DOI - Mendel University Press

DOI identifiers

DOI: 10.11118/978-80-7509-963-1-0365

VISITORS' PERSPECTIVES ON SUSTAINABLE TOURISM: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF NATIONAL PARKS IN KOSOVO, MONTENEGRO AND ALBANIA

Azdren Doli1, Taulant Doli2, Dastan Bamwesigye1,3
1 Department of Forest and Wood Products Economics and Policy, Faculty of forestry and Wood Technology, Mendel University in Brno, Zemědělská 3, 613 00 Brno, Czech Republic
2 Eco-Land, Non-governmental organisation, Dardania 51, 120 00, Fushë-Kosovë, Republic of Kosovo
3 Department of Landscape Management, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Mendel University in Brno, Czech Republic

This study investigated tourists' opinions on destination experiences within National Parks (NPs) in Kosovo, Montenegro and Albania, focusing on visitor satisfaction with the destination. Data was collected in the field through 366 surveys to assess visitor perspectives. The statistical analysis included descriptive, qualitative, and quantitative methods. The results highlight variations in visitor ratings across destinations, with Montenegro generally receiving higher (positive) ratings than Kosovo and Albania. The most valued issues by visitors are the diversity and wildness of the landscapes, food and hospitality. At the same time, the least valued (negative) are road infrastructure, orientation signs and waste management in the park. The study highlights the importance of visitor feedback in formulating sustainable tourism strategies, emphasising the need for balanced growth and environmental conservation in destination management.

Keywords: Cross-border forests, environmental and Landscape Protection, Mountain tourism, Park management, Western Balkans

pages: 365-370, Published: 2024, online: 2024



References

  1. Arslan E. S. and Kaymaz I., (2020). "Visitor perception of recreational ecosystem services and their role in landscape management of Gölcük Nature Park, Turkey," International Journal of Sustainable Development & World Ecology, vol. 27, no. 3, pp. 202-213, Apr. 2020, doi: 10.1080/13504509.2019.1711247. Go to original source...
  2. Bamwesigye D, Fialova J, Kupec P, Yeboah E, Łukaszkiewicz J, Fortuna-Antoszkiewicz B, Botwina J. (2023). Urban Forest Recreation and Its Possible Role throughout the COVID-19 Pandemic. Forests. 2023; 14(6):1254. https://doi.org/10.3390/f14061254 Go to original source...
  3. Bamwesigye D, Fialová J, Kupec P, Łukaszkiewicz J, Fortuna-Antoszkiewicz B. (2021). Forest Recreational Services in the Face of COVID-19 Pandemic Stress. Land. 2021; 10(12):1347. https://doi.org/10.3390/land10121347 Go to original source...
  4. Caso, A. (2018). "Balkans 'Peace' Park: rischi e prospettive," Eunomia. Rivista di Studi su Pace e Diritti Umani, vol. 0, no. 1, Art. no. 1, Jul. 2018, doi: 10.1285/i22808949a7n1p179. Go to original source...
  5. Correia, A. Kozak, M. and Ferradeira, J. (2013). "From tourist motivations to tourist satisfaction," International journal of culture, tourism and hospitality research, vol. 7, no. 4, pp. 411-424, 2013. Go to original source...
  6. Djordjević Milošević, S. Guri, F. Krivčević, J. and Djimrevska, I. (2014). "Baseline Study and Strategic Plan for development of the cross-border region 'Prokletije- Bjeshkët e Namuna.'" Regional Rural Development Standing Working Group in SEE (SWG), 2014.
  7. Doli A, Bamwesigye D, Hlaváčková P, Fialová J, Kupec P, Asamoah O. (2021). Forest Park Visitors Opinions and Willingness to Pay for Sustainable Development of the Germia Forest and Recreational Park. Sustainability. 2021; 13(6):3160. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13063160 Go to original source...
  8. Hasanaj P. and Kuqi, B. (2022). "Environmental Landscapes in the" Albanian Alps" in Kosovo in the Development of Local Tourism.," Ecological Engineering & Environmental Technology (EEET), vol. 23, no. 6, 2022, doi: 10.12912/27197050/152951. Go to original source...
  9. Institute for Spatial Planning RKS, (2016). "Spatial Plan of National Park 'Bjeshkët e Nemuna.'" Institute for Spatial Planning of the Republic of Kosovo, 2016. [Online]. Available: http://kepweb.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/F_KEP_D0.00.20_NP_Bjeshket_e_Nemuna_Draft_Spatial_Plan.pdf
  10. Keçi, E. and Krog, E. (2014). "Thethi & Valbona Valley National Parks, and Gashi River Strict Nature Reserve," 2014, Accessed: Jan. 02, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Erjola-Keci/publication/270050073_Albanian_Alps_Management_Plan/links/549ef1410cf257a635fe70ba/Albanian-Alps-Management-Plan.pdf
  11. Kirillova, K. Fu, X. Lehto, X. and Cai, L. (2014). "What makes a destination beautiful? Dimensions of tourist aesthetic judgment," Tourism management, vol. 42, pp. 282-293, 2014. Go to original source...
  12. Lajçi, D. Kuqi, B. Fetahaj, A. and Osmanollaj, S. (2022). "The values of cultural heritage in the Rugova region in promoting the development of tourism in Kosovo," Geo Journal of Tourism and Geosites, vol. 41, no. 2, pp. 502-508, 2022. Go to original source...
  13. Nicoletta R. and Servidio, R. (2012). "Tourists' opinions and their selection of tourism destination images: An affective and motivational evaluation," Tourism management perspectives, vol. 4, pp. 19-27, 2012. Go to original source...
  14. Platania M. and Rizzo, M. (2018). "Willingness to pay for protected areas: A case of Etna Park," Ecological Indicators, vol. 93, pp. 201-206, Oct. 2018, doi: 10.1016/j.ecolind.2018.04.079. Go to original source...
  15. Pomfret, G. "Mountaineering adventure tourists: a conceptual framework for research," Tourism management, vol. 27, no. 1, pp. 113-123, 2006. Go to original source...
  16. Stojkov B. and Nikolov, A. (2008)."Cultural cross-border cooperation among Balkan's countries with the case of Serbia and Bulgaria," Glasnik Srpskog geografskog drustva, vol. 88, no. 2, pp. 13-24, 2008. Go to original source...
  17. Tokay Argan M. and Mersin, S. (2021). "Life satisfaction, life quality, and leisure satisfaction in health professionals," Perspect Psychiatr Care, vol. 57, no. 2, pp. 660-666, Apr. 2021, doi: 10.1111/ppc.12592. Go to original source...
  18. Uysal, M. Sirgy, M. J. Woo, E. and Kim, H. L.(2016). "Quality of life (QOL) and well-being research in tourism," Tourism Management, vol. 53, pp. 244-261, 2016. Go to original source...
  19. Veselaj, Z. (2010)."Bjeshkët e Nemuna-perla natyrore e Kosovës," Prishtinë, Prill, vol. 38, 2010, [Online]. Available: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/261805123_Bjeshket_e_Nemuna-_perla_natyrore_e_Kosoves
  20. Wong J.-Y. and Yeh, C. (2009). "Tourist hesitation in destination decision making," Annals of Tourism Research, vol. 36, no. 1, pp. 6-23, 2009. Go to original source...
  21. Young, A. (2008). "A section of the ICUN European Green Belt: the cross-border peace park (Albania /Montenegro /Kosovo)," 2008. [Online]. Available: http://hdl.handle.net/10454/7723