TOURISM OF THE REPUBLIC OF SERBIA: CHARACTERISTICS AND STRATEGIC GOALS OF DEVELOPMENT

Tourism represents an activity which, as stated in numerous researches and official documents, is of exceptional importance for the development of the Republic of Serbia. However, during the second half of the 20th century, as well as during the first decade of the 21st century, tourism was not a priority direction of development and did not achieve significant results in development. With regards to numerous measures and activities undertaken since its inception, tourism became one of the priority activities and one of the key factors of sustainable growth and development in the middle of the second decade of the 21st century, until the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. During the pandemic, tourism recorded significant losses, primarily in international tourist traffic. The aim of the work is to analyze the characteristics of development, based on theoretical knowledge and relevant data, and then to look at the strategic goals of the future development of tourism in the Republic of Serbia, which must be aligned with modern development trends and must be based on realistic assumptions of the country's competitive position on tourist market.