a

SUSTAINABLE AGRITOURISM FEASIBILITY IN THE MODRAC LAKE REGION, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

  • Bahrija Umihanić Faculty of Economics, University of Tuzla, Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Keywords: agritourism, tourism entrepreneurship, sustainable tourism development, destination governance, Modrac Lake Region, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Abstract

This paper assesses the feasibility of introducing agritourism as a form of sustainable tourism development in the Modrac Lake Region, with a particular focus on Kiseljak. The research examines development potential, market demand, stakeholder readiness, infrastructural and organizational constraints, minimum service standards and opportunities for integrating local products into the tourism value chain. The empirical research applied three instruments to local producers and households, institutions and public services, and market, tourism and hospitality actors, with qualitative validation through four focus groups. The analysis combines descriptive statistics, multiple-response analysis, cross-tabulations and thematic coding of open-ended answers and focus-group findings. The results indicate that agritourism is feasible only as a phased, pilot-oriented and spatially responsible model based on local products, households, short visits, tastings, educational content and small thematic routes. The contribution of the paper lies in linking sustainable tourism, collaborative destination governance and stakeholder readiness into a practical framework for gradual agritourism development.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Armesto-López, X. A., Cors-Iglesias, M., & Gómez-Martín, M. B. (2025). Viewing Agrotourism in a Rural Development Context. Agriculture, 15(13), 1424. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture15131424

Bhatta, K., Barbieri, C., Kc, B., & Roman, M. (2025). Agritourism and sustainability: advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Tourism Review, 81(3), 1121–1135. https://doi.org/10.1108/TR-10-2024-0900

Campbell, J. M., Kubickova, M., Carlisle, S., Kunc, M., & Tiffin, S. (2024). Governmental Support for Agritourism Engagement by SMEs: A Resource-Based View of Honduras. Journal of International Food & Agribusiness Marketing, 36(1), 1–22. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/
abs/10.1080/08974438.2023.2213228

Chase, L., Hollas, C., Qian, X., & Whitehouse, C. (Eds.). (2023). International Workshop on Agritourism 2022 Conference Proceedings. https://extensiontourism.net/wp-content/uploads/2022-iwa-proceedings.pdf

IPSA Institute. (2018). Spatial Plan for the Area of Special Features of Part of the Modrac Accumulation Basin for the Period 2016-2036. Ministry of Spatial Planning and Environmental Protection of Tuzla Canton, Tuzla. https://gradzivinice.ba/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Plana-PP-Modrac.pdf

Ministry of Trade, Tourism and Transport of Tuzla Canton. (2024). Tourism Development Strategy of Tuzla Canton for the Period 2024-2029. Ministry of Trade, Tourism and Transport of Tuzla Canton, Tuzla. https://mttstk.gov.ba/strategija-razvoja-turizma

Partalidou, M., & De Matteis, L. (2024). Sustainable agritourism: An opportunity for agrifood systems transformation in the Mediterranean. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome. https://www.oneplanetnetwork.org/sites/default/files/2024-12/CD3578EN.pdf

Phillip, S., Hunter, C., & Blackstock, K. (2010). A typology for defining agritourism. Tourism Management, 31(6), 754–758. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2009.08.001

Rosalina, P. D., Dupre, K., & Wang, Y. (2021). Rural tourism: A systematic literature review on definitions and challenges. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, 47, 134–149. https://doi.org/
10.1016/j.jhtm.2021.03.001

Šajn, N., & Finer, K. (2023). Rural tourism. European Parliamentary Research Service. https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/
2023/751464/EPRS_BRI(2023)751464_EN.pdf

Tomatis, F., Carità, A., & de Broissia, C. (2024). Creating successful agritourism experiences: A practical guide. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome. https://agtivate.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Creating-Successful-Agritourism-Experiences_08.pdf

Umihanić, B. (2026). Analysis of opportunities for agritourism development in the Modrac Lake Region, with a special focus on Kiseljak local community (City of Tuzla). Centre for Ecology and Energy Tuzla / Tuzla Community Foundation, Tuzla.

Umihanić, B., & Umihanić, U. (2023). Regulatory reform policies for tourism and hospitality of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. 8th International Scientific Conference “Economy of Integration” - ICEI 2023, Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina, 199-210. https://www.croris.hr/
crosbi/publikacija/knjiga/861571

Van Ninh, N., & Van Tam, T. (2026). The role of social capital in enhancing community participation for sustainable agricultural tourism. Sustainable Futures, 11, 101612. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sftr.2025.101612
Published
2026-10-16
How to Cite
Umihanić, B. (2026). SUSTAINABLE AGRITOURISM FEASIBILITY IN THE MODRAC LAKE REGION, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA. Tourism International Scientific Conference Vrnjačka Banja - TISC, 9(1), 86-95. https://doi.org/10.52370/TISC2686BU