COLLECTING RELEVANT INFORMATION
(a)A basic function of protected areas is nature conservation, whereas all other functions must be subordinated to this goal. Tourism must not and cannot harm original and protected natural heritage sites, mainly because of the fact that it is dependent on these sites. Tourism and nature conservation can be and must be in a symbiotic relationship. Tourism requires preserved landscapes with high ecological and aesthetic values which are provided by nature conservation. Nature conservation has its price, and tourism is one of the strongest economic activities.
(b)Tourism whose offer is based on the values of biodiversity in protected areas must always be based on contemporary strategies and development plans. Spatial Plan of the Republic of Serbia (2010-2014-2021) identifies ecotourism as one of the strategic priorities in relation to the use of biodiversity resources. Regional Spatial Plan of AP Vojvodina up to 2020 projects the development of tourism in the most important natural landscapes, with a special emphasis on the Upper Danube Region and Fruska Gora. The Strategy of Biological Diversity of the Republic of Serbia for the period from 2011 to 2018 emphasizesthat tourism may harm biodiversity through numerous activities, above all through the recreational ones. However, it puts an emphasis on the fact that biodiversity should be integrated in the economic sector and the development of tourism, i.e. ecotourism.
(c)Nature Conservation Act is an important document for defining sustainable tourism concept in the protected area. The Act underlines the necessity of establishing conditions and nature conservation measures in their core as well as in the programmes of managing natural resources in tourism and some other activities. Furthermore, it is stated that the use of the space of natural resources and protected areas is permitted in the manner defined by the Act. It is stated that the national park landscape is also used for meeting tourism, health and recreational needs, as well as that the activities which are allowed in protected natural heritage sites are those with the aim of education, health, recreation and tourism.
(d)The Conservation Study is one of the most important documents for the protected area. It has scientific and professional basis, which establishes the values of the protected area, the concepts of conservation and sustainable use. The study often contains suggestions for the concept of sustainable tourism development. These suggestions are not only useful, but they can be considered as obligatory after the publication of the Protected Area Act. The Conservation Study is done by the Provincial Institute for Nature Conservation and the Institute of Nature Conservation of the Republic of Serbia, who informs the local community about all their activities and cooperates with them.
(e)Inventory and evaluation of the potentials is a key step towards the creation of a tourism product. After the inventory, tourism evaluation is carried out to establish the value of listed resources, as well as to make an objective assessment of their potential to be included in tourism offer. This step requires a constant objectivity, because any misjudged element in the evaluation of the potentials can have a drastically negative impact on the success of the action plan and the entire process of tourism development. For the development of ecotourism, one of the important segments is the evaluation of biodiversity and landscape features, and this form of tourism is based on such values.
(f)The analysis of the potentials should include the analysis of market conditions, the level of nature conservation (if these measures are satisfactory and efficient), cost and benefits analysis (financial, social and ecological) and the analysis of the priorities (determining what is important, very important, urgent or very urgent). This clearly states that tourism potentials in view of attractions (e.g. the scope of biodiversity) are not key factors in tourism development.
(g)Collected information can create a basis for the implementation of one of the existing analytical methods with the aim of providing relevant information about the real state of tourism. The most frequent analysis is SWOT analysis. It represents a common method for identification and analysis of all the strengths, opportunities, weaknesses and threats in the process of tourism development. Regarding tourism promotion of biodiversity of the protected areas, SWOT analysis can be part of strategic planning. The analysis can make it possible to determine important and key issues which would not be observed otherwise.