DETUROPE - The Central European Journal of Regional Development and Tourism 2025, 17(2):137-149

Economic Effects Of Rural Tourism And Resident Attitudes In The Serbia–Croatia Danube Border Region

Aleksandra Vujkoa, Mirjana DELIĆ Jovićb, Dragan Nedeljkovićc
a Faculty of tourism and Hospitality management, Singidunum University, Belgrade, 11000, Serbia
b Faculty of Tourism and Hotel Management, University for Business Studies, Jovana Dučića 23a, Banja Luka, 78000, Bosnia and Hercegovina
c Institute of Agricultural Economics, Volgina 15, Belgrade, 11000, Serbia


This study investigates how residents perceive the economic impacts of rural tourism in the Danube border area between Croatia (Sarvaš, Bijelo Brdo, Dalj, Aljmaš, Erdut) and Serbia (Neštin, Susek, Sviloš, Banoštor, Čerević). The aim was to evaluate resident attitudes toward tourism’s contribution to income, employment, living standards, and entrepreneurship, and to explore whether these perceptions can inform future cross-border cooperation. A survey of 417 inhabitants was conducted using an adapted Tourism Impact Attitude Scale (TIAS), and Pearson’s chi-square test was applied to assess gender differences. The findings reveal strong support for tourism as an economic driver: most respondents reported higher household income, improved living standards, and attractive employment opportunities linked to tourism. Significant gender differences emerged in financial and employment-related aspects, underscoring the need for targeted education and women’s empowerment. Overall, the results suggest that positive economic attitudes form a strong foundation for sustainable rural development and provide a rationale for EU-funded cross-border initiatives.

Keywords: Rural tourism, resident attitudes, TIAS, economic indicators, Serbia, Croatia, Danube

Received: April 17, 2024; Revised: December 14, 2025; Accepted: December 23, 2025; Published: December 25, 2025  Show citation

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Vujko, A., DELIĆ Jović, M., & Nedeljković, D. (2025). Economic Effects Of Rural Tourism And Resident Attitudes In The Serbia–Croatia Danube Border Region. DETUROPE - The Central European Journal of Regional Development and Tourism, 17(2), 137-149
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