The model of prioritization of strategies for regional developement of ecotourism in Eastern Serbia

Development of the tourism, especially ecotourism as a sector which provides one of the biggest potentials for growth in Serbia, is based on the strategic planning of sustainable regional development. Based on the analysis of spatial distribution of natural resources in Serbia, the Eastern region of the country showed the biggest potential for the development of this type of tourism. One of fastest emerging types of accommodation in ecotourism is ecolodging. Due to the fact that accommodation units of this type do not require large financial investment, this type of accommodation presents a very promising strategy for improvement ecotourism in Serbia. Strategic planning of development of all forms of tourism, especially ecotourism, requires a detailed analysis of all external and internal factors that influence the local environment. The aim of this paper is to detect the most significant natural resources of the selected region by using SWOT analysis. This enables establishment of the reliable foundation for strategic planning of the development of ecotourism in this area, while minimizing the negative anthropogenic impact on the regional natural resources. Furthermore AHP method was used to define the sequence of prioritization of defined strategies for tourism development in the region in regards to the construction of eco-lodges.