Tourism development and water pollution in national parks in Serbia: Interrelations and perspectives

Abstract

Water resources are an important tourist value of national parks (NPs) in Serbia. The richness and significance of hydrographic resources are not only represented in the river network and its hydropower potential, but also in the recreational values and rare natural features of these phenomena. As a particular user of natural resources, tourism modifies water resources into something memorable, reachable to visitors, ?nd most often with elements of attractiveness and curiosity. This research offers insight into the possibilities for the development of water tourism in selected NPs in Serbia from the perspective of the water quality of the most important hydrological resources. Based on the use of the water pollution index (WPI), the pollution level of the Drina River (Tara NP) and the Danube River (Djerdap NP) has been calculated. The results indicated different degrees of pollution and mostly organic pollution, which is a limiting factor for a large number of tourist and recreational activities. The findings of this study have important implications for the future policies of NPs in the sphere of natural resource management and therefore the development of water tourism.