Geosite assessment as a contribution to the sustainable development of Babušnica, Serbia

1 Introduction

Serbia is currently struggling with significant development problems due to the chaotic geopolitical upheavals that took place in the former Yugoslavia several decades ago. In recent years, the economic gap between the capital Belgrade and the rest of the country has widened considerably [1].

The border regions of Serbia, especially the mountainous regions, are the least developed, and this problem has existed for a significantly longer period of time. At the end of the twentieth century, the main causes were political isolation from neighboring countries, forced industrialization and urbanization, and the shift in primary and demographic development toward large cities [2]. One of the poorest municipalities in Serbia is Babušnica, which is located in the southeast. The population of this municipality began to emigrate on a large scale in the 1960s. One of the main reasons for this was the geographical location of the area in terms of transport routes and the distance to larger centers where the population could find a job [3].

Babušnica is part of a rural area where the economy is based on untapped natural resources that could attract tourists [4]. The only type of tourism that is welcome is sustainable tourism, as the area is very specific in terms of physical geographic features. The idea of sustainable tourism development has broadened the scope of tourism analysis to consider additional consequences of tourism development, particularly in the environmental, social, and cultural domains [5]. The growth of sustainable tourism can promote the growth of other economic sectors, including hospitality, transportation, agriculture, construction, and trade, but also crafts, especially the revival of traditional crafts as part of the tourism offer.

Tourism can have both positive and negative impacts, as some areas are exploited for tourism, although it is widely recognized as a key factor for economic development [6]. For this reason, this economic sector must be planned responsibly and sustainably. Two facts illustrate the link between tourism and sustainable development: first, the tourism industry is one of the most powerful in the world, and second, it is the primary resource that is used to develop natural, cultural, and historical sites [7]. According to McBriar, in addition to the diversity of minerals, rocks, fossils, and petrogenetic features, geoheritage includes landforms and other geomorphological features that demonstrate the current and past effects of climate and Earth forces [8]. Brocx and Semeniuk consider that the term “geoheritage” also includes the cultural significance of some geological sites [9]. Geoheritage could be an important resource for the sustainable development of rural areas. It provides a link between science and society, a connection of vital importance given the ever-greater participation of the general public in problems that affect people and their environment [10].

Individual initiatives by professionals in the middle of the twentieth century protected the first geoheritage objects in Serbia [11]. The “geo” or geology part of geotourism includes geological features or attributes that are considered worthy of tourist interest. The “tourism” part refers to the conversion of geological features or attributes into tourism resources as “geo” attractions or tours, often at designated “geosites” [12]. At the beginning, it was defined as the provision of interpretative and service facilities that enable tourists to gain knowledge and understanding of the geology and geomorphology of the locality beyond the level of mere aesthetic appreciation [13]. Geotourism is one of the newest concepts within the field of tourism and primarily focuses on promoting geological and geomorphological features in landscapes as tourist attractions [14]. According to Chen et al., it combines components of geography and tourism geology to locate, assess, plan, and protect natural landscapes and cultural heritage with tourism value [15]. Although it is often equated with ecotourism, which only takes place in natural areas, geotourism can also take place in an anthropogenically modified environment [16]. Of course, it is desirable that the site’s surroundings are well preserved. Due to limited access, the small number of accessible trails and low visitor numbers, geotourism sites are often assumed to be at risk of physical harm [17].

Geotourism, independently but also in combination with a stay in specific rural environments with the characteristics of rural tourism, can also be classified as a selective form of tourism. Changes in tourism demand have led to the emergence of a new tourist profile – the postmodern tourist – and to new demands on the tourism offer [18]. The postmodern tourist is looking for tourism products that are characterized by innovation, education, engagement, and activity and are based on the creation of selective forms of tourism. The postmodern tourist is defined by his tendency to actively spend his vacation, to participate in the life of the local community during his stay at the chosen vacation destination, and to develop his own interests based on the authenticity of the destination [19]. If they are developed according to the rules of sustainability, the aforementioned tourist activities could be considered as a part of sustainable tourism. The way of managing and using the space intended for tourism development is very important, and it must lean toward sustainability. Butler considers that sustainable tourism is created and maintained in a region (community, environment) in a way that ensures its viability indefinitely without damaging or altering the environment (both human and physical) in which it exists. Sustainable tourism also promotes the growth and well-being of other processes and activities [20].

The task of this article is to determine the most attractive geosites within the area of the municipality of Babušnica in order to evaluate them as possible tourism destinations. Since the area has exceptional geological, geomorphological, hydrological, and climatic characteristics that can be used responsibly in terms of sustainable development of the municipality, all this was done in order to create the basis for the development of potentially sustainable forms of tourism (such as geotourism, rural tourism, and spa tourism).

Nine geosites within the boundaries of the municipality of Babušnica were evaluated as part of this article. We used the Modified Geosite Assessment Model (M-GAM), for this purpose. The geosites assessed are Ripalo, Komarički Vir, Skokovi, Ropot and Babatal waterfalls, Jerma and Cediljka canyons, Bezdanka Pit and Pripor Cave (Figures 2–4).

Figure 1

Position of Babušnica on the map of Serbia (up right) and position of the analyzed geosites in Babušnica (GS1 – Ripalo Waterfall; GS2 – Komarički Vir Waterfall; GS3 – Skokovi Canyon and Waterfall; GS4 – Ropot Waterfall; GS5 – Babatal Waterfall; GS6 – Cediljka Canyon; GS7 – Jerma Canyon; GS8 – Bezdanka Pit; GS9 – Pripor Cave).

Figure 2

1 – Ripalo Waterfall; 2 – Komarički Vir Waterfall; 3 – Skokovi Canyon and Waterfall (Photo: Tourism organization Babušnica).

Figure 3

4 – Ropot Waterfall; 5 – Babatal Waterfall; 6 – Cediljka Canyon (Photo: Isidora Atanacković – 4; Tourism organization Babušnica – 5; Marko Mitrović – 6).

We set up two hypotheses:

• The municipality of Babušnica has significant potential for geotourism.

• Geotourism, together with rural and spa tourism, can contribute to Babušnica’s potential sustainable development.

2 Literature review

Numerous authors have discussed geoheritage in a scientific sense [8,9,10,21,22,23,24]. We used the M-GAM to evaluate the geosites of the municipality of Babušnica. This model is based on the original Geosite Assessment Model (GAM), which required expert geosite assessment. M-GAM was created when authors Tomić and Božić in 2014 combined the GAM developed by Vujičić et al. and the Importance factor (Im) introduced by Tomić [25,26,27]. Several authors have addressed the tourism valorization of Serbia’s geoheritage using M-GAM, but all of the sites researched so far have already been activated for tourism and are also protected as natural monuments or are part of special reserves and national parks [11,28–31]. Furthermore, they have better geographical and traffic position, which is why the valorization of Babušnica’s geoheritage is unique because it involves almost unknown sites. Vujičić et al. created this model by merging many earlier models, including indicators and sub-indicators developed by several authors [22,32,33,34]. In Serbia, the M-GAM model was applied by several authors [11,28,29,35,36], but no one has yet addressed geosites of Southeastern Serbia. Geotourism was researched by Dowling and Newsome [12], Chen et al. [15], Newsome and Dowling [16], Ólafsdóttir [14], Joyce [37], and Robinson Angus [38]. Sustainable tourism in Serbia, with examples from different locations, was researched by various authors [2,4,5,39,40], such as rural tourism [4,19,41,42,43] which often could be combined with geotourism in the case of geosites that are far from urban centers.

3 Study area

The municipality of Babušnica is administratively a part of the Pirot district and is situated in Southeastern Serbia (Figure 1). However, within the natural boundaries, Babušnica is a part of the Vlasina region, together with the municipalities of Vlasotince, Crna Trava, and Surdulica. The catchment area of the Vlasina River connects the municipalities. The Lužnica River, one of the most important tributaries of the Vlasina, flows through Babušnica. In addition, Babušnica is a municipality whose settlements are situated 500 m above sea level, just like Crna Trava, Surdulica, and parts of the municipality of Vlasotince. Vlasina is a border region that is geographically and economically isolated and, at the same time, has great natural features. The border with the Republic of Bulgaria extends to the southeastern part of the municipality of Babušnica. The Lužnica area, also considered a microregion, includes the parts of this municipality that are situated in the catchment area of the Lužnica River, as well as the parts of the nearby municipality of Bela Palanka. With the exception of the part of the Jerma basin where the canyon of the same name and the Cediljka Canyon are located, the majority of evaluated geosites are located in the Lužnica area.

As the valorized geosites have not yet been explored in terms of geological features, we will list some of the features of the wider area, i.e., the municipality of Babušnica. The Herzing orogenic movements provided the basic structure of the relief of the entire Eastern Serbia, including the municipality of Babušnica. The geological base of Babušnica municipality is composed of Paleozoic crystalline slates, which are represented here by green slates of the Vlasina complex, Cretaceous formations, Jurassic formations, and Tertiary deposits of the Oligomiocene and Mipliocene ages, as well as Quaternary diluvial and alluvial plains. In the Lužnica Basin, which was created as a separate tectonic-morphological and orographic unit and where most geosites are located, tertiary formations in the form of oligomiocene sandstones, marls, and slates and Miopliocene types of sand, gravel, and clay are widespread. After the tectonic movements that manifested themselves as processes of the old Rhodope massif, the final shaping of the relief was influenced by longitudinal and transverse faults along which the Lužnica basin, the Zvonačka-Rakita basin, the Pustorečka-Lužnica basin, as well as the rise of Suva Mt and other mountains in this area [44]. In the Jerma River basin, sedimentary, volcanic, and metamorphic rocks are represented [45]. The gorge is cut between the Vlaška Mountain and the Greben Mountain. The highest elevation above the river bed on the Greben is 993 m (480 m relative height in relation to the river bed), and on Vlaška Mt. Tikva peak, it is 803 m (300 m relative height). The Jerma valley near the mouth of the Poganovska River is expanding. From the mouth of the Poganovska River to Ždrel, the right side of the valley is extremely steep, while the left side is characterized by gentler slopes [46,47].

There are several different geosites within the boundaries of the municipality of Babušnica, of which waterfalls are the most prevalent. Since the area is very similar in its physiognomy, the most visually attractive geosites were selected in order to avoid the repetition of identical assessments. These include five waterfalls (out of ten discovered so far in this municipality), two canyons, a pit and a cave. It is crucial to note that these geosites are almost entirely unknown, with the exception of the Jerma Canyon and a small part of the Bezdanka Pit. Most of the tourists are locals, mountaineers, and a small number of other recreational travelers. Apart from the Jerma Canyon, none of the other valorized geosites are included on the list of geological heritage of Serbia published by the Institute for Nature Conservation in 2005, which means that the geosites themselves are unknown even to the researchers [48].

There is little information about waterfalls and other geosites on the territory of the municipality of Babušnica. Instead, what is known about these sites is primarily based on visitor experiences, which shows how little is actually known about this region outside of the local population and experienced mountaineers. Only the Jerma Canyon is recognized as a tourist destination, but compared to its potential, this area and its surroundings are very rarely visited. Although it should be considered that some sustainable types of tourism would not be desirable in large numbers, the economic growth of this region cannot be induced by the existing volume of tourists.

The Babušnica waterfalls are visually attractive, but not very high. The Ripalo Waterfall (GS1) on the Linovštica River, a tributary of the Lužnica, is located in the village of Grnčar, southwest of the main settlement of Babušnica. It consists of two parts, because after a few meters of descent, it breaks off and continues on a smaller rock. Access to the waterfall is relatively easy, and the path through the forest is passable. As the riverbed is narrow and shallow, there are no bridges, but tree trunks have been placed to cross the river. The waterfall itself is surrounded by a smaller, picturesque canyon. The Komarički Vir Waterfall (GS2) is located in the village of Ljuberađa on the Lužnica River and is one of the main attractions of this region. In the past, there were numerous water mills around the waterfall, while today there is a waterworks downstream of the waterfall. The area around the waterfall has been partially anthropogenically altered, i.e., a river bank protection has been built and wide artificial cascades have been constructed in the riverbed at the foot of the waterfall. This is one of the most accessible locations. The Skokovi Canyon and Waterfall (GS3) are the most attractive geosite in the municipality. They are located in the village of Strelac, on the Raljinska River. Access to the canyon is still difficult and dangerous.

The Ropot Waterfall (GS4), located in the village of Štrbovac on the slopes of Suva Mt., is a popular destination for mountaineers. It is a natural complex consisting of several smaller waterfalls, and it is unique because the springs dry up abruptly at the beginning of the summer months, which means that the water only flows out in the spring months. Access to the waterfall has been established, but there are plans to improve the tourism infrastructure here. The Babatal Waterfall (GS5) is located in Berduj village. Like Ropot, it is also a complex consisting of multiple waterfalls and cascades, although not all at once, and it is located on an unidentified stream in the Murgovica River basin. The waterfall is difficult to reach.

The Cediljka Canyon (GS6) is known as the narrowest canyon in Serbia. The Blatanica River, a left tributary of the Jerma River, has carved a tiny canyon into it. It is located in the immediate vicinity of the Zvonce Spa, which makes it appealing as a complementary tourist attraction for visitors to the facility, which is currently being renovated. The canyon is only 1.5 m wide. The Jerma River Canyon (GS7), a left tributary of the Nišava River, begins on the border between the municipalities of Babušnica and Dimitrovgrad. Although it mainly belongs to Dimitrovgrad, it is equally promoted by both municipalities due to its proximity to the municipalities of Babušnica. The Jerma River springs on the nearby Vlasina Plateau, flows through the towns of Babušnica and Dimitrovgrad, passes the Bulgarian border, and finally returns to Serbia via Dimitrovgrad. The Jerma Special Nature Reserve includes the Jerma and Cediljka canyons. The villages of Jasenov Del and Zvonce (Babušnica municipality) are also within the boundaries of this reserve [45]. The altitude of the canyon ranges from 460 to 1,443 m. It includes the Greben Mountain’s and Vlaška Mountain’s massifs [46]. The canyon is 5.2 km long and consists of two narrowings (Odorovsko and Vlaško) separated by an erosive expansion [47].

The Bezdanka Pit (GS8) is located in the settlement of Preseka, in the western part of the municipality of Babušnica. This site was originally examined in 2015, and a depth of 80 m was measured. The entrance to the pit is 1,170 m above sea level. When descending into the pit, one first reaches a depth of about 50 m, i.e., the so-called shelves, before entering the lower half of the pit through a hole less than 1 m², which leads to the above-mentioned depth of 80 m. The lowest half of the vertical is cylindrical in shape, is about 20 m long, and has a diameter of 7–10 m [49]. The Pripor Cave (GS9) is located in Resnik, on the Suva Mt. The cave is 270 m long. The cave has two entrances, both created by the fall of the ceilings. It was formed in Jurassic limestone and is constantly evolving [50]. It has an irregular shape with a main corridor and several shorter side corridors. The entrances are pit-shaped. The cave has several stalactites and stalagmites and is home to bats and cave locusts [51].

4 Methods

The M-GAM is based on the original GAM, which was developed by Vujičić et al. M-GAM was presented by Tomić and Božić in 2014, when they added the Im introduced by Tomić to GAM [25,26,27]. To comprehend M-GAM, it is necessary to first clarify how the GAM is utilized. GAM evaluates the main value (MV) and additional value (AV) of geosites. The MV include three groups of indicators: scientific/educational (VSE), scenic/aesthetical (VSA) values, and protection (VPr). The AV are composed of two groups of indicators: functional (VFn) and touristic values (VTr). In total sum, there are 12 sub-indicators of MV and 15 sub-indicators of AV, which are graded from 0.00 to 1.00 [25,26,35]. In accordance with that, the following formulas for determining grades were developed [26]:

i.e.,

where 0 ≤ SIMV i ,

where 0 ≤ SIMV j .

The Im indicates respondents’ ratings of the importance of each of the 27 sub-indicators, since this allows visitors to voice their view on how significant each sub-indicator is when picking which geosite to visit. The Im factor refers to visits to geosites in general rather than the geosites that are evaluated in this article.

The significance of sub-indicators is assessed using the same values as geosites; however, the assessments are described as follows: 0 = not at all important, 0.25 = not very important, 0.50 = neutral, 0.75 = somewhat important, and 1.00 = very important [52]. Following examination, the value of the Im factor is multiplied by the values provided by experts (ranging from 0.00 to 1.00) who evaluate the current state and value of the sub-indicators using specific geosites as examples. This approach is repeated for each sub-indicator in the model, the values of which have already been added using the previously mentioned equations [25]. This produces more objective and exact results. The Im factor is calculated using the following formula:

Finally, the M-GAM is defined and presented in the following form:

We contacted local and other mountaineering clubs and the tourism organization of the municipality of Babušnica to get expert opinions (mountaineers and employees in tourism). In addition, we used existing literature and other available information on geosites, as well as the author’s field research. The final assessment included a total of 17 expert assessments. The Im was calculated using a survey in which 124 people participated and which was conducted via social media and e-mail. The data were collected during 2022 and early 2023. The respondents were students of geosciences at the University of Belgrade, mountaineers, graduated geographers, tourismologists, geologists, and environmental experts.

5 Results and discussion

The first set of main indicators/main values (MV), which includes scientific or educational value (VSE), has a wide range of ratings (Table 1). The existence of a large number of waterfalls on neighboring Stara Mt. justifies the geosite’s lower and medium rarity grade (SIMV1). This area contains numerous caves, the majority of which have not been extensively or at all examined. Only the Cediljka Canyon receives a higher grade (0.75). Tourists gave high grades for representativeness and level of interpretation of geological and geomorphological phenomena and processes. This indicates that the aforementioned group of criteria is very essential to them when deciding which geographical regions to visit. The research of the geosite (SIMV2) (Im = 0.65) is given relatively less significance, which is consistent with the adventuristic spirit that generally defines such tourists, and because of this, geotourism is frequently associated with the term adventure tourism. Unfortunately, the combination of the Im factor, i.e., tourist and expert ratings, resulted in very unfavorable overall values for the geosite.

The second group of main indicators includes scenic or aesthetic value (VSA) – landscape and nature in the surroundings (SIMV7) and the environmental fitting of geosites (SIMV8) (Table 1). Babušnica’s geosites lack sufficient viewpoints to attract tourists, resulting in a SIMV5 = 0.00 for the waterfalls, Pripor Cave, and Bezdanka Pit, with slightly higher grades for other geosites.

However, even tourist ratings do not indicate a substantial interest in the number of viewpoints (Im = 0.64), implying that even one well-arranged viewpoint is more essential than multiple inaccessible vistas. The Im factor also shows that tourists do not place a high value on the geosite’s surface area (SIMV6) (Im = 0.63).

The third set of main indicators is one of the most significant, and it corresponds to geosite protection (VPr) (Table 1). Given that it is an area with an unfavorable geographical and traffic position, as well as being sparsely populated and visited, experts classified the current state of the geolocality (SIMV9) as high. Except for the Jerma and Cediljka canyons, which are part of the Jerma Special Nature Reserve, and the Ropot Waterfall, which is located within the confines of the Suva Planina Special Nature Reserve (SIMV10 = 0.75), the majority of the searched geosites are not protected (SIMV10). Tourists indicate that the state of the environment is very important to them when determining whether or not to visit a geosite, and they gave the highest points to indications of the geosite’s current state and sensitivity (value Im = 0.82 in both cases). Experts rank the geosite’s sensitivity as medium, high, or very high (0.5, 0.75, 1.00), indicating that the expert assessment is that there is not a high risk that these localities will be completely degraded or that they will recover relatively easily from eventual degradation. The reason for this is, among other things, that even once they are eventually activated as tourist attractions, having access to these geosites in a morphological sense cannot result in a large number of people visiting simultaneously. Taking into account Serbia’s environmental issues, actions should be implemented as quickly as possible to prevent any more damage. One approach is to assign preventively lower ratings based on the number of tourists who visit the area. The most common rating was SIMV12 = 0.25, which indicates up to ten people, and SIMV12 = 0.50, which means between 10 and 20 persons who would not endanger the geosite by visiting at the same time.

The first set of functional values (VFn) is referred to as the AV. Tourists place a high value on these attributes when selecting a geotourism attraction, with access to the geosite being the most important (Im = 0.89) (Table 1). Access to the researched geosite is rated differently since some are accessible via passable and partly arranged paths, while others are remote and difficult to reach. Those geosites have both natural and anthropogenic values in their proximity, although the number of anthropogenic ones is small. There are several important religious objects in the neighboring municipalities, but even that can be enough to encourage tourists to visit some of the anthropogenic localities in addition to recreational activities when visiting the geosites. Tourists value proximity to the important roads (SIAV5) (Im = 0.85). Although very significant to visitors, these areas lack other functional values such as a parking lot, a gas station, car service, and so on.

The final set of indicators includes tourist values (VTr) (Table 1). Tourists place the most value on tourism infrastructure (SIAV12) (Im = 0.88), particularly interpretation boards (SIAV10) (Im = 0.86) and, if available, guide services (SIAV13) (Im = 0.86). Experts’ ratings in all sub-indicators of this category are quite low. One of the most serious possible issues is the lack of a guide service, because tourists would have to visit such areas with guides for safety reasons. Additionally, interpretation boards and other infrastructure, such as well-maintained trails, rest locations, and trash cans, should be included. With the exception of the Jerma Canyon, the geosite’s tourist advertising is extremely poor.

Following the evaluation, the final values of the geosites were presented (Table 2), and they were organized in the M-GAM matrix based on that (Figure 3). The final values of the main indicators are average, with Jerma Canyon having the highest (7.22) and Pripor Cave having the lowest (3.79). The overall values of extra indicators are even lower, with the prominent Jerma Canyon (7.43), the only area with a bigger value of additional indicators than the main indicators, and the Bezdanka Pit having the lowest (1.40) (Figure 4). The Ropot Waterfall has significant values when compared to other geosites, which is confirmed by the fact that it is not only the most frequented waterfall but also has the best-organized access (MV = 5.90; AV = 5.70).

Figure 4

7 – Jerma Canyon; 8 – Bezdanka Pit; 9 – Pripor Cave (Photo: Marko Jevremović – 7; Miloš Milenković – 8; Mile Stefanović – 9).

The values of the assessed geosites are dispersed across three of the M-GAM matrix’s nine fields (Figure 5). The majority of them (six) are in field Z21, one is in the lowest field Z11, and the best-located Jerma Canyon and Ropot Waterfall are in field Z22. This indicates that, despite being less known and visited by visitors, the majority of geosites in Babušnica have a medium value.

Figure 5

Position of geosites in M-GAM matrix (GS1 – Ripalo Waterfall; GS2 – Komarički Vir Waterfall; GS3 – Skokovi Canyon and Waterfall; GS4 – Ropot Waterfall; GS5 – Babatal Waterfall; GS6 – Cediljka Canyon; GS7 – Jerma Canyon; GS8 – Bezdanka Pit; GS9 – Pripor Cave).

The municipality of Babušnica has experienced a considerable decline in population in recent decades. It has lost more than 25% of its population between the last two censuses (2011 and 2022), which is due to emigration from the municipality but also to negative natural growth. Internal migrations were also evident in the form of relocations from rural areas to the main town of Babušnica. The municipality consists of 52 poorly inhabited villages [53,54]. The situation is even worse, knowing that the whole of Southeastern Serbia suffers from severe depopulation and poverty. A young, able-to-work population is needed for the growth of recreational types of tourism, which would stimulate the sustainable development of the region, and the development of tourism would create a need for new jobs.

The previous spatial plan of the municipality of Babušnica expires in 2025 (and its implementation began in 2010), although its objectives were not nearly achieved. This plan sets two clear priorities: the renewal of the population and its overall security. The comparatively intact living environment in the rural settlements appears to have remained so due to the area’s geographical remoteness and small population [44]. However, during the period covered by the community’s spatial plan, the installation of mini-hydropower plants began on community land, which experts have deemed harmful and threatening to the surrounding ecosystem. Rakita, a village near the spa village of Zvonce, has been associated with the fight for the protection of rivers and the environment. The development of spa and health-recreational tourism, excursion tourism (in the form of mountain tours that can be linked with tours of geosites on the way to mountain peaks), rural tourism, and hunting tourism that does not fit into the framework of sustainability are all stated as goals in the same spatial plan. The municipality of Babušnica’s development plan 2022–2029 repeats some of the goals in the sphere of tourism but does not single out geosites as tourist incentives, with the exception of the Jerma and Cediljka canyons [55]. Nonetheless, the planning of inter-municipal and international collaboration in terms of establishing tourist itineraries and recruiting tourists from Bulgaria is a positive feature. It is obvious that not all geosites can attract tourists equally, or even roughly, especially the Pripor Cave and the Bezdanka Pit, but the promotion of those localities should be directed toward experienced speleologists and mountaineers, as well as adventurers who would visit the geosites exclusively with experts. Because canyons are already more accessible, additional care should be paid to enable access to waterfalls.

Waterfalls are exceptional landscapes with significant aesthetic value, which is why they are most frequently visited by tourists, and as such, they become recognizable locations for photography [56,57], which has contributed to visits to such places with the development of social networks.

Despite the fact that it has been discussed for several decades, geotourism is a subset of sustainable tourism that is still in its early stages of development [58]. As a result, it is preferable to combine geotourism with other forms of tourism as much as possible until it achieves a more autonomous status, i.e., where geosites become the primary focus of interest rather than a supporting element.

6 Suggestions

The first hypothesis refers to the fact that the municipality of Babušnica has significant potential for the development of geotourism. We can conclude that this hypothesis is partially correct. This potential is shown primarily in the number of geosites, as well as with the existence of professionals who can guide geotourists. Although nine geosites were evaluated, according to the claims of the locals, their number is larger, and so far ten waterfalls have been discovered on the territory of this municipality, of which the most accessible and most attractive were chosen for evaluation. However, the existence of geosites and professionals is not enough for the development of geotourism. Other factors for tourism development, such as tourist and traffic infrastructure, show obvious flaws. The Balkan part of Serbia (about 75% of the territory) is known for a large number of geosites. For now, only southeast Serbia has no tourists who would visit its geoheritage. The eastern, western, southwestern, and central parts of Serbia have a larger number of geosites that have a significant number of tourists, while certain locations are among the most visited places in Serbia. The financial contribution to the municipalities in which they are located is visible and often encourages the development of rural tourism near geosites, as well as student tourism, as some waterfalls and caves are an unavoidable part of primary school excursions in Serbia. This means that probably the only thing that primarily keeps domestic tourists in the dark about the existence of a large number of geosites in the municipality of Babušnica is insufficient research of these localities and, therefore, poor promotion. Those studies do not have to be immediately scientific, although they are desirable because most tourists want to know about the geological history of geosites. To begin with, it is enough for persons working in the tourist sector of Babušnica to pay attention to these geosites and to propose certain steps to those who are in the highest positions in the municipality, and these are primarily the arrangement of access to certain geosites, the installation of information boards, and promotion through the media. It seems that the main problem actually stems from the fact that, until now, the municipality of Babušnica has not even bothered to research and promote these locations; instead, the emphasis is placed on the promotion of gastronomic events.

The second hypothesis refers to the fact that geotourism, together with rural and spa tourism, can contribute to potential sustainable development. This hypothesis is correct because there is significant potential for the development of these two types of tourism, and Zvonce Spa is currently in the process of reconstruction. Taking into account that the whole municipality is on mountainous terrain, it is clear that tourism is the greatest opportunity for its development. It must be emphasized that it is not a classic spa settlement but a rural settlement with a single hotel. The hotel also has two outdoor swimming pools that were renovated a few years ago and are very frequented by the population of Babušnica and neighboring municipalities. The new owner promised to renovate the existing hotel “Mir” and build another hotel. Since there are several geographic locations near this hotel, it is clear that the central tourist point would be the Zvonce Spa. Abandoned houses and other buildings in Zvonce or other parts of the municipality can be transformed into tourist facilities following legal agreements with potential heirs. If no family is interested in rural tourism, these facilities can be managed by a tourist organization, and everything should be adapted to different types of tourists: families with children, younger or older couples, or a group of friends looking for a place to relax in the preserved rural environment. Families who want and have the conditions to engage in rural tourism should be guided in this way, which means rooms of different sizes and the presence of animals in the household are preferable, as this is many city children’s first interaction with domestic animals. This activity exists for a long time in Serbia mountains, particularly on Zlatibor, the most frequented mountain. One of the ways of revitalizing the rural area is through the involvement of private companies, as is the case with Zvonce Spa. In Serbia, the process of buying up abandoned houses by private companies and transforming them into tourism facilities has not yet taken off. The Algarve region of Portugal serves as an excellent example. In 2006, Pedralva-Empreendimentos Turísticos, S.A., started reconstructing and restoring the community in Pedralva. The tourist development company purchased 30 of the 50 existing properties, and 24 have been rehabilitated, including the grocer and bakehouse. The reception building, restaurant, and café are all new and purpose-built. The local government rebuilt the streets, as well as the water and electrical delivery systems [59]. The development of tourism in Serbia and Portugal is still incomparable, so in that case, it is enough to start at least with the purchase and transformation of a couple of country houses. Buyers can be the owners of hotels or other catering facilities that are already successfully operating. Babušnica, as a border municipality, might attract possible purchasers from neighboring Bulgaria if domestic buyers are unavailable. For example, the new owner of a Zvonce Spa hotel is from North Macedonia.

Certain facilities can also be used to organize student summer camps, which require a modest investment. For example, the settlements of Temska and Dojkinci on Stara Mt. host student camps at all levels (primary and secondary school and university). Old buildings in Temska are being repurposed to host a research eco-camp for students, and during research and environmental activities, students visit a large number of geosites. Campers sleep on mattresses and sleeping bags, with tent space available outside. They have access to toilet facilities and a kitchen. Village schools can also be used for accommodation. In this way, the only store and the only restaurant in the village have a significant profit, and the camp organizers buy food from the local staff, who produce and grow it themselves. Participation in these camps is very affordable. At a time when social networks are one of the leading means of marketing, photos, videos, and stories of students who visited Babušnica and its geosites can have a very positive effect because people are looking for something new. During the Coronavirus pandemic, when leaving Serbia was prohibited, residents discovered certain places that almost no one knew about before, except for the local population. Despite the lack of catering establishments in such areas, people traveled on day trips to smaller lakes, waterfalls, canyons, and gorges.

Rural houses that provide accommodation services with a focus on local gastronomy have a big opportunity to support the municipality’s growth. Rural tourism is a tourist product comprised of a series of activities, services, and additional contents created by rural people in family dwellings with the goal of generating additional income through tourism [60]. Visitors are given the opportunity to learn about local culture and traditions by participating in specific customs or traditional crafts. Tourists can benefit not only from healthy food but also from the ability to participate in the life of the local community, providing a one-of-a-kind experience [61]. Rural tourism allows many existing structures to be transformed and repurposed, which is a feature of sustainable development [62].

Zvonce Spa has immense potential. The warm mineral waters of this spa have been used since the Roman era. This spa is located on the wooded slopes of the Vlaška Mountain, at an altitude of 670 m, so it is one of the spas with the highest altitude in our country. This spa is suitable for the treatment of diseases of the locomotor apparatus, nervous diseases, high blood pressure, peripheral circulation disorder, rheumatism, managerial diseases, climacteric complaints, and inflammatory changes in the eyes [63]. For the time being, just the swimming pool beneath the only spa hotel has been refurbished. Access to the spa is also a challenge because the road from Babušnica to the spa (26.5 km) is in poor condition. The Cediljka Canyon is nearby, as is the Jerma Canyon. Because of the climatic conditions, the tourist season in this area is primarily limited to the summer months, with slightly less in late spring and early fall.

Tourism can also help agricultural growth. This is crucial because, with the exception of the valleys, the soil in this area is frequently quite poor and shallow, with steep slopes. As a result, the primary agricultural resources are huge high-mountain grasslands suited for potentially extensive cow breeding and valley areas appropriate for vegetable cultivation [4]. Local farmers’ products can be marketed to rural homes interested in tourism, or the households can provide their own organic food.

Infrastructure upgrades are necessary, particularly in tourism. Also, it is necessary to hire qualified persons and provide additional training if necessary. A tourism organization could provide the rental of hiking equipment for geosite tours. It is certainly desirable to work closely with local mountaineering associations as well as establish a professional guide service. The huge problem in this area is depopulation and aging, which have a negative impact on the possibilities of tourism development, and it is necessary to find ways to return young people to the municipality, primarily its rural parts.

It is preferable to build a smaller visitor center in the Babušnica urban area or near the Zvonce Spa and canyons. The visitor center must have professional staff and be provided with current interpretive and other tourist content. The tourism organization already has some visitor center characteristics, such as a museum display, but not enough for more extensive development [29].

With the support of the United Nations Development Program, Serbia officially became a member of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council in May 2023. The signing of this membership agreement will enable Serbia to receive support for adapting to global standards of sustainability in tourism in accordance with the needs of the country, as well as to promote itself as a sustainable tourism country around the world [64]. This could be a chance for Babušnica if the municipality dedicates itself to its unexplored geosites but also to other tourist potentials that are currently neglected.

The Regional Spatial Plan for the districts of Nišava, Toplica, and Pirot (to which Babušnica belongs) lists regional development, protection of natural resources and improvement of the environment, sustainable use of natural and cultural heritage, and sustainable urban and rural development as the most important goals, among others [65]. This means that even at higher levels of planning, the area of the Babušnica municipality is placed in the context of sustainable development, but the positive effects due to weak investments in this part of Serbia are still not visible. It is vital to involve professionals, but it is also necessary to induce population education, not just in terms of tourism development but also in terms of environmental protection. The municipality can offer such seminars and lectures in collaboration with the relevant ministries, as well as the National Tourism Organization of Serbia, the local tourism organization, and firms and organizations concerned with the environment and sustainable development.

7 Conclusion

The evaluation of the geosite Babušnica was a great challenge for the authors due to the lack of scientific information, especially geological information. We believe that the findings will contribute to the potential development of sustainable tourism, which may encourage additional sustainable development. In Serbia’s current economic state, particularly in its southeastern region, this could take decades.

Geosite grades are satisfactory, and, for some of them, results are more than the authors expected. These geosites alone are insufficient to provide a base for the development of sustainable tourism, much less sustainable development. However, when combined with rural and spa tourism, the chances are much higher. The geographical and traffic positions of the geosites themselves are not favorable, but with good advertising and arrangements for access to the geosites, this problem can be partially compensated. The chance should be sought by foreign investors and tourists (Bulgaria, North Macedonia). The potential certainly exists, and its potential development should be planned exclusively in the direction of sustainability, even if it requires more time for positive results.