TOURISM POLICY OF BALKAN COUNTRIES: REVIEW OF NATIONAL TOURISM DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES

A different tourism policy created by various states is one of the primary factors for the existence and development of tourism, along with its natural and anthropogenic resources of specified destinations. The subject of this paper is the tourism policy of the Balkan countries, as seen through the prism of national strategies for the development of tourism and tourism products. The paper provides basic data for the Balkan countries such as: population, territory characteristics, number of international tourists, the existence of a National Tourism Organization and facilities included in the UNESCO list of world cultural heritage. Table showing government bodies responsible for tourism, national tourism development strategies as well as tourism products defined in these strategies shall be presented. An analysis and review of strategies has been made, based on their duration and types of tourism products. The paper concluding remarks are regarding the structuring of the prospects and directions of tourism development in the Balkan countries