By the example of Tara National Park (NP), we present how the geoheritage can and should be presented in a NP where the primary role is played by biology. Tara NP has a rich geoheritage, especially its karst phenomena, which include gorges (e.g. the 1000-m-deep Drina Gorge), plateaus with dolines, dry valleys, and uvalas as well as springs and travertines. In addition, ophiolites also enrich the geoheritage; hence, the area has a high geodiversity. Large reservoirs of the territory provide an opportunity to study the anthropogenic impact on hydrology and geomorphology. After presenting the geoheritage elements of the area, we examine the views and knowledge of local people and visitors about karst and geotourism with the help of a questionnaire survey. The results show that local residents support the further development of tourism, but geotourism is a rather new concept for them. On the contrary, tourists are more familiar with geotourism. Among the development perspectives, tourists support those that involve only minor environmental changes, that is in agreement with NP policy. Finally, we formulate some suggestions about geotourism development in the area. First, we outline some plans for new geo-educational trails and viewpoints. Second, we highlight the possibility to increase the geo-content of some already existing programs (e.g. boat tours). Third, we emphasize that geotourism of Tara should be connected to neighbouring areas. A new geopark is already under planning, which would include the area of Tara NP as well.
There are numerous pull forces that determine destination choice. In the contemporary turbulent conditions, safety and security risks have a growing role. This is particularly evident in the Mediterranean region, bearing in mind that the political crisis in the Arab world has reflected in this region as the largest receptive market. Therefore, the study has been conducted to determine which factors are the most important in the process of choosing a destination and whether the recent crises have affected travel habits. In addition to the descriptive statistics, the data obtained by the Likert scale were analyzed by independent samples t-test in SPSS. The results have revealed that price, service quality, and risk-related issues are the main parameters of destination choice. In this regard, the respondents expressed their understanding of contemporary security risks in the Mediterranean (terrorist acts, militant groups, migration crisis, etc.). The research also showed the influence of different sources of information on travel habits, primarily word-of-mouth process, and mass media. The crisis has affected the demand allocation, but not trip cancellation. Based on the abovementioned we can conclude that safety and security risks are not the only and decisive factor but represent an important parameter in the destination choice.
This paper represents a case study examining attitudes of various stakeholders about Tara National Park (NP) (Serbia), identifying also the factors that shape these attitudes. The survey method was applied to a sample of 405 respondents (197 community members and 208 visitors). In addition, 15 interviews with specific key actors (NP executives and local key persons) were performed. The research confirmed the presence of different types of conflicts among stakeholders, mostly between the NP and the local population (primarily farmers) associated with land use in agriculture and the ban on the construction of facilities. The community recognizes tourism as the highest priority, unlike the NP leaders and visitors, who emphasize protection and conservation (especially biodiversity) as the primary goals of future NP development. The opinions of the local population are divided concerning support for the existence of the NP and the importance of it as a part of the national heritage. Most of them do not recognize the economic benefits resulting from the proclamation of the NP and do not see themselves as participants in the decision-making process. The findings also reveal that visitors strongly support tourism development and activities following the principles of nature protection. This category of respondents is only partly affected by the fact that this area has been declared a NP. The analysis shows that certain socioeconomic factors considerably influence the opinions of both community and visitors. Results suggest that future actions should be aimed at improving the coordination of various stakeholders, especially the NP and the community, through different social mobilization activities. Stimulating small businesses and providing incentives for agriculture and nature tourism development could be a useful step forward.
Sve je veći broj broj muzeja i kulturnih atrakcija koje koriste digitalne tehnologije kao platformu za pružanje informacija o lokalitetima i kulturnoj baštini. Prvi kontakt savremenog posetioca sa kulturnom baštinom je upravo preko interneta. Aplikacije kao što su sistemi mobilnih vodiča, planeri za putovanje, internet portali i 3D aplikacije podržavaju iskustvo potrošača prlikom posete. Pored toga, mobilne i 3D aplikacije omogućavaju da korisnici lakše razumeju složene kulturne fenomene kroz učenje koje ima zabavni karakter. U radu se istražuje povezanost procesa digitalizacije kulturnog nasleđa i očuvanja autentičnosti. Autentičnost digitalnog nasleđa odnosi se na pouzdanost zapisa i kvalitet sadržaja koji bi trebalo da ga predstavlja. Digitalne tehnologije mogu uticati na kvalitet prenosa informacija i iz tog razloga pristupilo se kvalitativnom istraživanju putem intervjua sa stručnjacima u vezi autentičnosti objekata kulture s obzirom na sprovedenu digitalizaciju. Rezultati istraživanja su pokazali da se autentičnost kulturnog nasleđa u procesu digitalizacije smatra izuzetno važnom s tačke gledišta kustosa muzeja koji su učestvovali u istraživanju.
The aim of this paper is to present the results of our research on the knowledge and awareness of visitors and residents about karst and protected areas (PAs). The research was carried out in the Tara National Park (NP)in western Serbia, which includes karst landscapes. By conducting surveys with visitors, local population, and National Park employees, as well as interviews with local key persons, NP key persons and external experts, we got a deeper understanding of the issues related to knowledge on karst and PAs. We also investigated whether local people or visitors knew the values of karst landscapes in general and how they were informed or learned about the Tara NP. In addition, we also analysed the content of these topics in school curricula and textbooks in Serbia. We concluded that the awareness about the researched topics is unsatisfactory at present thus it should be raised to a higher level, both in the case of local people and in the case of visitors. One of the most significant ways to improve the current level is through formal, non-formal, and informal education.
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