RESEARCH ON TOURISTS’ ATTITUDES ON THE POTENTIAL OF GOČ MOUNTAIN FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF ECO-TOURISM

Goč Mountain has a wealth of natural resources, which represent the most important prerequisite for the development of ecotourism. However, the natural resources of this mountain are inadequately utilized for tourism. The aim of the research is to examine the views of tourists on the possibilities for the development of ecotourism on the mountain Goč, with a view to the more intensive tourist development of this mountain. Special attention is paid to the analysis of possibilities for expanding the existing tourist offer, additional attractive contents and activities, which would contribute to the greater competitiveness of this mountain in the ecotourism market. The survey method was used to collect primary data in the research and it included 174 respondents. The results of the descriptive statistical analysis showed that Goč Mountain has the potential for ecotourism development and that the construction of eco-accommodation facilities would contribute to the greater competitiveness of Goč Mountain. © 2020 EA. All rights reserved.


Introduction
Mountain Goč is located near the leading spa in Serbia, Vrnjačka Banja. The comparative advantage of Goč Mountain is reflected primarily in its natural predispositions. An ecologically preserved environment, characterized by distinct forestedness, natural landscapes and rich flora and fauna, distinguish Mountain Goč as still insufficiently explored and included in tourist flows (Podovac, Đorđević, Milićević, 2018 to its natural features, first of all biodiversity conservation and forest communities, as well as the beauty of the countryside, favourable climate, richness of rivers and created values, Mountain Goč fully meets the requirements for protection as the Institute for Nature Conservation of Serbia, 2019). The whole area of the Goč Mountain is characterized by tourist potentials with dominant health and sports and recreational character, which unfortunately have not yet been adequately utilized. Existing natural resources should be a significant factor in the intensive tourism development of this mountain, with particular emphasis on the development of ecotourism.
In recent years, tourists have been coming to Goč Mountain in the summer when the main motive is exploring nature, walking through natural areas and relaxing in the clear mountain air. However, the tourist offer of this mountain is not sufficiently developed, and therefore not attractive to potential tourists, which is confirmed by tourist traffic. Considering the strong impact on the environment and a wide range of positive and negative effects on rural communities, long-term sustainability of agricultural activities must be taken into account (Đokić, 2019). Each rural area has natural and anthropogenic values, which can serve as a basis for creating an attractive tourist product. However, particularly insisted on lately is ecology and sustainable development. Tourists of today want an environmentally friendly environment in which to spend their free time (Vuković, Arsić, Cvijanović, 2010;Milićević, Podovac, Jovanović, 2013). Ecotourism is a form of tourism that emphasizes natural and ecological attractions. This type of tourism aims at "returning to nature", learning about nature and respecting the connection between people and the country. It takes place in undisturbed natural areas and is a form of tourism that seeks to protect the environment, improve the quality of life of the local population, and educate tourists (Milićević, Štetić, 2017).
Many mountain communities around the world have promoted ecotourism ventures to ameliorate problems of environmental degradation and underdevelopment. It is generally believed that this form of tourism in the mountains will foster responsible tourist behavior, conservation of important wildlife habitats and ecosystems, appreciation of local cultures and traditional life styles, and provision of sustainable forms of livelihood for people living in remote areas and communities (Nepal, 2002). Based on the fundamental functions of ecotourism we can say that its success at a destination is reflected by the extent to which it satisfies these key requirements: preserves natural resources and biodiversity; generates money to finance conservation; contributes to the local economy; promotes community partnership; and educates visitors and members of local communities (Batta, 2006).
The aim of the paper is to examine the views of tourists on the possibilities for the development of ecotourism on the mountain Goč, with a view to the more intensive tourist development of this mountain. Special attention is paid to the analysis of Economics of Agriculture, Year 67, No. 1, 2020, (pp. 223-238), Belgrade possibilities for expanding the existing tourist offer, additional attractive contents and activities, which would contribute to the greater competitiveness of this mountain in the ecotourism market. The survey was conducted among tourists of Goč Mountain.

Literature review
The concept of sustainable development is faced with great interest both in theory, by scientific researchers, and in practice, by managers and policy makers in many countries (Sudarević, Milovanov, 2015). The development of environmental awareness of the threat of the natural environment leads to a new nature of tourism and essential changes in relation to the environment (Šušić, Đorđević, 2019). The term ecotourism has often been equated with a number of terms like alternative tourism, green tourism, sustainable tourism (Butler 1991), or nature tourism, even though these are distinct forms of tourism (Nepal, 2002). The lack of a precise definition of the term ecotourism has encouraged increasing free use of the term to gain competitive advantage (Batta, 2006).
According to Ceballos-Lascuráin (1987), ecotourism is defined as travelling to relatively undisturbed or uncontaminated natural areas with the specific objective of studying, admiring, and enjoying the scenery and its wild plants and animals, as well as any existing cultural manifestations found in these areas. Ecotourism is a form of tourism that fosters learning experiences and appreciation of the natural environment, or some component thereof, within its associated cultural context' (Weaver, 2008). The most important motivations for travel by ecotourists are to enjoy the natural environment, have an "experiential" vacation, and learn while traveling. Typically, the most popular ecotourism activities in all surveys are visiting national parks and protected areas, hiking, waterbased activities (especially rafting), admiring nature, camping and touring. Additionally, cultural experiences may be of interest (Wight, 2001). Activity preferences vary from destination to destination. For example, diving is rated highly in the Pacific, while jungle/ rainforest trekking and birdwatching are rated highly in Latin America and Southeast Asia, and game viewing is popular in Africa (IFC, 2004). Tourists learning is central to all forms of ecotourism (Weaver, Lawton, 2007), and one expressed goal of ecotourism is the self-formation of tourists towards more pro-environmental attitudes and behaviour (Buckley, 2009). Ecotourists are simply interested in natural places and experiences for the benefits of enjoyment and learning, physical activity and adventure (Beaumont, 2011). Recent ecotourism research has found that ecotourism markets prefer more than the conventional hotel options. They desire more rustic, adventure-type accommodation (such as ecolodges, campings, backpacker hostels, ranches, etc.) which is a growing market trend. The overall vacation experience seems to determine the accommodation choice (Wight, 2001).
Achieving ecotourism requires certain activities including the production of ecologically safe, recyclable and biodegradable products, using energy efficient operations with minimal or no pollution, efficient waste management, con-serving cultural and natural assets, etc. (Gavrilović, Maksimović, 2018). According to UNWTO (2019), ecotourism refers to forms of tourism which have the following characteristics: 1. All nature-based forms of tourism in which the main motivation of the tourists is the observation and appreciation of nature as well as the traditional cultures prevailing in natural areas.

It contains educational and interpretation features.
3. It is generally, but not exclusively organised by specialised tour operators for small groups. Service provider partners at the destinations tend to be small locally owned businesses.
4. It minimises negative impacts upon the natural and socio-cultural environment.
5. It supports the maintenance of natural areas which are used as ecotourism attractions by: • Generating economic benefits for host communities, organisations and authorities managing natural areas with conservation purposes; • Providing alternative employment and income opportunities for local communities; • Increasing awareness towards the conservation of natural and cultural assets, both among locals and tourists.
From the above it is clear that ecotourism can be defined by three core criteria: nature, learning and sustainability (Beaumont, 2011), ie, (1) attractions should be predominantly nature based, (2) visitor interactions with those attractions should be focused on learning or education, and (3) experience and product management should follow the principles and practices associated with ecological, socio-cultural and economic sustainability (Blamey, 2001).
Many mountain tourist destinations have become major players in the local economy. Hiking, camping, mountain and rock climbing, mountain biking, wildlife viewing, and other forms of non-consumptive recreation are in growing demand. However, there are dangers in promoting mountain destinations for ecotourism, especially if there is no strategic focus on the type and intensity of activities to be promoted, the benefits and the beneficiaries, and the decisions related to governance, control and regulations. Some of the major environmental impacts with direct implications for local mountain communities include overcrowding, noise pollution, garbage pollution, extraction of valuable resources (for example, collection of firewood and rare plant specimens), fire hazard, and a sewage outflow (Nepal, 2002).
Environmental anxiety about tourism impacts has increased and the accommodation sector in tourism has identified the necessity to improve its sustainable management and process (Trauer, 1998). The development of eco-accommodation is an example of this change to more sustainable tourism accommodations. Eco-accommodations are environmentally friendly establishments where hospitality services are provided to the eco-tourists while practicing ecotourism principles, such as saving water and The primary difference between these eco-accommodations is generally the amount of services that are provided on site. For example, ecoresorts tend to be located on larger properties, and may offer more amenities, such as spas, a choice of restaurants, and/ or a variety of local tours. One thing all of these eco-accommodation options have in common is that they emphasize elements such as environmental responsibility and minimizing the negative impact (Green Global Travel, 2019). Ecotourism is rapidly evolving, so accommodation facilities should use this as a chance to improve their business (Milićević, Petrović, Šuleić, 2017).
Regional nature parks of France have developed specific trade marks for environmentally friendly accommodations -Ecogîtes. The Ecogîtes are part of a way of life based on preserving natural resources, using the renewable energies, the use of natural, local and recyclable material with no harmful effects on health. Ecogîtes properties have facilities and equipment for saving energy, sorting rubbish and economising water (Gites de France, 2019). These self-catering accommodations provide visitors information about the local fauna and flora, direct access by foot to nature sites, and provide materials intended to increase visitor awareness of the areas visited (Blangy, Vautier, 2001).
An excellent example of ecolodge is Eden Lodge Madagascar, which is several times selected in the Top 10 ecolodges in the World (elected 2014 World's best sustainable lodge). Eden Lodge is also the first Green Globe certified lodge in Madagascar. Eden Lodge co-exists in harmony with the natural environment and wildlife that surrounds it. The area is renowned for its very high rate of endemism that includes Boab trees over 500 year's old, marine turtles, lemurs, birdlife, reptiles and amphibians. The property uses 100% solar power. Eden Lodge was exclusively built with local natural renewable materials (stone walls, local wood, ravinala roofs) and construction is based on traditional building principles that suit the climate. Eden Lodge is part of a tight knit community and has formed strong relationships with local villagers, many of whom are employed at the Lodge (Eden Lodge, 2019).

Analysis of the tourist offer of the mountain Goč
Goč is a mountain in central Serbia, located 200 km from Belgrade. In its immediate surroundings are Vrnjačka Banja (15 km), Kraljevo (31 km), Aleksandrovac and Brus (22 km). It is part of the north-Kopaonik range and belongs to the category of lower mountains. The highest peak of Goč is the Krnja jela, with an altitude of 1,127 m.
On the Kraljevo side of the mountain Goč there is a tourist center "Good Water ", on the spa side there are settlements "Horizont" and "Stanišinci", while from the Aleksandrovac side of Goč, i.e. on its southern slope, there is a settlement "Mitrovo Polje" (Goč Mountain, 2019a).
Due to its geographical location, climatic characteristics, and especially relief and geological background, this area has a versatile plants coverage, which has so far identified about 650 plant species, of which 250 are medicinal species (Institute for  nature  Ethnographic values exist, but are not sufficiently valorised. They are found in the gastronomic offer, which is characterized by cheese, kajmak and brandy from Goč, as well as raspberry and blackberry products. A special experience is the trout ponds, where visitors can enjoy a meal and an unspoiled nature on site (Milićević, Đorđević, 2015). Agriculture, Year 67, No. 1, 2020, (pp. 223-238), Belgrade

Economics of
When it comes to the receptive elements necessary for the development of tourism on the Goč Mountain, it must be said that they are underdeveloped. The existing accommodation on Mount Goč is modest. The accommodation offer includes primarily holiday homes ("Kaćunak", "Goč", "Gočka kuća"), mountain houses ("Goč", "Pecić", "Radulović"), apartments ("Horizont", "Velja", "Djurovski", "Nikola and Barbara") and a villa ("Slavica"). From Kraljevo side of Goč there is a resort "Good Water", as well as two ethno log cabins (Podovac, Đorđević, Milicević, 2018). The Center for Teaching and Scientific Facilities of the Faculty of Forestry in Belgrade is located in this settlement, which has five accommodation facilities: "Novi Studenac", "Piramida", "Villa Vlasta", "Villa Planinka" and "Depadans". Goč has mountaineering associations operating in its area, namely the mountaineering sports association Ljukten from Trstenik and the mountaineering association Goč from Vrnjačka Banja. These associations also deal with the marking of walking trails, and thanks to them, most of the mountain is marked and facilitates movement for visitors to the mountain (Goč Mountain, 2019b).
In addition to the walking paths, Goč offers five excursion points and four lookout points. The checkpoints are used for holidaying tourists in the countryside and picnics, that is, the possibility for preparing and consuming food. The viewpoint offers a unique view of Vrnjačka Banja, the West Morava valley and the surrounding mountains: Kopaonik, Željin and the Gledić Mountains (Ruđinčanin, 2008).

Research methodology and hypothesis
The subject of this paper deals with the analysis of the potential of the Goč Mountain for the development of ecotourism, which would have the effect of increasing the number of tourists, i.e. the competitiveness of this mountain in the ecotourism market. The survey method was used to collect primary data in the research. The survey was conducted during July and August of 2019 on Goč Mountain. The survey was preceded by the preparation of a questionnaire consisting of 10 closed-ended questions. The questionnaire was divided into two parts. The first part of the questionnaire deals with the socio-demographic profile of tourists: gender of respondents, age and level of education. In the second part of the questionnaire, the respondents gave an assessment of the existing tourism offer of Goč Mountain, as well as answered questions related to the potential of this mountain for the development of ecotourism, with special emphasis on additional contents that would contribute to the faster development of this type of tourism. The questionnaire was completed by 174 respondents, that is, tourists of the Goč Mountain. The obtained data were processed by Statistical Package for Social Sciences Version 23 -SPSS.
Descriptive statistical analysis was used in the paper. The basic hypotheses on which the research is based are the following:

H1 -Goč Mountain has the potential to develop ecotourism H2 -Eco-accommodation facilities would contribute to greater competitiveness of mountain Goč in the ecotourism market.
The main objective of the conducted research is to examine the possibilities for the development of ecotourism on the mountain Goč. Special attention was paid to the analysis of possibilities for expanding the existing tourist offer through the construction of eco-accommodation capacities, all with the aim of increasing the competitiveness of this mountain in the ecotourism market. Agriculture, Year 67, No. 1, 2020, (pp. 223-238), Belgrade

Results and discussion
The survey included 174 respondents, of whom 98 were female (56.3%) and 76 were male (43.7%). The largest number of respondents is 36-50 years old (33.3%), followed by 26-35 years old respondents (28.7%). Regarding the level of education, the most represented are respondents with university education (50.6%), while the least are those with a high school degree (14.9%). When asked Have you ever been to Goč Mountain, as many as 173 respondents answered positively (99.4%), while only 1 respondent (0.6%) had never been to Goč (Table 1). When asked for an Assessment of the current state of certain elements of Goč Mountain tourism offer, the respondents gave a rating on the Likert scale, ranging from 1 (the worst rating) to 5 (the best rating). After analyzing the responses shown in Table  2, it is evident that the average ratings of individual elements of the tourist offer of this mountain range from 3.47 to 4.58. The highest average marks were given by the following elements of the tourist offer: The natural beauties of Goč Mountain (4.58), the tidiness and cleanliness of Goč Mountain (4.51), as well as The conservation of rural areas and rural architecture (4.30). Tourists are the most satisfied with the natural resources of Goč Mountains, which is a good basis for the development of eco-tourism. On the other hand, the worst rated elements are Local Tourist Signalling (3.47) and Traffic Access (3.51). With an average mark of 3.72, the tourists rated Accommodation facilities on this mountain, indicating that there is a need to improve the quality of existing tourist accommodation facilities, but also to introduce new, attractive accommodation facilities, which would increase the level of tourist satisfaction.  (Table 3).  Since less environmentally harmful accommodation facilities that bring human beings closer to nature can be an important element in the supply of an eco-destination, survey questions regarding eco-accommodation facilities are defined. To the question Have you ever been housed in an eco-accommodation facility (Eco camping, Eco apartments, Eco lodge, Eco hotel, Glamping)?, more than half (52.3%) said they had used this type of accommodation, while 47.7% did not (Table 5).  The last question referred to the respondents' position on Would eco-accommodation facilities affect the arrival of more tourists to Goč Mountain?. As many as 97.1% of respondents answered affirmatively, while 2.9% said that eco-accommodations would not affect the arrival of more tourists to this mountain (Table 7).

Conclusions
In this paper, two hypotheses were set. The accuracy of both hypotheses was verified using descriptive statistical analysis. The first hypothesis that reads Goč Mountain has the potential for the development of ecotourism, is considered to be confirmed given that as many as 169 respondents (97.1%) gave a positive answer to this question. In addition, the respondents were given the opportunity to choose among the 10 offered answers one additional content or activity that they felt would be most conducive to the development of eco-tourism on Goč Mountain. Based on the respondents' answers, it can be concluded that these additional facilities and activities would indeed contribute to the faster development of eco-tourism on Goč Mountain, given that all the answers offered to the respondents were interesting. However, the contents opted by the largest number of respondents are: The second hypothesis is Eco-accommodation facilities would contribute to the increased competitiveness of Goč Mountain in the ecotourism market was also confirmed by the respondents' answers. Specifically, 169 respondents (97.1%) confirmed that the ecoaccommodation facilities would affect the arrival of more tourists to Goč Mountain. Agriculture, Year 67, No. 1, 2020, (pp. 223-238), Belgrade

Economics of
The fact that more than half of the surveyed respondents (52.3%) were already housed in one of the eco-accommodation facilities is in favour of confirming the hypothesis, which suggests that they would use this type of accommodation on Goč Mountain in the future. In addition, when asked about the type of eco-accommodation facilities that tourists would like Goč to have in their offer, the respondents showed interest in all the eco-accommodation facilities offered: Eco hotel (33.3%), Eco apartments (21.8%), Eco lodge (20.1%), Eco camping (19.5%) and Glamping (5.2%), with the important note that none of the respondents indicated that Goč Mountain does not need such type of accommodation. Since there is obviously an interest of tourists for eco-accommodation facilities, and given that they do not exist on this mountain, in the future it is necessary to direct business activities to enrich the existing accommodation offer by building attractive eco-accommodation facilities. All this would contribute to faster development of ecotourism as well as greater competitiveness of Mount Goč in the eco-tourism market.