Turizam i lokalni razvoj – speleoturizam u BiH
Tourism and Local Development - Speleotourism in B&H

Summary/Abstract: Approximately, a half of the Bosnian territory is the area of karst. This paper is testing the hypothesis that caves may serve as a potential base of tourism and local development in underdeveloped areas in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The development is conceived in its fullness, as well as in sustainable within the four key aspects: economic, environmental, technological and social. As hypothesis proving arguments, we emphasize the historical moments, the recent economic profile, experience in the tourist valorization of caves in the world, Bosnian caves’ potential, their development and tourist attraction, distribution in space, the position in relation to major transport routes and complementary facilities. The theoretical framework is a new theory of endogenous growth theory, more precisely the attitude that every space has internal features that can lead to economic growth over a longer period of time, assuming that it has been identified and evaluated. The need for defining a new economic geography in the context Krugman understands of this term is already bear in mind. The method of comparison, analysis, synthesis, description, estimates is used to test the basic hypothesis. The hypothesis is being tested on eleven specific examples: the Vjetrenica cave, the Ledenica cave, the Orlovača cave, the Klokočevica cave, Bijambarska cave, the Tito’s cave, the Djevojačka cave, the Hrustovačka cave, the Hukavica cave, the Megara cave, as well as two military underground warehouses near Konjic and Han Pijesak sand (manmade caves) . The basic elements of analysis for the purpose of activating cave exploration as a component of tourism development of local and regional communities have been indicated .it is estimated that approximately 5000 € is needed for a sustainable workplace in the tourist exploitation of caves in undeveloped areas suggesting on a task of seeking solutions to eliminate or mitigate the issue of poverty, and a need for paying close attention to caves , as already existing natural resources, to identify their development and touristic appeal, and then organize the presentation and placement on the market. In the case of eight hundredths of caves in the world, that rating is positive. Tourist valorization of caves will not solve all the problems of development of underdeveloped areas in Bosnia and Herzegovina. However, there is no doubt that it can alleviate the problem of poverty in local and regional communities and to inspire a more proactive approach to solving development problems.

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