Attitudes of local residents towards tourism development in Vrbas

Tourism, as a branch of industry, has a major impact on the environment and local community. In addition to the positive, economic effects, the development of tourism carries many consequences to the environment and society. The attitudes of the local population towards the impact of tourism have long been the subject of many studies. This paper will discuss the problem of the attitude of the local population towards the development of tourism in Vrbas. Through the examination of the role and importance of the local community in the development of Vrbas as a tourism destination, this research will point out the current situation, the positive and negative impacts, as well as opportunities for improvement of tourism in Vrbas. A survey was conducted for the needs of examining the attitudes of the local population towards tourism development. A sample of 108 respondents was obtained. The results showed that the respondents have a positive attitude towards the development of tourism, but also that they are not aware of the negative consequences that tourism can bring. The entire data processing is supported by the software for statistical analysis and data processing - SPSS 23.0.