THE ROLE OF TOUR OPERATORS IN THE SUSTAINABLE TOURISM DEVELOPMENT-THE CASE OF THE TOURIST DESTINATION KOTOR

Responsibility for ensuring sustainable tourism is largely in the hands of all stakeholders in tourist destination of which extremely important are Tour Operators. Cooperation between companies that provide services to the tourists and Tour Operators is significant, considering that Tour Operators are the central link in the distribution chain. Tour Operators as business partners, demand from hotel and other companies responsible environmental policy and creation of development plans, regardless of regulations, which oblige them to it. It improves the quality of products and leads to long-term conservation of natural resources and environmental protection. Tourism product that is not dangerous for the environment becomes a means of a differentiation in the touristic market and is expected from eco-conscious travel consumers. The aim of the paper is to show the role of Tour Operators as a one of most important destination stakeholders in the tourists destination sustainable supply chain. For the purpose of this paper we have used secondary data and primary research carried out by method of interview with managers in tourist destination Kotor. According to the results of primary and secondary research we have confirmed that Tour Operators Generalist as well as Tour Operator Specialist play important role in the tourist destination sustainable development and that they have to implement new strategies in their bussiness practice