BETWEEN TRADITION AND TOURISM: THE ROLE OF BJELAŠNICA’S CULTURAL HERITAGE IN SHAPING THE TOURISM SUPPLY
Amra Banda
Amra Čaušević
Muniba Osmanović
Belma Durmišević
DOI: 10.35666/25662880.2025.11.174
UDC: 338.48-44:398.1(497.6 Bjelašnica)
Abstract: Bosnian-Herzegovinian mountains are primarily recognized for winter mountain tourism, yet selective forms such as eco and rural tourism are becoming increasingly significant, especially during the summer season, with local communities playing a key role in their development. In addition to the natural advantages of the mountain area, creating a distinctive and competitive tourism product requires consideration of the anthropogenic segment of the tourism attraction base – the specific architectural and cultural heritage, as well as traditional manifestations that shape the identity of the area. This paper focuses on Bjelašnica and Igman as a mountain area where cultural-historical heritage and traditional ways of life represent a significant but insufficiently valorized potential for sustainable tourism. Special attention is given to the elements of local culture and everyday life (traditional costumes, gastronomy, stories, legends, and customs of the local community), which are still rarely used for tourism promotion and development. Within the area of Bjelašnica and Igman, six sites originating from different historical periods have been identified, among which the necropolis with stećci at Dolovi, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, stands out. Numerous local legends and traditional costumes, particularly in the Bjelašnica villages, form an important part of the region’s identity. To enable their inclusion in the tourism supply, segments of the anthropogenic attraction base that are accessible and possess aesthetic and/or curiosity value have been analyzed and assessed for tourism valorization. The main obstacles to the more intensive development of rural and cultural tourism include weak promotion, lack of cooperation between households and destinations, insufficient knowledge of foreign languages, and limited investments.
Keywords: cultural heritage, Bjelašnica, rural tourism, tourism supply
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