RURAL TOURISM IN THE DANUBE REGION OF THE REPUBLIC OF SERBIA – COMPARATIVE EXPERIENCES AND DEVELOPMENT PERSPECTIVES

Rural areas with preserved nature and reach anthropogenic tradition of different rural areas have always attracted people for holidays and to stay. In recent years that kind of needs increase. A large number of factors affect the growth and development interests people from urban areas. Primarily environmental pollution, the increasing alienation of people from the natural environment, uniformity and standardization that provides a modern way of life in urban city areas, etc. Serbia has obviously great resources opportunities for development rural tourism. The attitude based on the fact of the presence of a large number of natural and human (anthropogenic) sources which are located in rural areas. As one of the important natural attractiveness in Serbia represents the Danube River which extends for 588 km and it is fully navigable. Due to its length, it is necessary to describe Danube in three spatial geographic entities: the upper Danube, Metropolitan area (Belgrade – Novi Sad) and the Lower Danube. Natural attractiveness which are present in all three areas and also significant anthropogenic resources, make base for tourism development. All resources are comfortable for development tourism of special interest. This area has great potential for development of the rural tourism. Attitude based primarily on the size of the territory that covers rural areas. This paper work analysed natural and social resources which are important for the development of tourism with special emphasis on the development of rural tourism in all three areas. Paper work will point out the strategic directions for its further tourist development primarily starting from marketing and management approach to developing rural tourism destinations