ECOLOGY AND TOURISM

Abstract

The natural world is an amazing miracle that always inspires us. It supports our economy, society and our very survival. Forests, rivers, oceans and land give us the food we eat, the air we breathe, the water we need for crops. Our health, happiness and well-being depend on many other benefits and services that nature provides us. These natural assets are known as the world's "natural capital" and are extremely important for the economy - from agriculture and forestry to entertainment and tourism. [1] Sustainable tourism aims to make tourists realize their desires on the so-called. ecodestinations, without destroying what attracted them. Ecodestinations attract modern tourists, giving them a sense of closeness to the environment, natural values and the local community, in accordance with the accepted concept of sustainable development. Ecotourism is a journey that is friendly to the environment, which emphasizes the observation and preservation of natural habitats and archaeological treasures, a means of environmental protection, environmentally responsible tourism, a way to protect natural areas that includes economic gain through protection of natural resources. The basic principles of ecotourism are minimizing the negative impacts on nature and culture that can harm the destination, educating travelers about the importance of protection, direct income from protection and management of natural and protected areas. [2] In the world of tourists in search of trips that include activities in nature, cultural and recreational facilities, ecotourism in Serbia is quite underdeveloped. Positive aspects need to be encouraged and maximized, and mitigate and neutralize the negative ones in order to achieve environmentally responsible tourism.