Development of ecotourism in the territory of the Republic of Serbia: current situation and statistical review

This paper presents an assessment of the current situation of eco-tourism in the Republic of Serbia and, based on that, offers recommendations that can speed up and improve the process of eco-tourism development. In developing countries, ecological tourism (eco-tourism) is one of the effective ways to promote sustainable economic development. In addition to having a positive impact on the global economy, the development of ecotourism has a significant contribution to the development of local communities, through the generation of ecological, economic and social benefits. The territory of the Republic of Serbia is rich in opportunities for the development of eco-tourism, and every year ecology plays an increasingly important role in the development of tourism. As in most countries that are in similar situations, the volume of tourism (especially internal) increased after the pandemic (2020-2021), and eco-tourism as such began to develop as a reaction to the negative consequences of tourism.