Rural tourism in function of the development of rural economies of local communities in Serbia

Across Europe, tourism is promoted as a mean of solving social and economic challenges appearing in rural areas. Rural tourism is more and more considered as a key factor in achieving economic sustainability, social reconstruction and improvement of living conditions of rural communities. In rural areas where agriculture is dominant, tourism represents a significant source of additional income of small family farms. In less developed countries that are affected by rural poverty, villages represent a significant potential to attract tourists in search of new, authentic experiences in areas of outstanding natural and cultural wealth. The future rural tourism development strategy should be based on significant financial, organizational and institutional support and acceptance of the view that rural tourism is a business based on the principles of entrepreneurship.