THE ROLE OF ECOTOURISM IN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT: THE CASE OF THE ZASAVICA SPECIAL NATURE RESERVE, SERBIA

Abstract

This study explores local community attitudes toward ecotourism as a form of sustainable tourism in the Zasavica Special Nature Reserve in Serbia using the Sustainable Tourism Attitude Scale (SUSTAS). Residents of the Zasavica Special Nature Reserve acknowledge the sociocultural and economic benefits of ecotourism development while recognizing the negative impacts of development on the natural environment. Low awareness of non-charismatic species among residents contrasts with strong awareness of them among large communities of scientists and naturalists in Serbia. This study shows the importance of local community support for ecotourism and conservation development. Moreover, the study revealed that the SUS-TAS scale can be successfully applied in ecotourism research.