Creating Tourist Space on the Basis of Natural Environment as an Element of Sustainable Development, Case of the Stepnica Commune

Abstract

Purpose -the aim of the paper is to point out the possibilities for creating space that is attractive for tourists using environmental resources, while respecting the rules of sustainable development. Design -the research example is the commune of Stepnica, situated by the Szczecin Lagoon (Poland). It has been indicated how useful is the natural environment in creating tourist space, and how it can be used to build tourist products Methodology -The "desk research" method was used to an analysis of the current level of tourism development. On the grounds of the PAPI method were presented the activities in the interest of developing sustainable forms of tourism in the commune of Stepnica. Information were collected by using available secondary data, and through a questionnaire addressed to commune's government, a local tourist organization and the residents. Approach -Achieving balance between the environment, tourists, the local community and service providers is only possible when the active subjects of this arrangement (meaning all except the environment) are willing to agree to impose restrictions on themselves, without which reaching a compromise is impossible. It is one of the main challenges for sustainable tourism, since it takes a high level of ecological knowledge and the awareness of long-term consequences of one's actions to agree to such restrictions. Findings -The conducted research prove that existing natural resources can be used to create an attractive, and sometimes unique, tourist space. Using natural elements to develop varied forms of niche tourism can be a basis for sustainable tourism development and supplement (or balance out) mass tourism. Originality of the research -Findings should be useful for local authorities to indicate opportunities for using the knowledge, awareness and involvement of the local community to overcome the obstacles in the way of sustainable tourism development.

Transnational tourist destination management: a case study of the Baltic sea region

“…1. an area [1] (commune [2], space, territory, region, place) that constitute the destination of visitors' travels [3]; 2. a set of entities (institutions [4], clusters [5]) that create conditions for tourism in the visited area; 3. a collection of products consumed by visitors during their stay in this area [6];…”

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