Empowering local communities for sustainable tourism and resource conservation: A case study of Golija Studenica Biosphere Reserve

Abstract

This study investigates the role of community empowerment in promoting sustainable tourism development and resource conservation within the Golija Studenica Biosphere Reserve, a site renowned for its unique biodiversity and socio-economic challenges. Drawing on survey data from 361 respondents, the research examines pathways through which empowerment fosters sustainable tourism practices, increased tourism involvement, community- led initiatives, and resource conservation. A structured resident survey was analysed with structural-equation modelling (SEM) to trace the causal pathways from empowerment to behavioural outcomes. Two key results stand out: (i) psychological and economic empowerment jointly explain more than half of the variance in residents’ willingness to engage in sustainable tourism; (ii) political empowerment, in contrast, exerts a small but significant negative effect on conservation support, pointing to governance frictions. The findings highlight the critical role of local communities in preserving biodiversity and advancing socio-economic development in biosphere reserves. Key implications are provided for policymakers, conservationists, and stakeholders to support empowerment strategies that enhance sustainable tourism and conservation outcomes.