RESPONSIBLE TOURISM IN RURAL AREAS OF BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

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

This 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). e potentials prompted a decision that a special attention should be dedicated to the sectors that o er the most sold basis for the development of eco-tourism. e nal synthesis of all the elements identi ed through the research and workshops, o ered 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 identi ed, including insu cient subhave been identi ed, including insu cient subsidies, fragmented agricultural land, “brain sidies, fragmented agricultural land, “brain drain” from rural areas, insu cient and drain” from rural areas, insu cient and non-specialist educational capacities, non-specialist educational capacities, obsolete technology, feeble presence of government institutions, lack of modern technology and insu cient 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 all three river valley abounds in natural resources, tourism has failed to develop at resources, tourism has failed to develop at a more signi cant pace. ere are many isa more signi cant pace. ere are many issues that deserve attention and whose resolving sues that deserve attention and whose resolving would require serious investments and planning. 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 insu cient investments in tourism.

Business ambience

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

Human resources

Unemployment, better said, job creation is o en identi ed as one of the areas that deserve special attention and that should be signi cantly improved. Despite the fact that without companies that do business successfully, there can be no improvements in the employment eld, 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 eld, apart from a high unemployment rate, is a de nition 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. ere is insu cient support to employment of young people through stimulation of self-employment and entrepreneurship.

A large number of companies are faced with insu cient managerial skills in all business sectors and insu cient knowledge of the market economy. e 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. e strategy has revealed that a signi cant number of people can nd employment in the tourist industry and that the latter has the potential to become one of the more lucrative branches of BiH industry.