ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL IMPLICATIONS OF THE RETROGRESSION AND REVITALIZATION OF SPA TOURISM IN NIŠKA BANJA
ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL IMPLICATIONS OF THE RETROGRESSION AND REVITALIZATION OF SPA TOURISM IN NIŠKA BANJA

Summary/Abstract: The author begins with the fact that the retrogression of spa tourism in Serbia compared to the developed countries had in the past its economic, political, and legal obstacles and that this was also reflected in Niška Banja. Therefore, an analytical approach to the causes, consequences, and possible directions of development of this once prosperous spa is needed. In the paper, Niška Banja is compared with other spas and the possibilities of her revitalization are analyzed. It was concluded that the basic problem of Niška Banja, and after all, most spas in Serbia are poor existing capacities and lack of modern accommodation capacities, lagging behind world tourist trends and lack of financial resources for development. Examples of some spas in Serbia and the world indicate possible solutions for Niška Banja as well. We see solutions in changing the awareness of the importance of spa tourism, in building new capacities, modernizing tourist products, and in financial incentives through privatization and public-private partnership. Tourism is a development opportunity for Niška Banja, but success requires the synergy of the state, local government, experts, and citizens.

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