SUSTAINABLE TOURISM IN BIH THROUGH SUPPORT TO THE CONCEPT OF RESPONSIBLE TOURISM

The brochure was published with the financial means provided by the Embassy of Italy in BiH, OXFAM Italy and the WWF Mediterranean Programme.

Support to the creation and promotion of the way for ECO and sustainable tourism in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

SUSTAINABLE TOURISM IN BIH THROUGH SUPPORT TO THE CONCEPT OF RESPONSIBLE TOURISM

Park prirode Blidinje

List of Contents

Blidinje

• PREFACE BY AUTHOR ......................................................................................3 • DEVELOPMENT OF ECO AND SUSTAINABLE TOURISM IN BIH THROUGH SUPPORT TO THE CONCEPT OT SUSTAINABLE TOURISM............5 • ABOUT THE CONCEPT OF SUSTAINABLE TOURISM....................7 • RESPONSIBLE TOURISM IN RURAL AREAS OF BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA ....35 • SWOT ANALYSIS OF THREE RIVER VALLEYS (UNA, NERETVA AND DRINA)..................................................................37 • TOURISM IN “UNA” NATIONAL PARK .................................................45 • TOURISM IN “SUTJESKA” NATIONAL PARK ....................................52 • TOURISM IN "HUTOVO BLATO” NATURE..........................................62 • TOURISM IN “BLIDINJE” NATURE PARK .............................................73 Impressum: Publisher: WWF Mediterranean Programme Office Responsibe for the publisher: MSc. Zoran Mateljak Author: Doc. Ph.D. Božo Vukoja Proofreading and correction by: Mira Rupčić, Milena Leventić Translation into English by: Marija Skorupski Layout and design by: Teledom, Grude Photographs: Teledom, Grude Print: Suton d.o.o. Široki Brijeg Edition: 1000 copies CIP - NK6 - UDK - 339.87(497.6)

Razvitak ruralnog turizma kroz koncept odgovornog turizma u BiH

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A Preface by Author

A Preface by Author: Ph.D. Božo Vukoja

T

he brochure in your hands, under the title DEVELOPMENT OF SUSTAINABLE TOURISM IN BiH THROUGH SUPPORT TO THE CONCEPT OF RESPONSIBLE TOURISM, has emerged from the need to gather facts and useful information about responsible tourism and successful application of sustainable tourism in the protected areas of our country.

The initiative to publish the brochure came from the people who have launched tourist activities on their private estates in protected nature sites and who seek additional input and guidelines about responsible tourism. For their sake and the sake of all other interested parties we have wanted to share relevant experience, clarify basic guidelines and, building upon experiences of other countries, regions and economies, encourage joint projects whose funding has partly been secured from EU pre-accession funds and funds earmarked for cross-border cooperation.

The brochure provides only basic guidelines for the development of responsible tourism. The motive for compiling the brochure was to stimulate further development of responsible tourism in BiH, that is, to encourage all those who are planning to start a tourist business on their estates and to make things easier to those who are already in the tourist industry and work by the above principles.

The brochure seeks to additionally stimulate the protection of ambience architecture, responsible houses, local specifics, traditions and customs, interesting old crafts and trades, biodiversity, small-scale agricultural production, authentic ("home-made") products, in other words, it seeks to promote through tourism, as the flywheel of progress of every responsible community, the picturesqueness and viability of the countryside and the appeal of a rural lifestyle.

We hope that this brochure will be helpful to you in your everyday business activities and work and that it will provide clear answers to your questions, or, given your occupation and line of business, that it will at least suggest where to look for answers to questions or dilemmas that you might have.

Given its rich and diverse natural, cultural and historic background, Bosnia and Herzegovina has optimal prerequisites for the development of more specialized types of tourism by following exactly the concept and guidelines of responsible tourism.

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A Preface by Author

The natural and cultural diversity of its regions, the rich resource basis of its tourist attractions and well preserved nature make the sound basis for the development of sustainable BiH tourism in accordance with the guidelines of responsible tourism, as well as other specific forms of tourism that pertain to the rural areas of our country.

The main strategic goals of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s tourism in rural areas are: competitiveness on the international market, a well-balanced regional development, self-employment of young people and the motivation to remain in the country, continuous protection, implementation and observance of the high environmental standards and a long-term sustainable valorization of the tourist potentials, development of the comprehensive offer of a tourist destination, improvement of the quality of accommodation capacities and catering and tourist services, stimulation of the production of organic foods and authentic home-grown products and their placement on the market through tourist infrastructure, education of the tourist industry employees and a growing share of the inland tourism in the overall tourist operations.

In all this, the concept of responsible tourism is an important factor in jump-starting and sustainable development of rural regions, ensuring the protection of local identity, traditions and customs and environmental protection, strengthening autochthon traditional and ecological agricultural production and assisting with the development of rural areas.

We hope that this brochure will be of help to all those interested as an additional motive and help creating business ideas and in their subsequent realization, either individually or in partnership with others, which should eventually lead to business success, more prosperous life and development of rural areas by means of responsible tourism.

This brochure would never see the light of day without the good will of its sponsors, primarily the WWF and OXFAM to whom we wish to express our sincere gratitude/are sincerely grateful.

The Author

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Sustainable tourism in BiH through support to the concept of responsible tourism

A Preface by Editor

A Preface by Editor DEVELOPMENT OF ECO TOURISM AND RESPONSIBLE TOURISM IN BiH THROUGH SUPPORT TO THE CONCEPT OF RESPONSIBLE TOURISM

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he aim of the project titled "THE UNEXPLORED HEART OF EUROPE" - Support to the creation and promotion of eco-tourism and sustainable tourism in Bosnia and Herzegovina" was to support and stimulate initiatives for sustainable tourism that would be based on natural values.

The project was funded by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and implemented from May 2009 through August 2012. The partner organizations in charge of project implementation are UCODEP, OXFAM Italy, WWF Italy, WWF MedPO and REC BiH. The project focused on three valleys in Bosnia and Herzegovina: the Neretva, Drina and the Una-Sana valley.

The main goal of the first project phase was to initiate and develop sustainable tourism in three valleys (i.e. the Una, Drina and Neretva river basins) in harmony with nature, while at the same time supporting activities designed to generate additional income for the local community. The WWF Mediterranean Programme Office (WWF MedPO) was in charge of the third project phase, the so-called "Pilot Initiative" conceived to make local economies embrace the principles of sustainable development of natural resources in the protected areas.

Implementation phases were comprised of four main activities: • Mapping of natural resources (flora, fauna and eco system) in two pilot areas • Evaluation of the economic importance of two protected areas • Socio-economic research on the "readiness to pay for" tourists in two protected areas • Development of the guidelines of responsible tourism in the protected areas and activities to in senzibilizing of civil society Support to the concept of Sustainable tourism in BiH is a logical continuation of the WWF projects conducted to-date, aimed at building a sustainable tourism in this region on the principles of responsible tourism.

Given the fact that these river valleys are home to two national parks (Sutjeska and Una) and one nature park under the Ramsar protection (Hutovo Blato) and that, from the aspect of world natural and cultural heritage, the said areas have a great touristic value, the importance of such approach acquires a new dimension and significance.

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A Preface by Editor

Since we know from practice that these regions are under the threat of eco-system disruption, but also under the threat of other forms of deviant behavior, pollution and devastation, the best way of protecting them is to support development of responsible tourism, which includes a controlled use and protection of the natural and social resources. Responsible tourism implies rational and controlled exploitation of resources and as such is an opposite of mass tourism. The responsibility refers to man`s attitude to natural environment and commitment to its preservation, which is the basic prerequisite for ensuring a long-term sustainable progress, in other words, a prerequisite to a healthy and quality life of the local community. Therefore, responsible tourism is feasible only through an active involvement of local population.

The brochure that you are holding in your hands represents our attempt to familiarize key governmental officials, NGOs, tourist boards and organizations, environmental organizations, tourist agencies and tour operators, hotels, tourist workers and other responsible individuals in the protected areas with the concept of responsible tourism and to initiate a public debate about the possibilities for development of this particular type and concept of tourism in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

We hope that the concept of responsible tourism in BiH will raise a number of questions such as: What is responsible tourism?

What are the global experiences and how they should be applied in BiH? Why BiH needs exactly such concept of tourism?

How can responsible tourism improve management of the protected areas and prompt rural development?

5. Why responsible tourism should be advocated and supported?

6. What should be concretely done in the project areas (Hutovo Blato, Sutjeska and Una), but also in all other important tourist regions, primarily in national and nature parks and all other current and future areas categorized by the IUCN principles.

7. What kind of gastronomic offer and the quality of services and catering facilities is required for responsible tourism?

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The brochure aims to stimulate the application of the concept of responsible tourism in BiH, in particular in three project areas, and to prompt the development of rural tourism and also of all specialized types of tourism, as well as to initiate a discussion among touristic workers, ecologists and other parties that are interested in the sustainable tourism under the principles and postulates of responsible tourism.

The purpose of informing the public about the importance of responsible tourism is to stimulate investments into responsible tourism in BiH and to develop a cluster work and cooperation among all interested stakeholders.

The SWOT analysis and the Action Plans elaborated for these three protected regions, following an inventory of their natural assets, aims to underline their economic importance (with a special emphasis on sustainable tourism) and the benefits that local population can draw from them. The evaluation is based on the inventory of resources which the protected areas can offer to local communities and which represent the pillars of prosperity of the local population (hunting, fishing, tourism, natural assets etc.).

We hope that the materials compiled for you will only be the first step in promoting responsible tourism in our region.

Mr. sc. Zoran Mateljak

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Sustainable tourism in BiH through support to the concept of responsible tourism

ABOUT CONCEPT OF RESPONSIBLE TOURISM Introduction

W

ith 200 million of employees, tourism is the biggest industry in the world which incorporates a wide range of economic activities and numerous studies predict its constant further growth.

Despite the threat of terrorism, for the first time in history the number of international tourist arrivals exceeded 780 million in 2010. The World Tourist Organization anticipates that by 2015, the number of international tourists will reach 860 million and continue to grow to 1.56 billion by 2020.

Tourism is considered an important source of economic wealth (to numerous small-island economies, tourism represents an important part of their annual revenues) and a global phenomenon that includes an increased travel of people to remote destinations. It has been generally acknowledged that the contribution of tourism to the socio-economic development and cultural exchange is tremendous.

Today tourism represents a complex phenomenon whose consequences, in terms of its impact on our environment, culture, society and economy, can no longer be ignored. This is best confirmed by the figure of almost 6 billion annual travels (of which 500 million are international flights) and 127 million employees in the world. It is estimated that tourism makes 6% of the net domestic product of the planet.

Unfortunately, the consequences of such mass tourism can be devastating, especially in the southern part of the world where there is a less equitable distribution of the revenues generated through tourism that would offset the loss of values and traditions. Besides, such forms of mass and luxurious tourism can often have negative effects on the environment, culture and society as a whole. For the above reasons, tourism calls for a careful consideration by all players, citizens and institutions, tourist industry and end users.

Responsible tourism is a direct opposite of the mass tourism. It is the way of travel that primarily implies the awareness of oneself and one’s own actions even though they may include some sort of purchase (of a ticket, gift or overnight accommodation), awareness of the reality of the country of our travel (social, cultural, economic, and environmental) and the possibility of an enlightened and, consequently, a different choice. Therefore, a responsible tourism is an ethical and conscious travel that embraces the countries of destination, their people and nature with respect and availability.

A travel that seeks to contribute to the lessening of social differences, protection and conservation of the natural environmental and respect of local cultures, customs and beliefs and a genuine and direct cultural exchange and promotion of the universal principles of equality, sustainability and tolerance.

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About concept of responsible tourism

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND RESPONSIBLE TOURISM Sustainable development is a number one concept of the international development. Principles that uphold sustainable development have been around for centuries, but it was only in 1987 that the term “sustainable development” received international recognition and entered into official usage (responsible tourism, soft tourism, minimal tourism or alternative tourism are all terms used in a similar sense). In 1987, the definition of sustainable development by the Burnt land Commission was a development that meets current needs without the possibility of endangering future generations to satisfy their needs. It leads towards the kind of management that uses all resources in the way that economic, social and esthetic needs are met, while at the same time protecting the cultural integrity, basic environmental processes and biological diversity.” (Our Common Future, 1987).

Since its first definition, the concept of sustainable tourism continued to capture more and more attention and popularity and soon came to stand for much more than the original definition implied. Sustainable development can have many meanings, depending on the context in which it is used. In the context of international development, sustainable development implies a complex correlation between: • social • economic, and • environmental aspects required for a long-term sustainability.

The above can be applied to the development and management of responsible tourism and all types of tourism and tourist destinations, including mass tourism and other segments of tourism.

The idea of sustainability – and its three pillars: economic, environmental and social – is now taken into account in the decision-making in many areas.

In tourism, as well as other industries, implementation of the sustainable development depends on how corporations will accept their social and environmental responsibility towards society and introduce changes in their business practice in order to improve their viability. This obligation is built into the principle of corporative social responsibility that defines the guidelines of sustainable activities in business operations. The World Business Council for sustainable development defines social corporative responsibility as an obligation in business operations that endeavors to contribute to the sustainable economic development, cooperation with employees, their families, local community and society as a whole and to improve their life quality.

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Sustainable tourism in BiH through support to the concept of responsible tourism

About concept of responsible tourism

Responsible tourism should: a) optimally use natural resources that are an important element of tourist development, maintain necessary ecological processes and help preserve natural heritage and biodiversity. b) Respect local socio-cultural identities, preserve their cultural heritage and traditional values and contribute to better cultural understanding and tolerance. c) Ensure visible long-term economic activities, socio-economic benefits for all stakeholders and their equitable distribution, including the possibilities of employment, profit generation and welfare services for local communities in order to contribute to poverty reduction.

Development of responsible tourism calls for an active involvement of all important stakeholders and a strong political leadership that can enable participation of a large number of stakeholders and contribute to the decision-making processes by means of consensus. Responsible tourism is a process that takes time and requires constant control of impacts, proposing preventive and corrective measures whenever deemed necessary. It should also reflect a high degree of satisfaction and experience on the part of tourists and raise their awareness of the sustainability issue and promote principles of sustainable tourism.

“Development of tourism should be based on sustainability, which means that in the long run it must be ecologically endurable, economically cost-effective and ethically and socially acceptable to local communities.”(Chapter on Sustainable tourism, world conference in Lanzarote, 1995).

The Organization of Independent Tour Operators has proposed a number of guidelines of sustainable tourism that are similar to the principles identified by Martha Honey (Eco tourism and sustainable development. Who owns Paradise? Martha Honey, Washington, D.C., Island Press, 1999.)

• protection of environment - flora, fauna and landscape • Respect for local culture – tradition, religion and cultural heritage • Contribution to local communities – in economic and welfare terms • Protection of natural resources – from office to destinations • Minimum pollution – noise, waste disposal and over-crowdedness with tourists.

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About concept of responsible tourism

RESPONSIBLE TOURISM IN SERVICE OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT The term “responsible tourism” actually implies an ethically inspired reaction of the civilized world to often very negative impacts which mass tourism has caused and continues to cause in the areas that are visited by a large number of people. The inception of the term dates back to the 70s of the past century, the time when the mass tourism had aggressively spread all over the world, causing thereby especially harmful consequences for both social and physical tissue of underdeveloped countries. Already in 1987 Brundtland* defined sustainable development as a development that meets the needs of today, without compromising the possibilities for the future generations to satisfy their needs.

Since the United Nations began to continuously and loudly advocate the need for observance of the sustainability principles, the concept of “sustainable development” has been transformed into the guidelines for an individual’s attitude to the world that surrounds him, not only to the natural environment, but also the cultural and historic heritage. Thanks to the efforts of numerous organizations, movements, interest groups and individuals, who took it upon themselves to fight for the protection of natural wealth and cultural and historic heritage, the consumer society has slowly started to change.

Even before the beginning of the third millennium, mass tourism started to gradually lose its status and give way to different types of the so-called “alternative tourism”. The offer always has to adapt to the demand, which was also the case here. Thanks to the rising numbers of consumers who quite knowingly adopted the term of responsibility towards future generations, new types of tourist offer have emerged, with new and original attractions that in a responsible manner exploit the wealth of the territories in which they are found. It must be noted here that the transformation of consumers and their choice of alternative tourist products was conditioned by the development of the new information technologies, which has not only facilitated the spread of information, but also lead to the development of a new consciousness and new perception of the connection between individual actions and development of “a global village”.

To educated and enlightened people, the concept of responsible tourism has become a life philosophy.

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Sustainable tourism in BiH through support to the concept of responsible tourism

About concept of responsible tourism

Responsible Development of Territories Of course, the responsibility for the protection of a local area does not rest only with the consumers, but also with local authorities that are in charge of its development. If we want to move on from the concept of “sustainable tourism” to “responsible tourist development,” we must first establish what defines the latter. If we comb through the numerous declarations and definitions that, following lengthy discussions, were adopted by the participants of many international conferences organized in different parts of the world (Cape Town, Rio de Janeiro, Manila, Lanzarotte etc.), we will compile a long list of the important determinants of the responsible tourism. However, if we want to sum up the necessary prerequisites, we will easily come to a number of the indispensable and inevitable preconditions: (a) Optimization in the use of environmental resources (b) Protection of environmental processes (c) Protection of natural heritage and local bio-diversity, (d) Protective approach towards local culture, traditional values and socio-cultural peculiarities (e) Feasibility of long-term economic activities Responsible tourist development must follow the principles of sustainability and, therefore, must be ecologically tolerable/endurable, economically cost-effective and ethically and socially just.

Therefore, every development project should protect the environment and preserve the natural resources by reducing pollution to the minimum. A territory in its entirety belongs to the community as a whole. Management of the territory`s resources requires an environmentally aware involvement of all players. Every development project should provide some economic benefits for all local stakeholders.

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About concept of responsible tourism

RESPONSIBLE TOURISM IN BIH Already in medieval times, , as the inhabitants of the country which lied on the crossroads of trade routes and abounded in beautiful scenery, rich natural assets and delicious food, Bosnians and Herzegovians were reputed as “good people”.

In addition to the proverbial hospitality of its people, its incredible natural wealth and springs of potable water, its geographic position is another reason why Bosnia and Herzegovina has been dubbed “the heart of the Balkans.”

According to the projections by the World Tourist Organization (UNWTO), Bosnia and Herzegovina will take the third place on the global scale in terms of its tourist market growth which has been estimated to reach 10.5% in the period from 2015to 2020.

In the 18th century, rural tourism was reserved for the privileged classes, that is, the aristocracy and bourgeoisie, and mostly in England. Today, it attracts more and more tourists from all social classes because of the unique experience it offers and the contribution in the protection of natural heritage and local communities.

Since there is no universally acceptable definition of rural or country tourism, we will try to provide answers to most frequently asked questions about this particular kind of tourism in the next chapter.

RULES OF RESPONSIBLE TOURISM Responsible tourism implies compliance with a number of rules and obligations by both the visitors and hosts, that is, the community that has organized the trip and entertains guests.

Simply put, responsible tourism is a direct opposite of the mass tourism where a tourist rarely comes in direct contact with the inhabitants of the place he visits and his trip rarely contributes to his personal and cultural enrichment. In contrast to responsible tourism, the mass tourism encourages development of large corporations and hotel chains that not only don’t contribute to the development of local economy, but often endanger local eco-systems.

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Sustainable tourism in BiH through support to the concept of responsible tourism

About concept of responsible tourism

WHY RESPONSIBLE TOURISM IN THE FIRST PLACE Responsible tourism is a direct opposite of the mass tourism. It primarily implies the responsibility towards natural environment and commitment to its preservation, which is the basic precondition for a long-term sustainable development, or in other words, for the well-being and life quality of the local population. Responsible tourism is a project that can only function with an active participation of local population.

In that sense, the first task in the promotion of responsible tourism is education that seeks to raise the awareness of the local community on all levels, from small children and teenagers to the mature adults who are still socially and economically active.

The awareness of the responsible tourism does not only relate to the providers of tourist services, but also to their users. In developed countries, the awareness and commitment to responsible tourism is recognized as a sign of civility, the knowledge that commits an individual to protect and preserve the environment and to respect local culture, customs and beliefs.

Sustainable development and social entrepreneurship are the synonyms for the charted development of the modern society which values equality, justice, generosity and moral virtues that are slowly disappearing from the globalization processes of today. The fast uncontrollable progress, powerful construction lobbies, overly constructed coastline, mass tourism, all of this brings huge profits, but the question is - who actually profits from it? And is such development sustainable at all?

PRODUCTS OF RESPONSIBLE TOURISM These are products that function in harmony with the local environment, culture and community in the way that the latter all become beneficiaries and not victims of tourist development.

In many countries in which tourism makes an important share in annual revenues, it is very important to preserve the traits that make their product one of a kind. The principles of sustainable and responsible tourism have been applied ever since the quality of the environment and local community were recognized as part of the economic aspect. Availability of these components is the basis for the viability and survival of economic activities. The principles of improvement of sustainable tourism can help local authorities to organize their activities in a comprehensive way. There are more and more tourists who opt for responsible tourism and therefore, successful application of principles of sustainable tourism represents good practice in the promotion of any country.

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About concept of responsible tourism

Characteristics of responsible tourism Responsible tourism is: • Informative; not only can visitors learn something about their destination, but they can also learn how they can help it to preserve its attractions and at the same time deepen their experience of the trip. On the other hand, hosts can learn how the ordinary and everyday can become much more interesting and valuable to visitors.

• It supports the integrity of the area: visitors insist on skills and crafts that underscore the unique characteristics of the destination such as indigenous architecture, cuisine, cultural heritage, esthetics and ecology. Thus, revenues generated through tourism increase in the eyes of the local population the value of the local assets.

• It brings benefits to local population; travel agencies do their best to train and employ local inhabitants, purchase local products and use local services.

• Protects resources; environmentally aware travellers prefer businesses that have no adverse impact on the environment.

• It respects local culture and tradition; foreign guests visit local destinations, learn about local peculiarities and learn several polite expressions in local language. Local population learns how to fulfill the expectations of foreigners that may be different from their own.

• It does abuse its own products; stakeholders predict excessive development, set limits and adopt useful management techniques for its prevention. Businesses work together to protect natural habitats, cultural and historic attractions and local culture.

• It aspires towards quality, not quantity; local communities measure the successfulness of tourism not by the number of guests, but by the length of stays, the amount of money spent and the quality of experience.

• It stands for a wonderful journey; satisfied visitors take home new insights about the place and advise their friends to visit the same destination, which provides a steady inflow of visitors to the destination.

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Sustainable tourism in BiH through support to the concept of responsible tourism

About concept of responsible tourism

Milestones in the development of responsible tourism In order to offset the damage caused by mass tourism, local and state authorities have drafted documents and chapters and adopted initiatives to legalize the principles of sustainable development that were ratified at the first conference of the United Nations in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. Some more important global documents that speak about the concept of sustainable tourism are the following: - Declaration on world tourism adopted in Manila, 1980.

- The Brundtland Commission used in the report “Our joint/common future” from 1987.

- Agenda 21 on travel and tourism adopted by the World Council on Travel and Tourism, the World Tourist Organizations and the Council of countries in 1991.

- World Summit - UNEP, Rio de Janeiro, 1992.

- Agreement on Sustainable Tourism, 1995, (together with the UNEP, UNESCO, EU) - Berlin Declaration, 1997.

- Global code of ethics-conduct in tourism, the World Tourist Organization, 1999.

- Carta di Rimini on Sustainable tourism, 2001.

- Mohonk Agreement: proposal on the international certification program for Sustainable tourism and eco-tourism, 2000.

- World Summit on sustainable development, Johannesburg, 2002.

European environmental policies are contributing to the development of responsible tourism with their directives, instruments of volunteerism and fundamental prerequisites as follows: - SEA, Strategic environmental assessment; the directive foresees that environmental impact assessments be prepared for regional and local plans and projects during their elaboration and prior to their adoption.

- VISIT, volunteer initiative for sustainability in tourism, LIFE 2001 / 2004; the initiative is the first European travel guide that rates environmental quality of tourist destinations and is designed to demonstrate that European eco brands can work together to push the tourist market towards sustainability.

- European Charter on tourism in protected areas; it treats global and European priorities outlined in the recommendations of Agenda 21 adopted at the world summit in Rio in 1992 and by the EU sixth program for environmental protection and the strategy for sustainable development.

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About concept of responsible tourism

Agreement on Sustainable Tourism, Lanzarote 1995 The world conference on sustainable tourism held in Lanzarote (the Canary Islands, Spain, 1995) adopted a chapter on sustainable tourism. This chapter approaches tourism using global methodology and urges the international community and all world governments, all decision makers from the field of tourism, as well as public and private enterprises whose activities are connected with tourism to adopt 18 principles that make tourism responsible and sustainable.

1. Tourist development should be based on sustainability, which means that it must be long-term environmentally tolerable, economically cost-effective and ethically and socially acceptable to local communities. Sustainable development is a process that implies global use of resources to ensure their cost-effectiveness and thus enable our natural and cultural capital, protected areas included, to be preserved as a powerful instrument for tourist development that can and should be actively used in the strategy of sustainable development.

2. Tourism should contribute to sustainable development and be integrated into our natural, cultural and social environment; it must respect the sensitive balance that characterizes many tourist destinations, especially small islands and environmentally vulnerable areas. Tourism should ensure acceptable development in terms of its impact on a destination`s natural resources, biodiversity and capacities.

3. Tourism must take into account its impact on cultural heritage and traditional elements, activities and dynamics of every local community individually. An important role in formulating the strategy of tourism, in particular in the developing countries, must be given to the recognition of local factors and support for the identity, culture and interests of a local community.

4. Active contribution of tourism to sustainable development requires solidarity, mutual respect and participation of all stakeholders, both public and private ones involved in the process, and it must be based on efficient mechanisms for cooperation on all levels: local, national, regional and international.

5. Conservation, protection and respect of natural and cultural heritage can be helpful in establishing cooperation. This approach implies that all responsible stakeholders must accept the challenge of cultural, technological and professional innovations and make additional efforts to create and implement instruments for integrated planning and management.

6. Set quality standards both in the protection of destination and the capacities that will satisfy tourists` needs. These criteria must be adopted in cooperation with the local community and in accordance with the principles of sustainable development.

7. In order to become a part of sustainable development, tourism must be based on a variety of opportunities that a local economy offers. It must be fully integrated and positively contribute to the development of local economy.

8. Tourism developmental options should contribute to the improvement of the quality of living of all people and effect socio-cultural enrichment of every individual destination.

9. Governments and local authorities, in cooperation with non-governmental organizations and local communities, should aspire towards integration and planning of tourism through sustainable development.

10. Given the economic and social cohesion of people in today`s world, as the fundamental principle of sustainable development it is important that the measures advocated enable an equitable distribution of the benefits and burdens of tourism. This relates to changes in the consumption pattern and introduction of the evaluation methods that would enable internationalization of the costs of environmental protection. Governments and international organizations should give priority to and strengthen direct and indirect aid for the projects in tourism that contribute to environmental quality.

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Sustainable tourism in BiH through support to the concept of responsible tourism

About concept of responsible tourism

11. A priority should be given to areas that are sensitive in environmental and cultural terms both now and in the future by administering financial and technical assistance for development of sustainable tourism.

12. Promotion of the alternative forms of tourism that are in line with the principles of Sustainable development, together with enhancing and encouraging diversity, represents both a short- and long-term guarantee of stability.

13. Governments, industries, authorities and non-governmental organizations should promote and participate in building open networks for survey, spread of information and transfer of knowledge about tourism and techniques of sustainable tourism.

14. The policy of sustainable tourism requires support and promotion of the environmentally compatible systems of tourist management, feasibility studies for transformation of the sector, implementation of pilot projects and development of international cooperation programs.

15. Travel agencies, in conjunction with organizations whose activities are linked with tourism, should establish special frameworks for positive and preventive actions that should ensure development of sustainable tourism and set up programs to support implementation of such practices. They should also monitor accomplishments, report on results and exchange experiences.

16. A special attention should be paid to the role of tourism in environmental impacts in connection with transportation means and to development of economic instruments that contribute to reduced use of non-renewable energy sources and at the same time encourage recycling and reduced impacts on protected areas.

17. Adopting and exercising the code of conduct in accordance with the principle of sustainability on the part of key players in tourism, especially tourist industries. It is crucial that tourism be sustainable. Such code of conduct can be an efficient instrument in the development of responsible tourism.

18. All necessary measures must be introduced in order to inform and raise the awareness of all those involved in the tourist industry on local, national, regional and international level concerning goals adopted at the conference in Lanzarote.

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About concept of responsible tourism

The Agreement in Mohonk: The proposal for international certification programs in sustainable tourism and eco-tourism The Agreement in Mohonk outlines a set of general principles and elements that should become incorporated in every certification program for eco-tourism and sustainable tourism. The framework was unanimously adopted in the joint conclusions of an international workshop organized by the Policy Research Institute with the support of the Ford Foundation. The workshop was held in a mountain cabin in Mohonk, New Paltz, in New York from 17 to 19 November 2006.

Participants of the workshop concluded that certification programs in tourism must be additionally modified to adapt to specific geographic regions in today’s tourist industry. They also agreed that certification program should be followed by general components which every certification program for eco-tourism and sustainable tourism should fit into.

General Certification Framework Basic Scheme All stakeholders and sectors should be involved in the development of certification programs (including representatives of local communities, tourist agencies, non-governmental organizations, government, etc.)

• Such scheme should provide benefits for service providers and offer tourists the possibility of a choice.

• Provide benefits to local communities and facilitate their preservation.

• Set up minimum standards and at the same time encourage and reward examples of good practice.

• Allow for the possibility of certification withdrawal in case of non-compliance.

• Establish control of the existing certificates in terms of their proper application, expiry of the validity date or annulment of the document/certificate.

• It should introduce commission-fees for technical assistance.

• It should be designed in the way that allows for constant improvements of the certificate itself and the products/companies that are being certified.

Criteria • They should provide mechanisms that lead towards accomplishment of charted goals.

• They should lead to a better quality of services and if possible towards regular upgrading of service quality.

• They should include global examples of good practice of touristic management in environmental, social and economic terms.

• They should be adjusted to recognize local/regional environmental, social and economic conditions, as well as initiatives of the local community for sustainable development.

• Criteria should be periodically reviewed.

• Essentially, they should be based on performance and include elements of environmental, economic and social management.

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Sustainable tourism in BiH through support to the concept of responsible tourism

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Integrity • Certification program should be transparent and envisage the possibility of an appeal.

• The body in charge of certificate issuance should be independent in its work and free from any influences by interested parties, technical assistance or bodies in charge of evaluation of the certificate itself (technical assistance, administrative structures, conflict of interest should be avoided in the evaluation and review process).

• Reviews should be conducted by authorized revisers.

• It should contain mechanisms that allow for the possibility of an information feedback for consumers and local community.

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About concept of responsible tourism

Criteria of sustainable tourism Sustainable tourism aspires to minimalize environmental and socio-cultural impacts, while at the same time providing economic profit for the local community, i.e. the host country.

Criteria that are applied in defining Sustainable tourism in any certification scheme should meet the minimum standards in view of the following aspects:

General • Social, cultural, ecological and economic impacts are taken into account in the preparation of environmental impact studies and adoption of regional plans.

• Obligations of tourist business entities in the responsible environmental management.

• Professional training of expert staff, education, responsibility, knowledge and raising the awareness about environmental management and cultural changes and specifics.

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Sustainable tourism in BiH through support to the concept of responsible tourism

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• Setting up mechanisms for reporting and control • Responsible marketing based on realistic expectations • Setting up mechanisms for information feedback from social/cultural consumers • Influence on social structures, culture and economy (local and national level).

• Appropriate procedures for access to and mediation in land sale/purchase • Measures that ensure social cohesion of a community • Mechanisms that enable recognition of the environmental rights and aspirations of the local and/or indigenous population • Suitability of location • Protection of eco system’s biodiversity and integrity • Impact on the location itself, landscape and the possibilities of rehabilitation • Management of drainage canals (precipitation waters) • Sustainability and minimal use of energy sources • Sustainability and minimal use of water supply system • Sustainable management of waste waters •

Air quality and noise reduction (including greenhouse gases)

• Waste reduction and the sustainability of waste disposal • Landscape/visual impacts • Sustainability of raw materials and supplies (materials recycled or produced on the location, certified products etc.)

• Minimum environmental impact of tourist activities

Economic • The need for introduction of ethics into business dealings • Mechanisms that ensure that the employment contracts and procedures are not exploitative, but in compliance with local laws and international labor standards (depending on which standards are higher).

• Mechanisms that ensure a minimum negative economic impacts on local community, but instead bring considerable economic benefits to local community.

A positive economic impact of tourism is often described as something that brings benefits to the tourist destination itself, while negative environmental and social impacts are perceived as expenditures. In reality, economic, environmental and social impacts can at the same time be both positive and negative and the challenge in developing sustainable tourism lies precisely in ensuring profits in all areas.

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About concept of responsible tourism

Economic influence A tourist development of a country or a region is often considered as an opportunity for poverty reduction through employment and profit generation. On the other hand, if tourism is not developed and managed in a responsible way, by taking into account local needs, the real long-term economic benefits can be smaller than expected. The basic reason why local population fails to draw benefits from tourism is when goods and services used in tourism are produced and purchased outside of the country or region. Also, government investments into tourist infrastructure, such as roads, airports or hospitals, can mean that fewer funds are made available for the basic needs of the local population. Other possible expenditures include the repair of air and water pollution caused by tourist activities, losses caused by the ailments inflicted through pollution and increased living costs of the local population caused by the elite tourism.

However, tour-operators can contribute to increased economic sustainability of tourism at a destination by creating a tourist offer in the way that ensures maximal local, regional and national economic profit.

Generally speaking, positive economic impacts can be reduced down to three categories: direct, indirect and impelled.

Direct profits include tourist spending on food, souvenirs, excursions, tips etc. at the destination itself.

It also includes money paid by tour operators to local suppliers, including hotels and local transportation companies. Of course, if a hotel is owned by foreigners, direct benefits will be lower given the fact that a portion of money earned will leave the country. Direct local profits can be increased by creating tourist packages that rely on local suppliers alone.

Indirect benefits include profits and jobs created through the services provided to tourists. For example, if hotels purchase food locally they can create jobs and profit to local farmers and factories. Indirect benefits can be increased through bigger consummation of local products, in which case a destination will need fewer tourists to generate the same economic profit.

Finally, impelled profits arise from the bigger purchasing power of employees and their families as a result of higher employment in tourism. The opportunity for generation of this sort of profits is higher in large areas with a more diverse economy. On a small island where tourism is the main industry, employees have fewer possibilities for spending their salaries on locally produced goods. Economic benefits can sometimes be stimulated in a place that is far away from the tourist destination itself. For instance, cruiser employees often send their pay checks back to their home countries.

Environmental Impact Tourism can have a wide range of negative environmental impacts that are sometimes irreparable and irreversible. In most extreme cases, a long-term environmental degradation has destroyed the landscape that has been drawing the tourists to a destination to the point that leading tour-operators and their customers are beginning to avoid such places and opt for new and better preserved destinations instead.

The impact of tourism on environment is determined by the design-plans and construction of the tourist facilities like airports, hotels, roads etc., their daily functioning and the behavior of tourists.

The biggest potential for causing long-term damage and negative impact lurks in the initial stage of a design plan or construction, but it also offers the possibility of ensuring a development of sustainable tourism. At this initial stage, the government decides what type or level of tourist activity will be developed at a certain location through adoption of the urban plans and issuance of building permits for tour-

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Sustainable tourism in BiH through support to the concept of responsible tourism

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ist facilities in the area. If ill-planned, the construction site and facility itself can degrade the landscape and lead to a loss of biodiversity as a result of the destruction of natural wildlife habitats, that is, the coastline, woods, coral reefs and other eco-systems.

The design plan of a tourist facility itself can be beneficial to its long-term impact, which depends on a number of factors from the quantity of water and energy required for the operation of the facility, the quantity of waste that will be produced to the manner in which waste disposal will be managed. If the principles of adequate design-planning are applied the aforesaid long-terms impacts can be significantly reduced. In addition to its direct impact on a local destination, tourism can also have a global impact as a result of carbon-dioxide emissions by planes and other means of transportation that affect climate change.

Although tourism can create unwanted expenditures for its immediate surroundings, it can also become a source of benefits. For example, the income from tourism can be used in funding the local protected nature sites so that their economic importance for the country or region may become bigger.

Tourism can help protect forests and coral reefs by promoting their recreational purposes instead of consumer economic activities such as fishing or wood logging. Tour operators can have influence on the adoption of laws that seek to protect the natural attractions, as well as the behavior of tourists at these nature sites. An increased tourist interest in a location can bring about environmental benefits in the form of an increased awareness of the local population about environmental issues, which should help them to understand the real economic value of the place provided its natural wealth is preserved.

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About concept of responsible tourism

• Socio-cultural impact Negative socio-cultural component of tourist development A negative socio-cultural impact of tourist development on a local community is not always immediately visible. First, the presence of tourists who have different cultural habits and traditions and their bigger purchasing power can lead to conflicts or emotional discomfort. Inappropriate display of personal wealth, photographing local people without asking them for their permission or wearing provocative clothes, especially in strict religious areas, are all examples of the behavior that can be seen by locals as offensive (locals might behave politely and not show it outwardly). Although sustainability can generate some instantaneous economic advantages in terms of the reduction of expenses and improved relations with employees and the local community, many benefits, both to individual companies and the society as a whole, are long-term.

Furthermore, not all benefits are tangible since some of them cannot be measured, consequently, investing into sustainability is sometimes difficult to justify.

Benefits of behaving responsibly •

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

Key business benefits of tour operators who behave responsibly include: Bigger profits. If it becomes clear that tour operators conduct their business by the principles of sustainability, their profits will grow bigger because they will secure the loyalty of their clients and attract news ones, which will result in a bigger market for the tour operators.

Savings. Operating by sustainability principles can help lower operational costs and improve overall productivity and efficiency due to reduced use of resources, reduced waste production and avoidance of unnecessary fines.

Access to capital. Given the fact that environmental and social criteria are becoming a standard in any risk assessment, tour operators who do business by sustainability principles have better chances of attracting capital from banks and investors.

Human resources. There are bigger chances that employees will feel proud about working for employers who take their responsibility towards society seriously. Tour operators who are known for their sustainability policy have a better capacity of attracting and retaining trained and talented staff, which in turn increases their prospects of innovation and market competitiveness.

Brand value and reputation. The reputation about a tour operator`s sustainable business adds values to its brand and strengthens its standing on the market, whereby the brand becomes less susceptible to short-term economic and market changes.

Protection of destination. By operating in a sustainable manner, a tour operator can help make a tourist destination a pleasant place to visit and live in. By securing the long-term quality of a destination, a tour operator can secure his own business lucrativeness.

Improved service. Sustainable management of a tourist facility makes it more safe and healthy for both employees and guests and at the same time supports the local community and its economic benefits, as well as the morale of employees. The final outcome is an improved service and bigger satisfaction of guests.

Risk management and work license. Tour operators can reduce their liability by learning about legislation that is possibly “harmful” to their business. For example, the risk of loss inflicted through a damage caused to a company`s business reputation can be reduced by demonstrating a proactive approach about a destination`s sustainability and product quality, which can be effectively used as a defense/counter-argument in any lawsuit.

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Sustainable tourism in BiH through support to the concept of responsible tourism

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From Principles to Practice: Examples of Good Practice A global care for the development of sustainable tourism has already generated examples of good practice.

• Environmental program of the Central America- PROARCA/APM Protected areas and ecological components of the program for the Central America or PROARCA/ APM is a three-year program that commenced in 2001 with the goal to consolidate the Central America’s biological corridor through improved management of the protected nature parks in the region and by expanding the production of and market access for ecologically acceptable products and services. The Central American Commission for Environment and Development, whose members are ministers of environment of Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama, was in charge of running the program with the financial support of the US Agency for International Development (USAID). The initiative was implemented by Nature Conservancy, World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and Rainforest Alliance.

• Local Agenda 21, Calvia The municipality of Calvia on Mallorca, Spain, was suffering from environmental and developmental degradation as a consequence of the large-scale investments into mass tourism during the 70s and the 80s of the past century. Radical changes were required for the recovery of the local community.

• Tourism of Tomorrow Award This award program recognizes and encourages Sustainable tourism. The Award of Tomorrow is presented to the selected projects and examples of good practice, setting higher standards and challenging others to meet them. The award was originally established by the Tour Operator Federation in order to encourage all entities and sectors in the tourist industry to environmental protection. In 1992, the British national air carrier took over the sponsorship, whereby it successfully incorporated all aspects of sustainable tourism. Small and large-scale tour operators, small hotels, as well as international hotel chains, national parks and areas with well-preserved cultural heritage are only some of the candidates eligible for awards from this award program. Link to web-site: www. britishairways-com/tourism.

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About concept of responsible tourism

Why Guidelines of Responsible Tourism?

An increasingly more important strategy encouraging a sustainable production of goods and services was introduced through certification programs. The World Summit in 1992 focused global attention towards efforts that sought to make the development more responsible. The emerging market regimes restrained the power of governments to set up environmental and social standards in business. The certification initiatives originated from the non-governmental market-oriented initiatives for promotion of sustainability by encouraging consumption of goods and services produced by companies that met high social and economic standards of production.

Following the world summit, certification programs were established to define and measure the sustainability of various industries.

The main certification programs in tourist industry are: - Green Planet 2 l (Global certificate) - Blue Flag (Global certificate) - Green business in tourism (Scottish certificate) - Program of accreditation of nature and eco-tourism (Australian certificate) - Certificate on sustainable tourism (Costa Rica) - America sustainable tourism certification network in Brazil - October 23, 2003 The Berlin Declaration on biodiversity and sustainable tourism adopted in 1997 recognized that a more sustainable form of tourism brings benefits to also the local communities, underscoring thereby the goals of the Agreement from Lanzarote. It also notes that all stakeholders in tourism should cooperate on local, national and international level in order to agree on a common understanding of the term “sustainable truism”.

Recognizing the aforesaid priorities, the Region of Marche, in an attempt to contribute to the development of responsible tourism, adopted the Guideline of Responsible Tourism.

The guidelines resulted from the project “Local Centers of Development and Integrated Management of the Coastline” which was promoted by the Region of Marche in cooperation with Sviluppo Marche, a regional development agency and co-funded by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs based on the national law on 21 March 2001.

The project involves partners, the coastal counties in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, more precisely, the Zadar County in Croatia and the Mostar Canton in BiH. The goal of the project is to support sustainable development of local communities through the local development centers that work in partnership, exchanging experiences and good practices, in order to achieve an integrated management of the coastline.

In order to identify the joint lines of management, it was necessary to produce specific studies of the areas covered by the project. For each of the areas involved, the project team drafted: • The in-depth analysis of tourist potentials (accommodation, infrastructure, transportation, human resources etc.)

• The environmental analysis (natural specifics, geographic characteristics etc.)

• The analysis of natural and cultural resources • SWOT analysis that identifies the strengths and weaknesses, potentials and threats The guidelines, which originated from the project for local development centers, should be used as useful analysis tools and for initiating a panel discussion about the establishment of certification pro-

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Sustainable tourism in BiH through support to the concept of responsible tourism

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grams for the products of eco-tourism. In order to achieve this goal and create tools that can be applied to all types of tourist activities, it is critical that participation of all local players is secured.

A joint program of certification can be a valuable and helpful tool to local tourist enterprises in aligning their products with the principles of responsible tourism adopted by the international community. At the same time, it can be an important instrument in the protection of environment and cultural heritage of local communities.

Principles of Responsible Tourism The international community, through studies and examples of good practice, has identified indicators of all three aspects of the development of sustainable tourism –environmental, economic and social. The table below shows the indicators, i.e. criteria, for the three aspects: Three aspects

Criteria

ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY

1. Action planning and business management 2. Business ethics 3. Responsible marketing 4. Consumer satisfaction

ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

5. Focus on nature sites 6. Environmental management 7. Interpretation and education 8. Contribution to environmental protection

SOCIAL SUSTAINABILITY

9. Work with local communities 10. Respect and sensibility for local culture

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About concept of responsible tourism

ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY 1. Action planning and business management Good business management and action planning are the foundations of economic sustainability, which in combination with environmental and social sustainability allows for an approach that follows the aforesaid three aspects.

2. Business ethics Ethical approach applies in business dealings.

3. Responsible marketing The kind of marketing that is correct and leads towards realistic expectations. The eco-tourism marketing offers consumers truthful and responsible information about what should be expected from a product and how to respect the natural and cultural peculiarities of the destination.

4. Consumer satisfaction Eco-tourism constantly keeps up with consumer expectations. Consumer satisfaction is achieved when the actual experience exceeds the realistic expectations of consumers. Therefore, eco-tourism activities closely follow and act upon consumer feedback information.

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ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY 5. Focus on nature sites Eco tourism focuses on direct and personal experience of nature. It originates from and relies on the use of natural environs. Its focus is on its biological, physical and cultural characteristics.

6. Environmental management Eco-tourism is an example of good practice of an environmentally sustainable tourism. The natural environment must not be impoverished through eco-tourism activities, but rather improved and managed in the way that the natural and cultural environment is preserved and enhanced through application of environmentally sustainable practices.

7. Interpretation and education Eco-tourism offers the possibility to experience nature in the way that leads to its better understanding, respect and enjoyment. The products of eco-tourism attract consumers who seek stronger interaction with the natural environs and who in different ways want to enhance their knowledge, awareness, respect for and enjoyment in nature.

Eco-tour operators provide for a valuable level of interpretation of natural and cultural heritage of the site though employment of qualified personnel and supply of correct information prior and during visit.

8. Contribution to Environmental Protection Eco-tourism has a positive contribution in the conservation of nature sites. It involves an active participation in the protection of nature sites visited. In particular, products of eco-tourism are providing constructive contributions to the management and conservation of nature sites. These contributions may include procurement of materials, financial or in-kind aid.

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About concept of responsible tourism

SOCIAL SUSTAINABILITY 9. Work with local communities In a certain way, eco-tourism represents an impetus to local community. In many cases, a local community is an integral part of eco-tourist product. Benefits of eco-tourism should spill over to include the local community, as well. That, for example, can be achieved through employment of local tourist guides, use of local services and facilities.

10. Respect and sensibility for local culture Eco-tourism is sensitive about the value of implementation and it includes different cultures. It is especially sensitive about indigenous culture. Although the focus of eco-tourism primarily lies on the natural attractions of a region, many of these regions also have a significant cultural value, especially the indigenous one. Therefore, eco-tourism should also include cultural sites of the destination.

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Tourists and their responsibility Travel and tourism should be planned and achieved as the means of individual and collective fulfillment. When this is done with an open mind, travel and tourism become an irreplaceable factor of self-education, development of tolerance and learning about differences among people, cultures and their diversity. We all play a role in the creation of responsible tourism and travel. The government, business companies and local community must do their best, but as a guest, a tourist can in many ways support and thus give his contribution to their efforts.

The World Tourist Organization has adopted a global code of ethics in tourism. It includes a wide range of principles whose purpose is to guide stakeholders along the path of tourist development: national and local authorities, local communities, tourist industry and their professionals, but also visitors, both domestic and international ones. The ethics code was adopted in the resolution of the UNWTO General Assembly at its meeting in Istanbul in 1997. In the next two years, a special committee was set up to draft the global ethics code. The draft document was jointly prepared by the Secretary General and advisor on the UNWTO affairs in consultation with the UNWTO Business Council, the UNWTO Regional Commission and the UNWTO Executive Council.

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About concept of responsible tourism

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About concept of responsible tourism

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About concept of responsible tourism

Ten golden rules for sustainable tourists 1.

Ask for the kind of an accommodation that is committed to reduction of environmental impacts.

2.

Opt for the trip organizer is aware of the impacts of tourism

3.

In order to reach your tourist destination, focus on the transportation means that cause less pollution

4.

When on vacation, use communal, as well as ecological means of transportation like bicycle

5.

Produce less waste and contribute to its differentiated collection

6.

Reduce water consumption

7.

Reduce energy consumption

8.

Give preference to locally manufactured artifacts and local gastronomic specialties

9.

Do your best to respect the environment of the place of your visit

10. Give suggestions and proposals about the possible environmental improvements at the

Source: ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustaina ity www.iclei.org/evrope/tourism

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Sustainable tourism in BiH through support to the concept of responsible tourism

RESPONSIBLE TOURISM IN RURAL AREAS OF BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

I

n rural environments, family businesses or small businesses, following the concept of their own lifestyle, driven rural tourism. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, which abounds in these areas, this is a great way of evaluation of new and less developed areas. This concept can and should start from the bottom of the pyramid - the desire of entrepreneurs to start up an additional activity that is used for making profit.

However, the concept can be implemented through public-private partnership in which the established rules, regulations, professional staff and financial system.

Tourist destination policy, which includes the concept of responsible tourism, make and implement government bodies. The authorities also adopted rules and regulations, provide incentives and encourage the private sector, and ensure the political climate that can attract investors.

The private sector is developing professional staffing structure, set up following the foundation is developing a competitive advantage (high quality supply and services), including the development policy through the destination management in the area to create supply.

The entrepreneur uses his own farm and a home for profit (additional commercial activity). Rural tourism is therefore a process of exploitation of favorable circumstances (personal environment) with the aim of gaining additional income (or alternative earnings in the period of agricultural crisis). Within local communities, rural tourism can contribute to the preservation of the village (Economic revitalization and reduce movement of the rural population, especially young people to urban areas).

The entrepreneur needs to pay attention to: - This aspect of the business shapes the lifestyle of the host, and vice versa. The life style of the host affects the business enterprise.

- The concept of quality has not been defined by lifestyle host, but the demands of tourists. Therefore, to achieve successful entrepreneur (ekonoski profitable business), should follow the standards, rules of conduct in tourism, and even surpass the expectations of tourists (more to offer than the tourist demands) in order to increase consumption, trade and sustained loyalty. Happy customers are good guest because the guest made a free and effective product promotion (promotion by word of mouth).

- Relationship to the tourists in the farm should be a combination of host (introduction to the customs of local communities, authenticity, while on the other hand, offers a host out of the insulation) and professional relationships (some degree of formality).

- Offer authentic gastronomic offer to prepare the traditional way using its own (organic) products with good access, excellent hygienic conditions and a certain degree of flexibility to accommodate the needs and desires of tourists (vegetarian food, food for children).

- Farm must not reduce the need for tourists "intimacy" - Rural tourism includes the definition, creation and distribution of tourism products. Therefore, the entrepreneur needs to know the concept of the tourist product (tourist product is a combination of Sustainable tourism in BiH through support to the concept of responsible tourism

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Responsible tourism rural areas of Bosnia and Herzegovina

-

supply and services, with clearly defined content and prices that result from experience), creating the same distribution (follow-up marketing, product placement by way of classic and newer forms of emarketing). Within this segment, special attention should be given their own education.

Inventiveness in creating your own deals: allow tourists participate in everyday life- growing organic food, a tour of local historical monuments, sightseeing and hiking with a guide, visits to local events through which they learn about traditional customs).

The adoption of high standards and reducing the elements that threaten the authenticity of Small businesses often act spontaneously as a limiting factor.

Entrepreneurs are a key element of the multiplier effect of economic development in the local community, and as part of the local community, should be stapled / cooperate, because the local population is part of the tourism product (experience, products, services).

Offer may involve "complex" forms of services: demand for luxury services, a request for "adrenaline" facilities, different levels of fantasy.

Staying healthy in the real environment

Motives for visiting the rural farm

The hospitality of the rural population

Relaxation + "healthy" activities: hiking, fishing ...

A special form of rural tourism, which offers a specialized program for congressional visitors: - High quality and genuine accommodation in private households - Recognizable and irresistible cuisine -different environment - Natural Heritage - Getting to know locals and their customs and habits with regard to posjetetilji spend more time with the locals, but when placed at - High Technology in nearby Congress Centre (conference equipment, ICT, etc).

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Sustainable tourism in BiH through support to the concept of responsible tourism

SWOT ANALYSIS OF THREE RIVER VALLEYS (THE UNA, NERETVA AND DRINA RIVER VALLEYS)

T

his SWOT analysis, taken from a study prepared by a working group, is a result of numerous research projects and workshops. As part of the research, working groups conducted an exercise whose aim was to evaluate, through discussions and analysis of indicators of the internal situation, the market competitiveness of the valleys (strengths and weaknesses) and their external surroundings (potentials and threats). The potentials prompted a decision that a special attention should be dedicated to the sectors that offer the most sold basis for the development of eco-tourism.

The final synthesis of all the elements identified through the research and workshops, offered basic information about the issues that should in particular be targeted and the opportunities and risks of development of the eco-tourism and sustainable tourism, primarily the following ones:

Agriculture and food industry Agriculture is faced with many problems that have been identified, including insufficient subsidies, fragmented agricultural land, “brain drain” from rural areas, insufficient and non-specialist educational capacities, obsolete technology, feeble presence of government institutions, lack of modern technology and insufficient knowledge of marketing techniques for the promotion of locally grown products.

Tourism Despite the fact that the regions of all three river valley abounds in natural resources, tourism has failed to develop at a more significant pace. There are many issues that deserve attention and whose resolving would require serious investments and planning.

Shortcomings observed during research of the three river valleys are as follows: polluted environment, mine-contamination, inadequate protection of natural assets, inadequate quality of roads and other infrastructural tourist facilities poor marketing and insufficient investments in tourism.

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Swot analysis of three river valleys (the Una, Neretva and Drina river valleys)

Business ambience Business ambience is one of the areas where numerous problems have been encountered, which in turn affects other areas of activity. It should be focused on and developed in the good direction to enable other business sectors to develop as well. The problems identified include a low level of institutional support for small and medium-size companies, insufficient funding sources and high cost of capital, insufficient number of potential partners for small and medium-size companies, harmonized legislation and insufficient interest in business advertising.

Human resources Unemployment, better said, job creation is often identified as one of the areas that deserve special attention and that should be significantly improved. Despite the fact that without companies that do business successfully, there can be no improvements in the employment field, there are still unexplored options that could contribute to the development of human resources and stimulate job creation. One of the many problems encountered in this field, apart from a high unemployment rate, is a definition of unemployment which is considered to be quite vague and imprecise.

Another problem that not only the regions in question, but also the country as a whole is facing is a “brain drain” of young and educated people. There is insufficient support to employment of young people through stimulation of self-employment and entrepreneurship.

A large number of companies are faced with insufficient managerial skills in all business sectors and insufficient knowledge of the market economy. The problem is partly also in the concept of a “life-long employment” and politically motivated employment, that is, political connections of the candidates who are usually given preference over other job aspirants.

The strategy has revealed that a significant number of people can find employment in the tourist industry and that the latter has the potential to become one of the more lucrative branches of BiH industry.

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Sustainable tourism in BiH through support to the concept of responsible tourism

Swot analysis of three river valleys (the Una, Neretva and Drina river valleys)

ANALYSIS OF TOURIST OFFER Breakdown of Tourists per Nationality

The majority of interviewed tourists were from Italy and Croatia.

In the FBiH and the Serb Republic, there was a total of 14.4% of tourists that were considered to be “domestic.” To that number, we should add 8.2% of emigrants from both entities.

Nacionalnost Italija

14,437

Hrvatska

11,730

R. Srpska

8,622

R. Srpska (iseljenici)

3,18

BiH

5,815

BiH (iseljenici)

5,113

Slovenija

9,725

Njemačka

8,622

Srbija

5,113

Srbija(iseljenici)

2,36

Švedska

3,910

Francuska

2,77

Norveška

2,77

Austrija

2,36

Nizozemska

2,36

Kanada

1,64

Velika Britanija

1,64

Mađarska

1,64

USA

1,64

Ostale zemlja

3,910

Nepoznato

1,64

If we sum up the number of tourists from Croatia (11.7%), Slovenia (9.7%), Serbia including BiH emigrants (7.4%) and BiH with emigration (22.5%), we will get the percentage of 44.3% of the tourists who are originally from ex-Yugoslav countries. That percentage is probably even higher because some of the emigrants were not even reported as tourists.

Age Structure of Tourists The numbers are fairly even balanced when it comes to the structure of guests, with male tourists being in a slight lead. As for the age structure, there is a prevalence of young people with even 56% of all tourists being age 16 to 34 and 74% age 16 to 44.

Main Destinations According to the poll, 41 respondents (16%) were planning to make an overall tour of BiH or some other Balkan country, 10 respondents (4%) picked Banja Luka as their main holiday destination, while the remaining 7 (3%) were headed for Sarajevo. The majority of 141 respondents (55%) instead chose one of the places in the Valley as their main holiday destination.

100,0257

Place of Last Overnight Stay The answers to this poll question corroborate the fact that excursion tourism is scarce in our area, because 73% of respondents said their last place of overnight stay was one of the locations in the valley. Therefore, as can be concluded from this fact, this is not the case of excursion tourism, but mostly phased tourism, which was explicitly stressed in 16% of cases.

Type of Accommodation In view of accommodation capacities, the majority of tourists prefer private houses and only 40% of them stay in hotels or boarding houses. The places with highest incidence of overnight stays in professional tourist facilities, hotels or boarding houses, are Prijedor, Kozara Park, Martin Brod and Bihać. The biggest number of overnight stays in private houses is recorded in the Prijedor area and then in Kulen Vakuf.

Sustainable tourism in BiH through support to the concept of responsible tourism

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Swot analysis of three river valleys (the Una, Neretva and Drina river valleys)

Main Means of Transportation A car is by far the most common means of transportation of holiday makers in the Una-Sana area and is followed by a plane and a bus.

There are also a certain number of tourists who travel by bike (3%).

The majority of tourists who arrive by plane are guests from Sweden, Germany and the USA. The biggest number of arrivals is via Zagreb airport (160 km away) and then via Banja Luka airport.

Length of Tourist Stays in BiH The answers to this poll question revealed an important fact, which is “longer” rest because most respondents claim to have spent over a week on holidays, with 85% of them spending at least 4 days. If we compare the length of stays and the nationality of tourists, we’ll come to the surprising revelation that “domestic” guests (33.1%) take longer vacations, which points to the fact that emigrants probably go on holidays in their new country of residence. It has to be noted that 70% of respondents from this subsample stay in private houses, in contrast to the 54% of respondents in the overall sample.

“Is This Your First Visit to BiH?” The purpose of this question is to find out if respondents have already been to BiH before. All those who declared to be BiH nationals (including the Serb Republic) replied with “no”. A large percentage of those who replied with “no” (80%) came from one of the ex-Yugoslav countries. A large number of respondents who also replied with “no” came from other countries, so that the total number of visitors who had been to BiH before was about 70%. This tells us about a high incidence of tourists from the Diaspora, as well as about a large number of tourists from the neighboring countries.

Organization of Travel In largest number of cases, travel was self-organized by tourists themselves. This is an example of individual tourism with little or no intercession from travel agencies and tour-operators, which can be explained by the age structure of tourists who mostly happen to be young people. The share of the so-called “association tourism,” linked with different sports events, primarily those of humanitarian nature, is not negligible either. The latter is a classic example of “responsible and solidarity” tourism and makes 9% of all tourist travel, in contrast to 2% of tourist activities of different sports teams.

Choice of Destination The poll involved three groups of respondents: BiH nationals, nationals of the ex-Yugoslav countries and nationals of other countries. Their replies suggest that advice by friends, that is, “verbal recommendation,” was decisive in their choice of holiday destination.

Respondents from the first two groups named a concrete place in the Una-Sana region as their holiday destination. In the majority of these cases, respondents were visiting family members, relatives or friends.

In the group of respondents from “other countries”, there is an interesting percentage (25%) of those who

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Swot analysis of three river valleys (the Una, Neretva and Drina river valleys)

indicated the internet as the source of information that helped them with their choice of holiday destination. The graph on the side illustrates the role of the Internet, with almost a half of all respondents claiming to have used the Internet to get travel-related information. Such a high percentage of internet users in this specific case can be explained by their age, since the majority of interviewed tourists are young people.

Towns in BiH that have or will be visited The question was poised to give us an answer about the nationality of guests who most often chose the Una-Sana valley as their holiday destination. Not surprisingly, the region’s center, Banja Luka, turned out to be the most frequented destination, with Sarajevo and Mostar lagging slightly behind, which can be explained by their geographic distance from the region.

We grouped destinations into three macro-regions, Prijedor, Bihać and Mrkonjić Grad, in order to find out which places were the most popular among tourists. Kozara National Park proved to be the most alluring destination, but the other two were just as interesting to the visitors.

Taken together, all three destinations account for 78% of all tourist interests.

Most popular holiday activities The answers to this poll question are not expressed in percentages, but in absolute values, given the fact that the respondents were offered a number of answers. The poll results revealed that holiday activities connected with the river were an absolute hit. The clientele of this are dynamic and young people, with often a pronounced strong interest in sports activities. Only 70 respondents (23%) did not select any of the options offered. The majority of respondents indicated that a visit to family members or friends was the main reason for their travel.

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Swot analysis of three river valleys (the Una, Neretva and Drina river valleys)

Overall assessment of destination (AV) Respondents from the sample were asked to give an overall rating and impression about BiH. We singled out those respondents who were visiting BiH for the first time, since their opinion seemed to particularly matter. Some 60% of interviewees gave BiH a “very good” rating, while the number of respondents from the subsample who gave BiH identical rating exceeds 60%. This is a very good sign. Negative ratings were indeed few.

Analytical assessment of the Individual factors in touristic offer Natural beauties are the number one attraction, followed by the cuisine and mentality of local people. Road infrastructure and touristic post signs were assessed as unsatisfactory.

Satisfaction level – Control Question Finally, the answers to the last question, meant to reflect the general impression about the destination, leave no doubts. Only 3 respondents said that they would not recommend BiH as a holiday destination to their friends. Two of them are by origin from the Serb Republic, while the third respondent declared to be a US national.

The SWOT analysis has shown that it is possible to achieve touristic growth and development of the three river valleys only if an integrated approach were applied and attention paid to all identified problems, along with a better advertising strategy and a better use of natural assets, the know-how and traditions of the region. With an appropriate planning and coordination of efforts at the level of all three valleys, each of the identified strengths can be further developed in a short or medium-term.

• a large number of scattered archeological sites (Mekote in Novi Grad, Hrustovačka cave in Sanski Most, the prehistoric necropolis of Gradina near Bihać, Tukovikestenar and necropolises in the vicinity of Prijedor);

• rich archeological reminders of the time of the Ottoman Empire (Kamengrad in Sanski Most, Kulin Ban’s tower in Bosanski Petrovac, Kozarački Tower in Prijedor, Krzlar-Agha’s mosque in Mrkonjić Grad) and the Austrian-Hungarian Monarchy (the City library in Novi Grad, the Serb Cultural and Arts Center “Dr Mladen Stojanović” in Prijedor); • Relics of many medieval towns (the Old Town of Sokolac in Bihać, the old town of Ključ, the old town of Pset in Bosanska Krupa); • finally, the region abounds in a large number of historic architectural buildings like water-mills that can be found practically all over the place (Martin Brod, Gornja Dragotinja in Prijedor, Alley in Bosanska Krupa).

The strong point of the Una-Sana touristic offer is an action-packed calendar of events, of which many are held on the rivers and have a sports character. The best known are the Una Regatta in Bihać, the Sana Regatta in Ključ, Boatmen’s Days in Bosanska Krupa, Bihać Horse Race, the 1st of May Street Run in

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Swot analysis of three river valleys (the Una, Neretva and Drina river valleys)

Bosanski Petrovac, Ladies’ Street Run in Mrkonjić Grad, the International Street Run in Prijedor and the Day of the Sana River in Prijedor. The majority of these events are of local character, but they are nevertheless very popular with the tourists who can thus get a chance to meet local people and learn about their customs. The same holds true for a large number of food-tasting and gastronomic events, which include “Dani base i krumpira” in Bosanski Petrovac and “Dani drvarske drenjine” in Drvar.

SWOT ANALYSIS Strengths

Weaknesses

Una and Sana river eco-systems

Remoteness of the main tourist centers (Sarajevo and Mostar)

National Park Kozara Calendar of events

Insufficient accommodation capacities in the open air

Rural areas and cultural heritage

Insufficient accommodation capacities in villages

Accommodation capacities

Accommodation quality

Number of organizations and private agencies offering accommodation services

Modest micro-infrastructure

Vicinity of another major tourist destination, the Plitvice Lakes

Lack of marketing, that is, advertising

Potentials

Threats

Una-Sana river valley could become an elite destination of ski- and eco-tourism

Absence of environmental policies could have an adverse effect on the touristic development of the valley

Rural areas have potentials for the economic development and prevention of the demographic and economic demise

Insufficient promotion of the valley jeopardizes the prospects of its touristic development

The valley’s overall tourist accommodation capacities of 2,000 beds (Green Tour) have been assessed as satisfactory by the agency. Prijedor has the largest accommodation capacities (544 beds) and is closely followed by Bihać (403 beds) which has additional 440 guest places in a nearby motor camp, the only of its kind in the valley. The accommodation of guests in private houses is a widely spread practice, but unreported to local authorities and poorly organized, due to which the quality of accommodation in private lodgings has been assessed as unsatisfactory by domestic tour-operators.

The strategic guidelines that are recommended for the Una-Sana valley, but also apply to the other two valleys, are:

Protection and Valorization of the Natural Assets The natural assets must be valorized and protected. In this respect, public administration, primarily that on the local level, should become actively involved in implementing joint objectives and goals and /or coordinates from the framework of policies that govern this field, starting with the polices on urban planning to infrastructure and service policies.

The environmental system of the Una-Sana valley represents an invaluable natural heritage of its population, but, as already mentioned, it also represents the potential for the economic development of the region on condition that the delicate natural processes that keep the environmental sysSustainable tourism in BiH through support to the concept of responsible tourism

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Swot analysis of three river valleys (the Una, Neretva and Drina river valleys)

tem in balance are not disrupted or endangered. This primarily refers to the cleanness of water and river banks. Therefore, priorities include plants for the disposal and recycling of industrial waste, plants for the waste collection and disposal and the cleaning and maintenance of traffic roads.

In this respect, the Valley Committee, as the focal coordination point of all stakeholders, both public and private ones, who owe their existence to the fact that they are all part of one integrated regional tourist product, can play a crucial role in facilitating a uniform and reliable valorization of the local tourist product.

Creation of Common Policies on Destination Marketing and Management As was mentioned above, the Una-Sana valley offers a number of tourist products that have somewhat different markets. However, in order for the valley to become a relevant tourist destination, we must ensure that territorial planning of tourist institutions involved is conducted by joint criteria and guidelines, taking into account the size of individual integral components. As already stressed, a coordinated policy for monitoring, in particular that of the navigable waterways, is required if we know their touristic value. In addition, all necessary normative instruments must be put in place in order to prevent a possible deterioration of the waterways as a result of touristic growth.

Another field that requires a common vision in the management of this area pertains to construction of new tourist accommodation capacities, including hotels, motor camps, camping places etc., as well as to establishment of an integrated network of rural accommodations, from village farms to bed-and-breakfast boarding houses.

As far as construction of new traditional types of accommodation (hotels, motels) is concerned, the preference should be given to the towns of Bihać and Prijedor, which nowadays have modest accommodation capacities, but which with time could become bustling tourist destinations, on condition that the construction of the aforesaid tourist facilities is conducted in compliance with the strict urban planning criteria. The focus should be shifted to the development of more flexible and widespread types of accommodation, from rural houses, ethno-villages and small motels to camps in an effort to complete the current touristic offer.

Drina

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Neretva

Sustainable tourism in BiH through support to the concept of responsible tourism

Una

TOURISM IN UNA NATIONAL PARK

T

he Una National Park extends along the upstream valley of the Una River and its right-hand tributary, the Unac River, all the way to the Krka River in the west. The area makes one natural whole of this part of Europe that has a tremendous importance for conservation of the landscape and biological diversity, primarily due to the following reasons: - its location on the intersection of three climatic zones; - Its karst morphology and hydrography that, together with the Korana and Krka river basins, make this region one of a kind in Europe; - the relief formations that have shaped one of the rare natural corridors towards the Adriatic Sea; - Its composite habitats with a rich diversity of plant and animal wildlife, including even relict and endemic species; In terms of cultural and historic heritage, the area has a large number of archeological sites and historic monuments. In the past, due to its unique geographic location on the transit route to the Adriatic Sea, the region was exposed to the influence of many cultures, all of which left their imprint on the landscape in the form of numerous architectural buildings, the remains of medieval fortresses and sacral facilities of different confessions and civilizations. The Una National Park lies in the far western corner of Bosnia and Herzegovina, on the territory of the Bihać municipality. It sprawls across the Una-Korana plateau, encompassing parts of the Una and Unac river valleys and the orographic slopes of Mounts Plješivica and Grmeč, that is, Mount Osječenica.

The peculiarity of the Una River is the length of its “gypsum forming” course, accompanied by a whole range of natural phenomena (caves, islets, barriers and water-falls) and the extraordinary shapes of its steep valleys (Martin Brod, Kulen Vakuf, Klisa, Lohovo) and canyon cliffs upstream and downstream from Martin Brod and Strbački Buk. The course of the Unac River is of a typical karst shape, especially its lower section which, on its way through the canyon, sinks under the ground in several places and returns to the surface, for the last time at Crno Vrelo, a natural phenomSustainable tourism in BiH through support to the concept of responsible tourism

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Tourism in Una National Park

enon by its beauty and characteristics. The valley of this protected area lies in the direction northwest-southeast on the elevation of 220 to 450 m a.s.l. The connection between the Una River and We should in particular highlight the connection between the Una River, the fundamental natural asset of this area that has been scheduled for protection, and the local population, which has for centuries been populating the area and which recognize the importance of the river and the area for their survival and its uniqueness that is worth protecting on local and international level. The proposals for the UNESCO nomination and subsequent proclamation protected have mostly resulted from the initiatives of local communities in this area. This special connection between the Una River (lat. Una= one, first) and the local population is one of the factors that are important or the conservation and protection of this area.

Una National Park lies within the following geographic coordinates: Farthest point north = W 44' 33" N; = 15' 57' 58" E (Podastrana urban settlement); Farthest point south = 44" 21' 02" N; = 16' 13' 05" E (Hill Gradina - 676 m); Farthest point west = 44* 43' 46" N; = 15" 54' 12" E (Hill 509 m); Farthest point east: = 44* 23' 46" N; = 16' 20' 42" E (locality of Vrtočke bare) The results of the Feasibility Study for protection of the Una National Park (2005) provided incontestable evidence about the need and the basis for protection of this area through its induction into the category of national parks, which was accepted by relevant BiH authorities that adopted the Law on Una National Park in 2008. The purpose of this law is to facilitate the protection of nature within the Park’s boundaries, while at the same time offering the possibility of economic development of the local community through mandatory observance of the principles of sustainable development. The Law on the Una National Park governs the protection of the area that has a total of 19,800 ha in surface and falls under the administrative care of the Bihać municipality. Of this territory, a total of 13,500 ha of space fall under the strict or medium strict protection regime, while about 6,000 ha of space fall under the regime of controlled development.

Within the area of strict and medium-strict protection under a special regime, some traditional economic activities have been allowed. In the area of controlled development, certain traditional or encountered economic and tourist activities are allowed on condition that they all adjusted to local specifics and values.

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Tourism in Una National Park

Habitats and Eco-systems Land habitats in the Una NP consist of meadows, pastures and woods. The major section of the National Park is overgrown with various types of woods, including climazonal, extra zonal and a zonal. The pastures in the national park are permanent anthropogenic conditions/stadium and can be maintained only by means of indirect (cattle-grazing) and direct (mowing) anthropogenic influences.

The area abounds in calcareous rocks inhabited by hazmophytic plants (plants growing in fissures or cracks). As a result of the hydrospheric and atmospheric influences, fragments of the rocks break off from massive cliffs and roll down the slopes, creating a funnel like slopes. On higher elevations above the canyon, on the flat terrain with thick earth grasslands of the Brometalia erecti order have developed in places. Water habitats encompass the area along the rivers of Una and Unac. The rivers themselves don’t have well-developed macrophyte vegetation in the areas researched, but only sporadically in some small serene lagoons.

Wet habitats in the explored area are represented by humid and wetland grassland, tall herbaceous plants and reeds. Along the Una River, there are well developed hydrophilic communities of wood and the beds of purple-willow, alder and common sallow. Given their peculiar environmental conditions, the habitats on gypsum waterfalls represent a biotope that is quite different from all other fresh-water habitats.

On the waterfalls, apart from tall herbaceous plants and diatomei, a total of 42 plant species, including 25 types of algae and 17 types of moss, were found. Therefore, the majority of these plants are sporophytes and only a few are asporophyte.

The rivers of Una, Unac and Krka, three gems of natural heritage in the crown of the Una NP, are a mixture of diverse and well-preserved landscape of exceptional beauty and rich cultural and historic heritage.

The Una River, as the greatest natural treasure, has lent its name to the national park/ after which the national park was named. It springs in the village of Donja Suvaja at the foothills of Mount Čemernica in Croatia. This is a typical karst spring of upward/ascending type and emerald-blue color. In the upper section of the river, from its spring to Bihać, the overall fall is almost 3 m per kilometer. In this part, Una has all the characteristics of a mountain river and its gypsum barriers, cascades and waterfalls are real gems of nature: the Martin Brod waterfalls, Štrbački Buk, Troslap, Dvoslap and Ripački waterfalls.

The water rushes down the waterfalls in Martin Brod and Štrbački Buk along several small and big barriers, forming along the way gypsum-structures of exceptional beauty. The Una River hides an interesting wildlife that is also involved in the creation of gypsum barriers. Because of its specific structure, moss or bryophyte, retains calcite deposits and thus makes an indispensable link in the process of formation and growth of the gypsum structures.

The Unac River springs as a water-mill brook below Mount Šator at 876 m elevation point and flows on through the Pojila cliff, four steep valleys and three more cliffs.

The section of the Unac River that runs through the National Park to Martinbrod passes through one of the tightest cliff that is 350 m deep in places.

The total length of its course is 66 km, with an altitude difference of 450 m. The river is the first significant tribuSustainable tourism in BiH through support to the concept of responsible tourism

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Tourism in Una National Park

tary of the Una River, cooling it down and ennobling with its exceptional pristine and freshness. Along its entire course, the Unac River is fed with water from a dozen different streams and springs. In summer, due to the reduced influx of water from the surrounding forest streams, it can dry up in places, leaving behind small isolated ponds full of fish. Along this section of its course, the river sinks under the ground and surges back to surface at Crno Vrelo, some 3 km before its confluence with the Una River.

The Krka Rivulet flows through the National Park in the entire length of 5 km, meandering along the border with Croatia. It surges from under the plateau of the village of Mali Cvjetnić, powering an old water-mill at its spring. This is an eye-catching sight, but the access to the spring is very demanding, which makes a great opportunity for a whole-day outing that includes a walk through the woods along a hilly mountain terrain, down to the rivulet’s riverbed. The descent offers rare moments of enjoyment in the beauty of unspoilt nature.

Some sections of the Una and Unac rivers are one of the best fly-fishing beats in Europe, while the Una River itself is a genuine paradise for all lovers of angling by dry-fly method with a water-ball and wobbler suhe mušice sa vodenom lopticom i varaličarenjem.

Flora of the Una National Park The configuration of the terrain and geo-morphological structure of the soil in the Una National Park, varying sea altitude, diverse plant wildlife and micro-organisms, together with other life forms, all contribute to an exceptionally rich biodiversity of the park.

The area contains a large number of rare and endemic plant species as follows: Gentiana lutea, Gentiana punctata, edelweiss (Leontopodium alpinum Cass.) and juniper wood (Pinus mugo). The park’s endemic species are Campanilla unensis, named after the Una River, and Bosnian iris (Iris reichenbachii Heuffel var.

Bosniaca) which grows on dry meadows and pastures on carbonate and serpentine rocks with shallow soil.

Bosnian iris is an endemic species of the central and southeast Dinarides. Local environmental conditions have favored the development of a large number of diverse plant communities with over 1,900 species, which makes 52,19% of all floral species in Bosnia and Herzegovina. In this region, 177 officially confirmed medicinal herbs and 105 possible medicinal herbs and edible, vitaminrich and aromatic plant species have been registered.

The terrain of the National Park is built of calcareous rocks overgrown with vegetation that has adapted to the specific conditions of this type of habitats such as hazmophyte plants (plants growing in fissures).

Weed and mineral-building vegetation grows along all settlements in this area. The communities of the order of Bidentetea, Artemisetea and Chenopodietea are well developed thanks to the rural way of living, extensive agriculture and cattle-breeding.

Diverse habitats abound in a large number of species and communities. It is impossible to give the exact number of the herbal communities in the Park, but a comparison can be drawn with, for example, Austria,

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Tourism in Una National Park

which is said to have some 2,000 plant species, while according to estimates, the spatially small area of the park has over 1,000. Besides, the area contains many endemic and relict-refuge communities that are important not only for the area itself, but also for the overall biodiversity of Europe. Therefore, it can be expected that a large part of this area will be included in Natura 2000 project.

Fishing As in any other place in the world, where people live by the water, fishing has been a widespread traditional activity in the area of the Una NP ever since the time of Japod. In more recent times, sports and recreational fishing is the most popular pastime with all nature lovers who come to the National Park as tourists to enjoy flyfishing and other fishing methods that are common and allowed on the cool and clear water streams of the Una and Unac rivers. With the proclamation of the Una National Park, whereby sections of the Una, Unac and Krka rivers have been protected, the intention of the legislator was not to impose a strict regime of fishing ban, but to incorporate fishing activities into protective measures envisaged as primary tasks, and into the overall tourist offer of the Park, the municipality of Bihać and the region on the other hand. On some sections of the river courses, there are organized fishing routes as follows: - 2 fly-fishing routes on rivers Una and Unac; - 2 routes for angling by wobbler and water-ball method with maximum 3 artificial dry flies on the Una river, and - 1 fishing route that combines the above two methods within fishing route no. 1 on the Una river.

The fly-fishing routes on rivers Una and Unac are well-known to many fishing enthusiasts from the region and entire Europe, but now new fishing-regime regulations have created conditions for further popularization of this sport on the two rivers. In that context, we proudly announce the merging of 2 existing fly-fishing routes into a one-of-a kind fishing route in the region and the opening of an altogether new fly-fishing route as follows: - Route no. 1 from Martin Brod to Kulen Vakuf, in the length of 12 kilometers, - Route no.3 from Bjelila to Loskun, in the length of 3.5 kilometers.

In addition, 2 new fishing routes for the enthusiasts of fly-fishing by wobbler and by water-ball method with maximum 3 dry flies have been opened: Sustainable tourism in BiH through support to the concept of responsible tourism

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Tourism in Una National Park

- Fishing route no. 2 from Ćelije to Klisa, in the length of 14.6 kilometers, - Fishing route no. 2 at Dvoslap, in the length of 5.7 kilometers,and a combined fishing route where fly-fishing and fishing by water-ball method with maximum 3 dry flies are allowed.

- Combined fishing route no. 1A "Palučci", the length of 3 km lies within fishing route no. 1 (fishing is allowed in the period from 15 May to 30 September).

The most frequent fish species found on the afore-mentioned fishing routes include: - Brook trout (Salmo trutta), its fishing season lasts from 1 March to 30 September, - Thymallus thymallus, its fishing season last from 1 May to 30 September.

Rafting and canoeing Rafting and canoeing, the most exciting and most frequently practiced sports and recreational activities on the streams of the Una National Park, are organized by several exceptionally well-run rafting agencies that will offer you an unforgettable ride down the most attractive section of the Una River from Štrbački Buk to the village of Lohovo. The route extends through the National Park in the length of 15 km.

During high water season, in April and May, the water difficulty on the Una River is between 3 and 5 degrees. The first section of the route is long, wild, unpredictable and full of rapids that create many whirlpools and waves. During medium-high water season, the water difficulty varies between 2 and 4 degrees. At this time, the ride is rough and difficult past gypsum rocks of teeming water, down strong currents and around sharp bends. An adrenaline rush is guaranteed and desirable, enabling rafters an authentic experience of the ride down this river. Weather-permitting, the rafting season on the Una River lasts from March to October.

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Tourism in Una National Park

The Recap: Basic characteristics of the route: ŠTRBAČKI BUK - LOSKUN - LOHOVO (15 km) Water difficulty varies between 4 and 5 degrees (1st section) Water difficulty varies between 1 and 2 degrees (2nd section) The ride lasts some 4 hours.

Water temperature: 13 -17 degrees Celsius An additional attraction for the visitors are skipper jumps or leaps at Štrbački Buk, the tallest waterfall on the Una River, from the height of 18 m.

More information about rafting and canoeing on the Una River is available on the web-sites of rafting agencies authorized for the job by the Park management. All agencies that offer rafting and canoeing services have professionally trained and licensed skippers, registered boats, while all guest-rafters are equipped with proper gear and insured. Rafting or canoeing on the other two rivers in the National Park, Unac and Krka, is not allowed.

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Tourism in Sutjeska National Park

TOURISM IN SUTJESKA NATIONAL PARK

S

utjeska National Park is the oldest and largest national park in BiH. Ever since the founding in 1962, the park has been the site of tourist activities. Due to its natural wealth and attractions Sutjeska is a touristic gem of the Serb Republic and BiH. It encompasses the area of the Sutjeska River with the nature reserve of Perućica and parts of Mount Maglić (2386 m - the highest mountain peak in BiH) and Mounts Volujaka, Vučevo and Zelengora.

Due to its extraordinary natural beauties and their well-preserved condition, Sutjeska NP was enlisted in category II of the IUCN-a (the UN Department for protection of nature and natural resources) in 2000.

Sutjeska NP is the most diverse complex of eco-systems on BiH territory and one of the most diverse nature sites of southeast Europe.

The entire area of the Park is marked by exceptional beauty and diversity of its landscape, from serene valleys, dense woods and mountain pastures to staggering mountain ranges.

In addition to its eight glacial lakes, dubbed “mountain eyes”, Mount Zelengora is also famous for the steep canyons of Sutjeska, Hrčavka and Jabučnica, the clear mountain rivers rich in brook trout. The Park also boasts a valuable wildgame fund and rare plant species, some of which are endemic. In the heart of the Park lies the strict nature reserve of Perućica (1434ha), the largest and best preserved virgin forest of Europe. Human intervention of any sort has been strictly forbidden in the virgin forest ever since the Park’s founding. The area of the Sutjeska National Park also contains numerous monuments of ancient and more recent past.

National parks play an important role in raising “environmental awareness” not only through protection of natural treasures, but also in the field of education and informing.

In the majority of national parks, the laws of nature prevail. The very reason why national parks are established is to protect natural processes in a specific area. Birth, growth and death – the nature’s everlasting cycle is so clearly visible here and men can discover its laws anew.

National parks serve for the protection of natural and cultural- historic heritage for the contemporary and future generations, but their basic role is conservation of natural processes. Even though their basic purpose is nature protection, people are not banished from the parks. On the contrary, visitors who comply with the park’s regulations and understand the importance and need for its protection are only welcome! A national park is the place where men can experience nature with all their senses and establish a deep and personal connection with it, which is crucial in understanding nature’s complex proc-

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Tourism in Sutjeska National Park

esses. Apart from the nature protection, education is another important role of the national parks. There is no doubt that in declaring the Sutjeska region a national park, the decision-makers were guided by the principle of objective and competent selection of the natural and cultural-historic treasures that needed this form of protection.

Also, as part of the park’s development, scientifically grounded methods for its protection were established thanks to the interest of scientists and researchers from different fields of expertise.

Finally, the policy of complex management of the park, that is, an adequate protection of its natural and cultural and historic treasures, was established.

Geographic characteristics Sutjeska National Park encompasses a wide mountainous area at the three-point border between Bosnia, Herzegovina and Montenegro. The area is enclosed by the rivers of Piva, Drina and Neretva’s spring zone, as well as by the mountains of Bioča, Vučevo, Maglić, Volujak, Lebršnik and Zelengora. The park covers the surface of 17,250 ha, of which more than 66% is covered by woods, while the remaining area consists of meadows, pastures and cliffs above the upper boundary of forests. In addition, the Park’s management runs “Zelengora” hunting grounds of 53.240ha surface.

The Park is situated between 43°19’ north geographic latitude and 18°37’east geographic longitude. The mountains that surround and are an integral part of the Park belong to the Dinaric Arc (the Dinaric Alps).

In geological terms, the mountains are mainly composed of sediment rocks and in a smaller measure of magmatic rocks. The types of soil that prevail here include humus on calcareous, residual soils on dolomitic and brown soils on varphenic sediments.

The area is under the influence of modified alpine climate. The mean annual temperature in Suha (690 m a.s.l.) amounts to+ 8.6°C and on Čemerno (1.305 m a.s.l.) +6°C. The below-zero temperature can only be measured in Suha (-3.1°C) in January, that is, in December (-1.4°C), Jan-

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Tourism in Sutjeska National Park

uary (-4.5°C) and February (-2.9°C) on Čemerno. The hottest months are July and August with the temperature of +18°C measured in Suha and +14.9° on Čemerno. The absolute minimal temperature descends to -22°C, while the absolute maximal temperature reaches +30°C. Due to constant collision of the warm Mediterranean and harsh alpine climate above this area, precipitation, in the form of rainfall and snow, is frequent and abundant and equally distributed throughout the year. The mean annual amount of precipitation measured at Suha is 1,428mm and 1,527mm at Čemerno.

“Zelengora” Hunting Ground “Zelengora” hunting grounds sprawl across 53.240 ha on one of the most attractive locations in BiH. The hunting ground, managed by Sutjeska National Park, serves for breeding, protection and planned kill of wild game: bear, wild-boar, roe-deer, chamois and grouse. The animal wildlife of the park is rich and diverse, from the numerous invertebrate species, especially the butterflies (Lepidoptera), over amphibians, reptiles and fish to 36 species and18 families of the mammals and a large number of bird species. The rivers of Sutjeska, Hrčavka and Jabušnica, as well as some lakes on Mt Zelengora, are rich in fish, especially brook trout, due which fishing in the Park is a genuine pleasure for all enthusiasts of this sport.

Boundaries of Sutjeska National Park The Park lies within the municipal boundaries of Foča and Gacko, on the surface of 17,350 ha and encompasses the Sutjeska protected area, the Perućica reserve and parts of the mountains of Maglić, Volujak and Zelengora.

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Tourism in Sutjeska National Park

Mountains and Lakes As mentioned before, the area of Sutjeska National Park is a mountainous region of corresponding strongly pronounced geomorphological characteristics. The mountain tops of Maglić and Volujak are already said to exhibit such characteristics, but they are only a part of the fascinating landscape that can be seen on many other mountain tops. As if in a magical succession, the mountains follow one after the other: Vučevo, Maglić, Volujak and Zelengora. The breathtaking mountain saddles of Prijeđel, Dragoš Sedlo, Prijevor and Čemerno connect them into one continuous mountain range. The area is characterized by numerous geomorphological and geological phenomena like caves, cirques and canyons. Every mountain in Sutjeska National park is unique and beautiful in its own peculiar way.

Vučevo - a wide mountain plateau surrounded from the three sides by the canyons of rivers Sutjeska, Drina and Piva, and by the staggering massive of Mt Maglić from the fourth side. An almost water scarce area, the plateau is nevertheless covered in thick woods, meadows and pastures.

For centuries now, the plateau has been a dwelling place of local cattle-breeders during summer months, when their mountain cabins or “katuns” come to life and fertile pastures are overrun by flocks of sheep and herds of cows. A walk across Suva Gora and Hadžića Ravan over to Ždrijelo and Koritnik is energizing. Steep goat paths ascend from the deep canyons of the rivers of Piva, Drina and Sutjeska up to Mt Vučevo. If you don’t flinch from taking such an exhausting walk, you will be rewarded with a magnificent view of the landscape whose beauty will forever be engraved in your memory.

Mt Maglić and Mt Volujak – impressive giants, full of steep, sturdy cliffs and streaked in summer with patches of snow that never melts. This is a unique string of mountain tops, chasms and cirques, overgrown with mountain grassland. Seasoned climbers, who have seen the unpredictable nature of these mountains, know the irresistible power of their allure. However, they always warn the less experienced visitors, enchanted by the fantastic views of these mountains, of their dangerous and treacherous nature.

Mt Zelengora – considered by many as the most beautiful mountain of this region, spacious and immense, it is shrouded in green woods and pastures. Despite its many sharp staggering peaks (Vilinjak, Bregoč, Stog, Orlovac, Planinica, Klek, Uglješin vrh), Zelengora leaves the impression of a serene and tame mountain. It is a stark contrast to Mt Maglić

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and Volujak, from which it is separated by the deep canyon of the Sutjeska River. The main attraction on Mt Zelengora are its “mountain eyes” – the eight clear glacial lakes situated below mountain tops: Gornje and Donje Bare, Orlovačko Lake, Kotlaničko Lake, Štirinsko Lake, Borilovačko Lake and Crno and Bijelo Lake, while, along the fringes of the vast meadows and pastures, glare the scattered white mountain cabins of the cattle-breeders. Every year from May to mid-September, thousands of sheep swarm Mt Zelengora’s lush pastures.

Perućica virgin forest has an extremely rich and diverse wildlife, which consists of the lush vegetation (phytocenosis and plant communities) and the bustling animal wildlife. Due to its location in the south of Europe (i.e. in the sub-Mediterranean and Mediterranean belt), during the ice-age, Perućica was an important refuge area. This accounts for the fact that a large number of thermophile species of the European northern and central region have survived in this area. As the ice-age encroached upon Perućica, its most elevated parts were covered with glaciers. Hence, the numerous remains of the glacial age (glacial cirques and lake beds, crags etc.) Lower parts of Perućica managed to escape the ice cover for at least a while, which accounts for the presence of refuge flora and vegetation in this area (Ostrya carpinifolia and its communities). (An excerpt from the presentation "Perućica – The Land of Magic").

The protected tree species in the part of the nature reserve under the strict regime of protection, in addition to beech, fir and spruce, are subalpine beech, alpine maple, subalpine spruce and juniper and mountain grassland. Indeed, Perućica virgin forest, as well as the remaining section of the park, conceals a diverse vegetation wealth, including many endemic and rare herbal species. Another indication of the wealth of flora in Perućica is the fact that over 170 species of trees and shrubs and more than 1,000 species of herbaceous plants have been registered here. The research on the representation of moss and lichen species has begun only recently. For this reason, the area has been a real magnet for researchers from different scientific disciplines for some time now.

Fauna The animal wildlife of the park is rich and diverse. It includes a large number of species, from invertebrate, especially butterflies (Lepidoptera), over amphibians, reptiles and fish to 36 species and18 families of mammals and numerous bird species.

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Tourism in Sutjeska National Park

More important mammals encountered in the Park - (Monograph): Chamois (Rupicarpa rupicarpa), roe-deer (Carpeolus carpeolus), wild boar (Sus scrofa), bear (Ursus arctos), wolf (Canis lupus), fox (Vulpes vulpes), badger (Meles meles), stone marten (Martes foina), pine marten (Martes Martes), weasel (Mustella nivalis), stoat (Mustella erminea), mink (Mustella luteola), squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris), rabbit (Lepus europaeus), dormouse (Glis glis), otter (Lutra lutra), hedgehog (Aeririnaceus europaeus), maul (Talpa europae).

The rare and almost extinct wildgame species include: wild cat (Felis sylvestris), lynx (Lynx lynx) and Spalax sp.

Birds: During elaboration of the Park’s management plan (March through September 2002), 114 bird species were registered, but if monitoring expeditions were conducted all year round, the complete list of bird species would probably range between 135 and 150. Of the 114 observed species, 61 nest and live in the park, 32 species are only found in the park during summer, where they also nest, 16 are migratory species that transit the area in autumn and spring on their way to the nesting sites up north, while 5 bird species frequent the park only in winter. The Park’s bird fund boasts even 9 woodpecker subspecies, which makes 90% of the entire bird family in Europe and speaks about the diverse environmental potential that stands on disposal of the woodpeckers in the Park’s forests.

NATURAL HERITAGE General (Strict) Nature Reserve Perućica Virgin Forest and Alpine Reserve This virgin-forest and the reserve of forest, alpine and grassland vegetation includes the following most important species: beech, spruce, fir, sycamore, alpine ash, juniper, Drzpis linneana, Silene balcanika, Aubretia croatica, Saxifraga prenja, creeping willow (Salix serpillifolia) and Daphne malzana, as well as a number of other endemic and rare plants.

The reserve of alpine vegetation of Volujak – It comprises the summits of Mt Volujak (Studenac, Vlasulja, Badanj) with the communities of Elzna mzosuroides, Potentilla clusiana and others.

The strict-control reserve of Perućica and Priboj – comprises the remaining part of Perućica’s special-protection reserve (the catchment of the Perućica creek below the Skakavac waterfall) and the protective belt encircling the entire reserve. This reserve includes the Sustainable tourism in BiH through support to the concept of responsible tourism

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forest vegetation of black pine, beech, hop hornbeam, black ash and other thermophile herb species.

The strict-control reserve of Vratar and Jabučke Stijene - This is a geo-morphological and geological reserve and a reserve of the forest and other types of vegetation. The purpose of its protection is to preserve steep calcareous cliffs overgrown with black pine.

Strict control reserve of Javorak and Ljubin Grob - A reserve for the protection of the upper zone of woods and pastures on Mt Zelengora (Monograph).

One-day trip suggestions: If you have only one day on disposal, you can spend it in Tjentište, relaxing on the terrace of Jezero restaurant or Mladost hotel and enjoying in the view of Mt Vučevo or of the distant hilltops of Mt Volujak. Nevertheless, we advise you to make the most of your time by visiting one of the recommended sites.

From Tjentište to Dragoš Saddle (10km) leads a good macadam road. From the parking area on Dragoš Saddle, a hundred meter long path will take you to Vidikovac (Viewing point). The breathtaking view of a profound basin, overgrown with lush vegetation and almost completely inaccessible, opens before your eyes. In the heart of this place of awe-inspiring and almost primal beauty, roars Skakavac waterfall, plunging into a 70 m deep chasm below.

On the opposite side of this steep valley, rise the steep cliffs of Mt Volujak. On your left is Mt Maglić, the tallest peak of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and on the right, over the Canyon of Sutjeska River, lurk the hilltops of Mt Zelengora. What a memorable view! If you have the time, continue along this path for another 8 km to Prijevor. It will certainly be worth the while! The path leads to Vučevo and winds to the left, while we take a turn to the right along the footpath that plunges into a dense wood and suddenly reappears on the plateau below Mt Maglić. This is Prijevor! You find yourself on the elevation of almost 1.700 m above sea level, under the towering Maglić, and an entire range of hilltops in front of you, from Trovački Durmitor, Studenac and Badanj on Mt Volujak to the heights of Mt Zelengora on the horizon far away. In summer months, you can stop by one of the mountain cabins of on Prijevor and feast on homemade cheese, milk cream and freshly baked bread.

Tjentište - Donje Bare Lake (20km) The path leads via Krekovi (Sava Kovačević’s grave) and Milinklade, descends down the exotic canyon of Hrčavka Rivulet and climbs back to Donje Bare on almost 1,500 m of sea altitude. You can stroll around the lake or walk along a beautiful path to the Borići viewing point that overlooks the Sutjeska canyon or you can proceed to the lake of Gornje Bare not far away.

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Tourism in Sutjeska National Park

Naturally, it would be best if you stayed a few days more and, in consultation with the park’s employees, spend memorable vacations.

School in Nature The awareness about an often lethal influence of man on nature, the need for the nature protection and the continuous education of the young people about this subject have led to the organization of a school in nature. Children will best understand the natural processes, their interrelation and complexity, as well as their own role in the protection of nature by spending some time in the nature with their teachers. Therefore, Sutjeska National Park is an ideal ambience for such “school in the open.” Children can learn about animal and plant wildlife in the classroom and then attempt to recognize the same life forms in their natural habitats in the open with the help of their teachers and professional guides. In addition, it is possible to hold a geography class in the open (orientation in the nature etc.,) a history class (tour of the cultural and historic monuments, village farms, mountain cabins of cattle-breeders etc.), physical education and an arts class etc. Such program could be enriched by field trips, documentary screenings, sports games, creative workshops and other activities.

Camping For decades now, camping has been a popular way of outdoors relaxation and recreation in the Park. The memory of the humming Sutjeska River, mingled with the sounds of the forest in an early morning, or the sound of the wind blowing through your tent near a lake, bringing burred voices from nearby pastures, are deeply relaxing and unforgettable. Camping in the open can help us to regain the feeling of a long-lost freedom, reconnect with our true inner-self and restore the harmony with the nature and other human beings.

Camping in the Park is allowed at specifically designated places and upon permission from the management of the Park. There is an organized camp in Tjentište, whereas the most frequent camping sites are Orlovačko Lake and Suva Gora (Mt Vučevo).

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CULTURAL AND HISTORIC HERITAGE Numerous material remains, written sources and monuments from ancient and more recent past all speak about man’s presence in this area since prehistoric times as a testament of the tumultuous past of this region.

The climate and other characteristics of this mountain area have shaped the way of life and activities of its population. Cattle-breeding has been the main economic activity in the area since prehistoric times and cattle-grazing in the mountain during summer months is a tradition that has survived to this day. “Katuns” or mountain cabins of the cattle-breeders were originally connected with the Vlachos, the indigenous population of the Balkans.

Over time, the term “Vlachos” has become a synonym for cattle-breeders. The term “katun” has a twofold meaning. Initially, it referred to a group of people that consisted of several families or households that gathered around one chief or leader under whose leadership they carried out their obligations towards the master whose subjects they were. On the other hand, the word “katun” denotes a settlement in which the group lived. The size of katuns varied from 10 to 150 households, as recorded in title deeds of old monasteries from the time of Nemanjić Dynasty. Mountain cattle-breeding has been practiced in the area of the Park by the Illyrians, Vlachos and Slavs since ancient times. Numerous place-names, ancient methods of milk processing and cattle routes have survived to this day.

Due to its configuration, sea altitude, geological, climatic and other characteristics, the area is suitable for cattle-breeding in katuns. It is only understandable that, driven by draught, the inhabitants of the region of Hum (Stolac, Ljubinje, Trebinje and Čapljina) and Rudine (Bileća) in Herzegovina were forced to look for more suitable places for cattle-grazing. For ages, the cattle moved along the same routes to mountain pastures. When asked how long they had been taking their cattle to the mountain, the inhabitants of Hum and Rudine would reply “This has been our mountain since ever. This is the place where my great-great grandfather, my great grandfather, my grandfather and my father all used to bring their cattle to and so I am now!”

Prior to the WW II, in the wider area of today’s national park, about 150,000 of small cattle were kept during summer months. The Katuns that were especially suitable for cattle-grazing were those on Mt Zelengora due to the abundance of grass and a large number of springs. Today, there are only several active katuns on Zelengora, like the one on Prijevor right below Mt Maglić.

The oldest elements of material and spiritual culture of this region can be found at this place. In the ancient Roman time, this was an important transit area, just as it was during the Middle Ages and the Turkish time and just as it is today.

Tjentište was named after the Latin word “tentorium”– or a tent, probably because the settlement developed from a caravan stopping place, at which travelers stayed in tents at night. In the Middle Ages, the Bosnian rulers did their best to keep this area under their control because of its strategic position on an important caravan road from Dubrovnik. Today, the Park lies on the territory of the three former medieval parishes: Sutjeska (Sutiescha), Drinavljva (Drinazeua) and Zagorje (Xagorie) and their administrative centers, the old towns of Vratar, Todjevac and Veletin. There are many written records from this time, most of them are kept in the old Dubrovnik archives. The remains of the medieval fortresses of Vratar and Tođevac, the medieval churches on Prijeđel and Budoš and the medieval tombstones (stećci) have been preserved on several locations in the Park.

In more recent history, this area was the site of one of the most difficult and bloodiest battle in WWII between the partisan troops on one and the joint German-Italian and quisling troops on the other side.

The Battle on the Sutjeska River (the 5th Offensive or “Operation Schwarz”) lasted from 15th May to 15th June in the areas of Montenegro, east Herzegovina and east Bosnia, while the final deadliest conflicts took place on the Sutjeska River and the surrounding mountains. During one month of heavy fighting more than 7,500 partisans from the Main Battle Group of the People’s Liberation Army of Yugoslavia were killed, among them a large number of wounded soldiers from the Central Hospital that moved along with the said partisan battle group.

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Tourism in Sutjeska National Park

In memory of this great battle, a memorial complex was built in Tjentište. Its central piece is a magnificent monument, the work of academic sculptor Miodrag Živković, and the Sutjeska Battle Memorial House, an architectural masterpiece by the then young Belgrade architect Ranko Radović.

On the territory of the Park there are a number of smaller monuments that commemorate the main events and figures from this battle. Miloš Jeftić: The Multi-layered Paths of Ranko Radović, Grafikom Belgrade, 1995.

“ Do I have to tell you that the Sutjeska Battle Memorial House is composed of a number of roofs, traditional ones, but arranged in quite a contemporary manner, somewhere between the pyramids and their archaic stability and the local regional wooden village barns and cottages with four-sided roofs. This house doesn’t have a wall or any walls at all, but rather, the ROOF is a slanted wall that grows from the ground, as if weighed down by snow or a burden, and yet, the wall is a slanted roof both here and there. Didn’t we speak about the duality and the simultaneous presence of only seemingly opposed voices?

On the outside , the house looks perfect (who can compete with Volujak and Gornje Bare?) And on the inside, this same house looks enormous. At its summit, the house is 12 meters or the entire four stories tall and yet it looks like one dainty “ground-floor.”

Finally, I have built a house in harmony with nature. The house is part of the nature and lies in the Valley, as if it was some natural relief, but at the same time it is a sign of the men and their village community from before the war, a dozen meters away from the Memorial House, at the spot where village houses were destroyed in a real-life fire during war. In the sunset, the sun shone through the clouds, at the end of its strength, but it seemed to me that my roofs were cliffs, while the massive grey mountain blocks in the distance were enormous roofs that ripped through the sky.”

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Tourism in Hutovo Blato Nature Park

TOURISM IN HUTOVO BLATO NATURE PARK

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utovo Blato gained on international importance after it was declared a nature park and included in the Ramsar list of important wetland habitats of the world, as well as in the UNESCO list of world heritage. As a wetland area of international importance, Hutovo Blato should focus its tourist offer on those tourists who do not violate the basic concept of nature protection.

According to data provided by the WTO (World Tourism Association), the reputation of a region in tourist circles will increase and its tourist demand rise by 20 to 30% in comparison to destinations that are not classified by internationally recognized category for nature protection.

If we look at the trends of global tourist demand, it is apparent that more and more foreign and domestic tourists are pursuing active holidays in nature, which implies different activities from hiking, climbing, potholing, photo-safari, rafting, canoe safari, horseback riding, cycling and other activities based on physical exercise. According to the available data, the number of tourists in European countries who go after tourist destinations that offer active rest is on the rise.

As a protected nature site, Hutovo Blato is the kind of tourist destination which, in addition to its natural assets, offers programs that can satisfy the needs of the said type of tourists. The Park’s tourist offer targets school and college students, nature lovers (biologists, ecologists, ornithologists, spelunkers, etc.), fishing enthusiasts, athletes and sport teams and recreationalists who will use Hutovo Blato as a starting point for the exploration of other destinations in the area (Mostar, Neum, Međugorje, Sarajevo).

The Park’s natural assets are still the main motive of tourist visits to Hutovo Blato and the Neretva delta.

A sustainable use and protection of natural resources, as well as development of sustainable models of tourist offer are the concepts the Park has adopted as a guarantee for the development of eco-tourism in this area.

Return to nature, organic food and viable use of natural resources is a global movement that influences eco-tourism. Together with sustainable development, eco-tourism means economic and social growth harmonized with the eco-system and therefore, viable in a long term.

Eco-tourism can partly impact the use of resources in order to satisfy the economic and social needs and to protect the cultural, environmental and biological di-

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Tourism in Hutovo Blato Nature Park

versity. This is exactly why this model of tourism should be used in a region like this in which more efforts should be invested into the protection of wetland- and water eco-systems of the entire Neretva delta, more specifically, in the conservation of landscape, air and soils, which brings us to the next point about eco-tourism: a) Eco-tourism actively promotes environmental responsibility and has immediate beneficial impacts on the environment; b) Eco-tourism is restricted by the so-called package offers of the big tour operators because eco-tourism enthusiasts avoid big groups and traditional forms of tourism; c) Prices are relatively high and the number of tourists who demand of eco-services relatively small; Natural qualities, including climate, hydrology, relief, flora and fauna, as well as the well-preserved landscape of the Neretva river-basin, Hutovo Blato including, are preconditions for the development of eco-tourism in this area. Thanks to support from local population, institutionalized approach to nature protection and state subsidies, eco-tourism can live to its full potential.

Current situation with Park’s tourist offer The following tourist attractions are on offer in the Park: •

canoe safari

The main touristic attraction in the Park is photo safari. It is attended by tourists of all age groups and from various countries. According to available data, Hutovo Blato was visited by 700 guests in 2001, 37,460 guests in 2003, 5,051 guests in 2004, while this number in 2010-2011 exceeded 10,000.

The analysis of guest structure shows a significant shift in the number of school visits, while the increase in the number of foreign guests is insignificant. The majority of foreign visitors to the Park arrived on a one day trip organized by tourist agency Atlas from Dubrovnik, while domestic guests mostly arrived on their own. School students visit the Park on organized one-day trips or as part of school excursions passing through, on their way to other tourist destinations.

•

Sports fishing

By organizing the 27th World Club Contest in sports fishing in 2006, the Park has started to offer this specific type of tourist offer to domestic and international tourists on a more serious basis. Sportsfishing enthusiasts from sports fishing societies “Bjelave” Čapljina and “Bregava” Stolac constitute a sound basis for development of this type of tourist programs.

Broj posjeta - Hutovo Blato

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Through improvement of this type of tourist programs and a semi-intensive carp breeding on Svitava Lake and Škrka, it is possible to attract a far bigger number of sports fishing enthusiasts and thus enrich the tourist offer of the Park.

•

Congress and Educational Tourism

Accommodation capacities of Motel Karaotok consist of 2 suites, 13 double-bed rooms, 1 singlebed room and 1 three-bed room. The motel has also a reception lounge, coffee bar with a terrace, a large dining hall, hunter’s saloon, two sanitary units and a kitchen. The motel can be used for conferences, seminars, meetings, roundtables, proms, weddings, exhibitions and other events. Apart from the Park’s accommodation services, landscape and gastronomic services, the Park can achieve good business results and profit thanks to this special type of touristic offer. Together with the Park’s increased accommodation capacities, congress tourism will play an increasingly more important role in the Park’s overall business operations in the future.

•

Scientific and Research Tourism

This type of tourist offer is based on the project activities from the area of water, soils, vegetation, birds, mammals, medical herbs etc., and on different research projects and the projects for preservation of certain wildlife habitats.

•

Leisure and Sports (cycling, hiking, recreational sports, outdoors recreation)

Leisure and sports are part of the Park’s touristic offer which can be implemented on a regulated cycling track along the Karaotok-Svitava embankment. Tourists could also use a mountain cycling trail. Jogging and hiking is possible along the Karaotok-Svitava embankment.

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Tourism in Hutovo Blato Nature Park

2.2 Important Ongoing Projects • • • • • •

Repair of damage caused by recent fire Monitoring of biodiversity of the amphibians, reptiles and mammals Elaboration of the Nature Park’s urban plan Elaboration of the Nature Park Management Plan WWF projects for the protection of biodiversity and environmental flows Training of rangers and hunters financed with Ramsar funds

2.3. Developmental Possibilities of Different Tourist Activities Fundamental principles that govern the Park’s activities and work arise from the Park’s categorization that guarantees a sustainable development of the Park’s protected areas. The category of nature park is awarded to an authentic natural or partly cultivated spatial mainland or coastal area that has pronounced esthetic, ecological, educational, cultural and historic and tourist and recreational values.

In line with its category and planned documents, the Park’s development policy envisages the Park as the driving force of the tourist development in the municipalities of Čapljina and Stolac, which would also have positive an economic effect on the wider region.

Demand for the tourist attractions in the Park is limited to photo safari and partly to sports fishing and training of sports teams, which is insufficient for the park’s self-sustainability. In the future, new tourist offer should be developed gradually and in line with the tourist demand and this requires time and money. The concept requires a step-by-step approach and opening of new areas for investments. One of key elements of the Park’s future tourist offer should be the preservation of biological and landscape diversity of the wetland and its eco-systems, while at the same time focusing on the fundamental requirements of the tourist market: -

Rest and leisure in nature

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Change and diversity

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Experience and adventure

The park, in synergy with its natural surroundings, can become a highly marketable and valued tourist product both on local and international tourist markets.

The Park’s tourist offer could include the following range of activities:

• Photo safari on Gornje Blato; A boat ride down Hutovo Blato canals could also be included in the offer: Karaotok - Sun Canal – Krupa River – Water-Lily Canal (full-circle ride) Karaotok – Sun Canal –Krupa River – Derane Lake, Karaotok – Sun Canal- Krupa River –Derane Lake – Londža dike – Londža Sustainable tourism in BiH through support to the concept of responsible tourism

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Tourism in Hutovo Blato Nature Park

Karaotok- Sun Canal –Krupa River – Derane Lake – Drijen Karaotok – Sun Canal – Krupa River - Jelim dike–Jelim Lake Touristic motives and activities: non-idling education, study, leisure, photographing.

• Sports and recreational fishing – sports-fishing competition can be organized on a regulated section of the fishing route on Kruša River, from Džinovica to the dam in the length of 3 km.

Recreational fishing could be organized on Svitava land plot /Svitava Lake.

Touristic activities: fishing, idling education, photographing.

• Sports and recreational hunting. The hunt on the fattened wild game kept in a special reserve in the Park will ensure that the Park doesn’t jeopardize its mission. The wild-boar hunt can also be organized on the periphery of the Park under the full supervision of the rangers’ service. The hunt on wild game purposely released into the Park can be organized on an arable land near Karaotok, while the hunt on wild-boar can be organized in the area of Škrka, Glavica, Džinovica and Košćela. As a part of the touristic offer, trap-shooting and dog training ranges can also be used. These activities can be organized on the land plots in Prebilovci and Karaotok.

Touristic motives and activities: hunting, idling education, photographing.

• Bird watching can be organized for all age groups, from school children and university students to biologists, nature lovers and common tourists on the following locations: 1. Derane Lake/open water surface and reeds, 2. Svitava Lake – open water surfaces, 3. Drijen – open water surfaces, reed-patches, flood plains 4. Svitava complex/ Plana – flood plains; at 5. Karaotok land plot – arable surfaces.

Tourist motives and activities: bird watching, idling education, photographing • Educational camps for school and university students and adults.

This type of tourist offer consists of lectures, workshops, seminars, scientific conferences etc.

Educational programs for school and university students can be held partly in the nature and partly in specially designed educational areas at Glavice, Džinovica and Karaotok.

Scientific and educational programs can be implemented in the area of Londža and Karaotok.

Tourist motives and activities: idling education, photographing and recreation.

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Tourism in Hutovo Blato Nature Park

• Sports and recreational activities – sports teams preparations can be held in the section of Karaotok designated for sports activities and equipped with two football pitches.

Tourist motives and education: sports recreation, idling education.

• Adventure sports. This type of tourist product is intended for adventure-loving tourists: 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Horseback riding – riding ground at Drijen Climbing and hiking - Budisavina, Kučevo Hill and Džinovica viewing points Hiking - embankment along Karaotok and Svitava Lake Cycling - embankment and mountain trail from Ostrvo to Londža, Scuba-diving – Desilo Lake and possibly also Drijen and Orah springs.

Tourist motives and activities: sighting seeing, sports recreation, idling education, photographing.

•

Leisure programs intended for rest, sight-seeing and visiting other tourist destinations in the area (sacral and cultural heritage).

The main accommodation facilities are Karaotok Motel, bungalows, pile dwellings, hunter’s lodge on Londža – Karaotok, Londža Tourist motives and activities: idling education, photographing, consumption of local cuisine.

• Rural accommodation in private houses on Londža and Ostrvo that offer exotic ambience and specialties of local cuisine.

Tourist motives and activities: idling education, enjoying the traditional way of life and local cuisine, photographing.

In order to make a tourist product more acceptable and adjusted to the needs of potential tourists, it should be marketed in an adequate package that is meaningful and alluring in terms of price and quality of service.

By combining different activities, the Park’s tourist offer can become more interesting and appealing to potential tourists. Here is a list of activities, programs and attractions that could be included in the Park’s offer: • Activities: cycling, horseback riding, camping, fishing, picnicking, scuba-diving, rent-a-boat service on Krupa River and Svitava Lake.

• Social activities: Get-togethers and group outings (group walks, food tasting and dinners, dances, country feasts, parties, bird and animal watching, sports contests and games)

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Tourism in Hutovo Blato Nature Park

• Entertainment: Events, such is summer and winter masquerades, concerts, performances or public celebrations.

• Opposite World: Accommodation in renovated stone-block houses and pile dwellings in the ambience of a busy village farm; shepherd duties or farming, game-keeping or landscape protection.

• Transportation means: Horses, “trupe” - small wooden canoe-like boats and rowing or engine-powered boats, bikes for rent.

• Culture and education: Educational trail, eco-camp, ethno-museums, use of old traditional agricultural tools and machinery, festival of traditional folk songs and dances of Herzegovina.

• Contests: Marathon run, mountain-bike races, canoe races on Krupa River, Svitava Lake and Neretva River.

• Diversity: Each village should develop its own touristic product inspired by themes from nature, tradition or history. Put together, they should make one meaningful unit, that is, a package covering all aspects of the Park’s tourist offer.

Marketing The issue that imposes itself if we want to achieve bigger tourist demand is the promotion and advertisement of Hutovo Blato Nature Park as a tourist destination that can provide full tourist offer. The fact is that the current level of investments in marketing has not been sufficient enough to bring about significant shifts in the number of visitors to Hutovo Blato. Therefore, we must continue advertising Hutovo Blato among clearly defined target groups and with all means available (TV and radio, newspapers, internet, web-site, CD, brochures, leaflets, personal contacts) in cooperation with local and international bidders in the field of tourist niches (nature and eco-tourism, cycling clubs, bird watching associations, sports clubs and associations etc.) in order to attract as many tourists to this tourist destination as possible. Nonetheless, if we want to achieve a better positioning/ placement of the Park on the local or international market, we must develop our own marketing strategy that should be on track of current trends in the global tourist industry, by primarily following regional specializations along with building and strengthening of our own regional identity and involving and assigning a more active role to local population in the tourist offer of the Nature Park. All of that should help us achieve desired business effects and profits in relation to the environment, natural and cultural resources. The satisfaction of tourists who are visiting this area and the prosperity of local inhabitants are the benchmarks and long-terms goals for the development of tourism in Hutovo Blato Nature Park.

In order to implement the above marketing strategy, the following steps should be taken: 1. Position Hutovo Blato Nature Park as a tourist destination on local and international market; 2. Ensure that demands of the target markets are met and profits generated; 3. Achieve multiple increase in the number of foreign and domestic tourists and maximum increase in sales on the domestic and international market; 4. Set up an operational marketing system:

First Goal: The positioning of Hutovo Blato as a tourist destination on the international and domestic market primarily means restoring its good image (the cause of its worsened image is the recent conflict in BiH). In order to improve the perception of Herzegovina, we must build efficient internal and external communications on the national and international level. An image of a country is the result of communication processes and the successfulness of that process is reflected in the learning, emotional and behavioral effects achieved with the target audience. In or-

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Tourism in Hutovo Blato Nature Park

der to achieve an optimal placement of Hutovo Blato on domestic and foreign market, we must do the branding of Hutovo Blato as a tourist destination. The branding should help us build a unique and marketable identity of Hutovo Blato as a desirable destination for tourism and investments. Hutovo Blato’s tourist brand does not only imply creating a visual identity, but also an entire line of products and values that should be associated with that destination. Preliminary activities in building of a new identity of the Park include finding out about how people, from ordinary citizens, foreign tourists to representatives of foreign corporations, see us. The first step is to define the gap between the existing and desired situation.

Second goal: Meeting the needs of tourists and visitors and generating profits. In setting up goals, we should take into consideration some other elements like: dynamics of the market participation, which market segments and in which order should be targeted.

Third goal: Multiple increases in the number of foreign and domestic guests in the Nature Park and maximum increase of sales on domestic and international markets will require an innovative offer, enriched with new and interesting programs (services, products).

Herzegovina can be successfully presented on target markets through a high quality of products and various events. At the same time, we must make sure that our offer keeps abreast with general trends on the international tourist market.

Fourth Goal: Setting up a marketing system. In terms of timing and resources, tactical activities per different areas of action will have to be aligned with marketing strategies and goals.

Long-term goals require a high level of efficiency and success in development management, coordination, cooperation, information flow and organization of work in the nature park. Realization of the goals is of strategic importance for the implementation of developmental programs in all areas of social and economic development. Because they serve as benchmarks, the goals are key instruments for promotion at home and abroad, an advantage factor in battling competition and an efficient system of control and management of human resources.

For the operationalization of long-term goals, we need to define medium-term goals: Sustainable tourism in BiH through support to the concept of responsible tourism

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Tourism in Hutovo Blato Nature Park

• Create prerequisites for the successful placement of Hutovo Blato on tourist markets by building a distinctive image in the minds of the potential tourists on emissive markets.

• Produce additional values for consumers • Develop authentic tourist products and experience at the destination • Increase market participation and attract new market segments • Create different types of offer for different target segments • Improve the quality of offer by investing into infrastructure and development of human resources • Develop integral quality – only innovative products of a tourist destination can secure a higher level of recognition of that destination; • Development of a destination management policy • Development of integral marketing communications • Development of the level of recognition of special events • Development of flexible tourist products and their placement through new distribution channels; • Actively seek points of differentiation on the tourist market • Focus on various target groups • Improve performance of the tourist sector – introduce modern information and sale systems • Improvement of the general and tourist infrastructure • Protection of the environmental and spatial values of the tourist destination and the region • Establishment of the crisis management • Observing the principles of sustainable development • Increase of strategic investments into tourist infrastructure • Socially responsible management of developmental resources and potentials • High quality of life A Strategic effort includes all activities of a destination on a tourist market. It is assessed by the destination’s ability to improve its standing on targeted markets. The rationality of a marketing strategy can be seen in the correct identification of the needs of the individual market segments, selection of the target segments and creation of a marketing mix for each market segment.

In order for the Park to use the opportunities presented by new trends on the international market and to achieve the set marketing goals, it is crucial to define the following principles of action:

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Tourism in Hutovo Blato Nature Park

• Market surveys and efficient use of information in the planning of market activities, improvement of existing and development of new products.

• Focus marketing activities on consumers of the tourist services – identifying demands and expectations of the consumers with regards to the quality of service. Costumers are known to rate services rendered to them and their expectations are crucial in determining the level of customer satisfaction.

• Quality management – developing and shaping products of high standards for customers (designing products and services to meet customer demands); • Establish integrated marketing communications and identified target segments; customer relationship within in a given time slot: prior to, during and after purchasing a tourist product; establish the procedure for settling customer complaints; • Developing products and distribution channels to beat the competition and to more efficiently attract tourists; • Vertical and horizontal integration and coordination of all the proponents of tourist offer in order to achieve maximum quality and diversity.

The Marketing strategy for tourism in Hutovo Blato should focus on: • Good knowledge of the specific characteristics of the targeted markets • Development of tourist offer is based on high quality and favorable to potential tourists •

CRM (Consumer Relationship Marketing)

• Innovative approach based on entrepreneurship spirit • Efficient partner cooperation with all stake-holders • Integrated marketing communications Sustainable tourism in BiH through support to the concept of responsible tourism

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Tourism in Hutovo Blato Nature Park

Evolution of the new communications technologies, in particular of the Internet, offers new possibilities for the development of rural tourism, whose only limitation is lack of vision and imagination.

Especially important are the possibilities of the internet to provide offers in the field of information, communications and marketing. The internet gives the Park the opportunity to make up for its shortfalls in the traditional marketing in relation to other tourist destinations in the region in the field. The marketing activities for the development of tourism that the Internet makes possible are: • Browsing the internet in search for information on the Park’s tourist offer, including websites, online libraries, advertisements on conferences and exhibitions etc.; • Interactive communication: e-mails, on-line forums, discussion groups etc.; • Education and training: virtual training programs, workshops, on-line education courses; • Consulting services; • Electronic business (e-business): consumer and market opinion polls, e-booking, e-payments, presentations etc.

Additional advantages of the Internet: • The possibility of uploading, that is, placing a large amount of information on the Internet in a relatively short time and at a relatively low cost; • The possibility of quick update, and finally; • All information placed on the internet can be easily edited and disseminated in a traditional form, i.e. hard copies.

All internet resources are available to customers 24/7 and don’t have the usual temporal, spatial or other limitations typical for the classic postal service.

Apart from the above advantages of the Internet in the promotion of the Park’s touristic offer, it is also necessary to have well-trained and expert personnel, an accurate data-base and updated information about the existing tourist offer in the surroundings for the inclusion of the Park and its tourist offer in the markets on regional and international level.

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Tourism in Blidinje Nature Park

TOURISM IN BLIDINJE NATURE PARK

I

n this part of Herzegovina, far from the city hustle and bustle, smog and noise, is the realm of the primal nature, pristine and fragrant. If offers a unique experience to ecologists, mountaineers, botanists and holiday makers. In the center of this plateau, at the altitude of 1,184 m, lies the Blidinje Lake. In 1995, the lake with its surrounding area was proclaimed a protected nature park. In the vicinity of the lake, at the place of Barzonja, is the Shrine of Our Lady of Snow.

This breathtaking plateau has all that nature can give: water, woods, beautiful slopes and lush pastures. Blidinje is a vast plateau, enclosed by the mountains of Vrana, Čvrsnica and Ljubuša, at whose center lies the Blidinje Lake - a karst lake on the elevation of 1,184 m above sea. The hilltops of Čvrsnica rise to even 2,000 m above sea level.

This is a one of kind place in which man can experience a true pleasure at any time of the year, either listening to the hum of the mountain creek or the howling of the wind, which in winter blows here by an incredible speed, sweeping along anything in its way and building large snow drifts.

The Blidinje Lake is a gem of nature whose surface often, during spring and summer days, mirrors the sun, while at night, the moonshine reflected on its water creates a magical atmosphere. In winter, the Blidinje Lake freezes over as falling snow flakes invade the landscape, shrouding it in a white robe of innocence and purity, and creating an idyllic winter ambience.

The history of this place goes some 4 to 5 thousand years back into the past and the stone relicts of the past, stećci and ancient buildings testify of the long-gone civilizations. Here, the past and future live together in the harmony and wealth of the cultural and historic heritage.

A necropolis consisting of some hundred stećci or standing tomb stones is a tangible evidence of the ancient past of this region. For centuries, the area has lied on the crossroads of the routes that led from Bosnia to Herzegovina and Dalmatia. The Huns, Avars, Illyrians, Venetians, Goths, Turks, Mongolians, Austrians, Germans and Italians have all left behind the traces of their presence in the region. The first mention of this area in historic records dates back to 1,408 in the charter of King Ostoja.

Masna luka Masna Luka – the sight of this special forest nature reserve with several springs of clear water, a beautiful mountain stream that emerges from a thick pine wood will leave you breathless. The idyllic atmosphere is enriched by Sustainable tourism in BiH through support to the concept of responsible tourism

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bird singing and the rustle of the surrounding pine trees. Every corner of this nature reserve is enchanting. The view to the surrounding cliffs and the entire scenery, imbued in intense colors and scents in any season of the year or time of day, is breathtaking.

Anyone who has ever treaded this place will want to return again and experience the hum of the wind and scent of the pine wood.

Masna Luka is the place of residence of a local priest, Friar Petar Krasić, who is a fervent advocate of the nature park’s protection. The modern church, devoted to St Anthony, has been under construction for years now, and with a number of other chapels in the Park, offers the possibility of a religious pilgrimage.

The grave of the legendary Diva Grabovčeva (Diva, daughter of Luka Grabovac from Rama, ran away from the bey of Kupres who hunted her down and killed her), seems to beckons all travellers and passers-by to come over and bow before this symbol of beauty, innocence, integrity and pride.

Her grave is hidden in a thick pine wood, under the humming branches of the centuries old trees.

Diva’s grave has become the place of mass pilgrimage and worship by the believers and all others those who revere and admire her. Several thousand faithful gather at the mass dedicated to her in the place of Kedžara every last week in July. Each day, the plateau is visited by more and more holiday makers and guests from the neighboring municipalities and cantons, as well as from Bosnia and Dalmatia.

(Blidinje Nature Park falls within the administrative boundaries of even three cantons: the WestHerzegovina Canton, the Herzeg-Bosnia Canton and the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton). Due to the abundance of snow in winter, a large number of holiday houses and family houses that catch the eye with their beautiful facades have sprung in the area in the past decade. In the vicinity, lies the cave in which Mijat Tomić, a famous outlaw and dissenter from Turkish authority found refuge for full 24 years. That is why the entire mountainous region is called “The Republic of Mijat Tomić”.

A legend after a legend, a story after a story and we have come to an end. Come and experience this paradise on earth that allows you to live your life to the full and heals your body and soul.

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Park prirode Blidinje

List of Contents

Blidinje

• PREFACE BY AUTHOR ......................................................................................3 • DEVELOPMENT OF ECO AND SUSTAINABLE TOURISM IN BIH THROUGH SUPPORT TO THE CONCEPT OT SUSTAINABLE TOURISM............5 • ABOUT THE CONCEPT OF SUSTAINABLE TOURISM....................7 • RESPONSIBLE TOURISM IN RURAL AREAS OF BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA ....35 • SWOT ANALYSIS OF THREE RIVER VALLEYS (UNA, NERETVA AND DRINA)..................................................................37 • TOURISM IN “UNA” NATIONAL PARK .................................................45 • TOURISM IN “SUTJESKA” NATIONAL PARK ....................................52 • TOURISM IN "HUTOVO BLATO” NATURE..........................................62 • TOURISM IN “BLIDINJE” NATURE PARK .............................................73 Impressum: Publisher: WWF Mediterranean Programme Office Responsibe for the publisher: MSc. Zoran Mateljak Author: Doc. Ph.D. Božo Vukoja Proofreading and correction by: Mira Rupčić, Milena Leventić Translation into English by: Marija Skorupski Layout and design by: Teledom, Grude Photographs: Teledom, Grude Print: Suton d.o.o. Široki Brijeg Edition: 1000 copies CIP - NK6 - UDK - 339.87(497.6)

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The brochure was published with the financial means provided by the Embassy of Italy in BiH, OXFAM Italy and the WWF Mediterranean Programme.

Support to the creation and promotion of the way for ECO and sustainable tourism in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

SUSTAINABLE TOURISM IN BIH THROUGH SUPPORT TO THE CONCEPT OF RESPONSIBLE TOURISM