Instruments for Sustainable Tourism Development in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Abstract

Sustainable tourismdevelopment is based on ecological sustainability, ways of using renewable and non-renewable resources, and socio-cultural and economic sustainability. Stakeholders of the tourism sector have an important role in tourism development, in which the public represents one of the critical segments of sustainable tourism development. This paper aims to analyse and determine the most effective way of sustainable tourism development for Bosnia and Herzegovina. Understanding different approaches to tourism development and their inclusion in the process can significantly increase the sustainability of future tourism development. The research was conducted as a population survey on the entire territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The sample size was appropriate, based on the total population and included more than 385 respondents of different demographic categories. The main hypothesis of this paper emphasises that citizens’ education about the significance of the concept of sustainable tourismrepresents a fundamental approach for the further development of tourism in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The analysis of the approach to sustainable tourism development has shown that most respondents consider the reduction of environmental pollution as the most critical instrument for sustainable tourism development in Bosnia and Herzegovina. They also emphasise the importance of providing the active participation of all stakeholders in the creation of tourism products, with a particular emphasis on local governments. In accordance with the obtained research results, it was concluded that the main hypothesis was not confirmed. Keywords: sustainable development, economic sustainability, socio-cultural sustainability, ecological sustainability, cultural heritage