related to the protection of nature and the impact of tour- www.ijcrsee.com 132 (IJCRSEE) International Journal of Cognitive Research in Science, Engineering and Education Vol. 5, No.1, 2017. ism on the environment. Due to large number limited presentations to the public. Zone of the of proposed indicators within this topic, their II degree of protection means a lower level of assessment is carried out through the evalua- protection, i.e. interim protection of especial- tion criteria (relevance, feasibility, credibility, ly valuable natural environment complexes clarity and comparability) and thus those that around areas in the 1st degree and has covered will participate in the research are isolated. 40.20% of the National Park. In this zone, Indicators proposed by the UNWTO are also there is a variety of landscape and cultural and additionally analyzed according to types of historical sites. It involves professional activi- destinations (in particular for national parks ties aimed at the scientific research, education and natural and sensitive ecological habitats), and presentation. Zone of the III degree repre- as a complement to the methodology. On this sents the lowest level of protection. It includes basis, the investigation included a total of 6 in- 44.40% of the NP Tara and involves limited use dicators related to the environmental value of of natural resources and controlled interven- the area: level of protected area, recognitions tion in the area (agriculture, forestry, tourism of international programs, protected, endemic development, recreation and sports functions, and endangered species, damage to forest eco- water management, transport and