Sustainability of Serbian Villages in COVID-19 Pandemic Conditions

Abstract

The subject of this paper is to determine how the COVID-19 virus pandemic affected the situation in Serbian villages. The task of the paper is to show the positive and negative consequences that resulted from the pandemic. This would indicate that some of them may represent a new idea, a chance, or would work in favor of the sustainability of the villages of Serbia. In support of objectivity, research was carried out among the population that inhabits the rural areas of Serbia. It examined the extent to which internationally recognized phenomena and consequences of the COVID-19 virus pandemic were present in the study area and considered the nature of their impact on sustainability. The results of the semi-structured questionnaire were processed using descriptive statistics, t-test, and analysis of variance (ANOVA). Respondents contributed to the conception of possible solutions with their comments. The obtained differences in the answers resulted from different socio-demographic characteristics of the respondents, but also from the fact that the villages of Serbia differ in natural and social characteristics. Respondents’ responses are in favor of economic and sociodemographic sustainability, but they do not think in terms of environmental sustainability. The paper reveals several development opportunities, which complement each other and contribute to different methods for sustainability of rural villages in Serbia.

Sustainable Tourism near the City—A Case Study of Stolovi Mountain, Serbia

“…The local population could offer surplus food found on and around the mountain to tourists (canapés and vegetable or cheese pies and many other gastronomic specialties) and drinks (homemade tea made from mountain herbs, homemade juices from raspberries, blackberries, wild strawberries, elderberry and walnut brandy, for example). Therefore, food would help to improve sustainability in rural areas, as Lukić et al [153] conclude. Over a period of time, the income would increase the number of entrepreneurs, entrepreneurial initiatives and earnings and would also attract employees.…”

COVID-19 and internal migration in Serbia-geographical perspective

“…Therefore, it can be assumed that the number of internal migrants is underestimated. According to Lukić et al (2022), the opinion of the respondents from rural areas in Southern and Eastern Serbia is that the pandemic did not cease the emigration from rural settlements. Accordingly, further research that would include a longer series of data, as well as settlement type, is needed to deepen the understanding of internal migration dynamics and patterns evolving over years since the COVID-19 outbreak in Serbia and their implications for spatial population distribution.…”

“…Thus, internal migration affects population redistribution and population decline especially in rural and border areas of Serbia (Lukić & Anđelković-Stoilković, 2017). Recent research on the opinion of the population in rural areas of Serbia on the outcomes of the COVID-19 pandemic on the sustainability of Serbian villages included the relevant aspect of emigration from rural areas (Lukić et al, 2022).…”

Business of rural tourist households in the function of rural tourism development in Serbia

“…Also, quiet, not so well known and small destinations will be more attractive. People living in small flats in densely populated cities are increasingly appreciating landscape enjoyment, safe local food production and delivery, the potential of social separation, and accessible open public spaces, which were formerly undervalued (Lukić at al. 2022).…”