Sustainable development is in many ways the fundamental basis of tourism. The importance and role of sustainable tourism development in the 21st century is at the center of this paper on eco-certificates and green procurement in the hotel industry, within the field of the responsible or green economy. The green hotel economy implies the selection of accommodation in environmentally responsible hotels and other facilities, which are directing their business operations towards green procurement, eco-labeling, and the responsible economy. This paper includes quantitative research of the attitudes of 506 international tourists, who expressed their views on their needs regarding eco-hotels and the green economy in the hotel industry. This research also included the collection of data on green (responsible) businesses by surveying 100 hotels situated in the capitals of southern Europe. Comparing results from hotels with the needs of tourists in terms of the green economy in the hotel industry, significant results were obtained that contribute to sustainable tourism development.

The relation between of production and consumption units, market mechanisms, and the behaviour of economic subjects in the market are aspects that enable an understanding of tourism in the economic process. Two basic factors of tourism "free time and free money" as the goal of creation of each individual, striving to meet the needs for luxury, rest, rehabilitation and recreation, are directly linked to the basic economic relationship, the relationship between limited resources and unlimited needs. Not respecting the principles and rules of the socioeconomic sphere, by the dynamics of the development of techno-economic sphere, the increasing difference between the poor majority and rich minority in the world, causing many economic and social problems. Given the economic problems on a global level, further directions of development of tourism should be sought through the analysis of the relationship, or better to say, interdependence of development of techno-economic and socioeconomic spheres. This paper seeks to determine and clarify the importance of tourism as a factor stimulating circular flow of economic processes.

Истраживања и респектовање еколошких, економских и социокултурних принципа у процесу стварања материјалне основе један су од кључних предуслова одрживог развоја туризма. Отежавајућу околност принципа одрживости, приликом стварања нове и унапређења (реновирања, реконструкције и модернизације) постојеће материјалне основе, чине очекивања носиоца тражње као покретачких фактора укупног развоја туризма, а која морају бити у центру пажње. Одрживи приступ стварању материјалне основе туризма захтева озбиљно истраживање, планирање и управљање, поред истакнутих (економских, еколошких и социокултурних) принципа, истраживање и због обимних дугорочних улагања. Један од планетарних проблема који се мора уважавати код градње материјалне основе туризма на коме инсистирају бројне еколошке групације јесте како не заустављати економски раст, а истовремено задржати чисту/здраву животну средину.

1 1 This paper is part of a research project: Development and application of new and traditional technologies in the production of competitive food products with added value for European and global market-Creating wealth from the treasures of Serbia (MPNTR RS, br. 046001).

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