INFLUENCE OF CONTEMPORARY TOURISM ON FOLK CULTURE AND DEMOGRAPHIC STRUCTURE OF KOPAONIK AND ITS SURROUNDING

Abstract

The aim of the author was to demonstrate that the development of contemporary toruism on Kopaonik may have positive effects both on preserving its traditional culture, and on detaining demographic arosion started about two decades ago in all underdeveloped regions of Serbia.

            Providing employment in tis Tourist Centre for more than a thousand young people of the Kopaonik region, Genex has thus enabled them to support their families with what they earn at home, and consequently eliminated the need of emigrating abroad in search of work.

            Through the ever increasing offer of cultural programs of the Tourist Centre, Genex has also brought about the revival of many autochtonous cultural forms, which certifies to the fact that modern tourism may influence directly both the development of the village economy and the preservation of the local traditional culture.