THE IMPACT OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND ACCOMMODATION CAPACITIES ON THE BRANDING OF FRUŠKA GORA AS A TOURIST DESTINATION

Abstract

Tourism is a global process based on social and economic human freedoms. The branding of a tourist destination cannot be imagined without the cooperation of the private and public sectors. Today, most destinations have hotels, conference capacities, unique cultural heritage, attractions, entertainment, or other forms of tourist offerings. In this way, they aim to attract attention and increase the number of tourists. Success depends on the ability to create a unique identity and differentiate from the competition. The development of tourism is conditioned by the quality of the environment, its natural and cultural values. The impact of natural resources depends on the degree of preservation and attractiveness of the environment, which directly reflects on the development of the tourist destination as a brand. Natural resources provide a unique feeling of being in open spaces and the isolation that tourists increasingly seek. Branding is the process of distinguishing and individualizing certain destinations as specific products and creating associations in the minds of consumers with a country as a tourist destination. Today, branding is one of the most popular topics. Branding itself is significant, not only to make an impression on customers or users but also to inform them of what they can expect. The idea of developing a brand comes from the desire to add value with the aim of differentiating from competitors. Branding a destination is not just part of a marketing strategy; it is actually the foundation that creates a positive image of every place. A destination brand is based on tourist communities and marketing organizations that identify the best advantages of their destination in order to appeal to certain values, cultures, and the overall mindset that people experience when visiting a particular place. The subject of this paper is the analysis of tourists' attitudes toward Fruška Gora as a tourist destination. The aim of the paper is to examine tourists regarding their perception of the recognizability, quality, satisfaction, loyalty, and image as elements of branding a tourist destination such as Fruška Gora. An empirical study was conducted using an online survey questionnaire. The statistical methods used for data processing and analysis in the paper are descriptive statistics, reliability analysis, and correlation analysis. The responses of 57 participants were analyzed using the statistical program IBM SPSS Statistics 26.0. The research results indicate the recognizability of Fruška Gora for its natural resources and the high quality of its accommodation offerings. Additionally, the obtained results show a strong correlation between loyalty and satisfaction, as well as image and quality, while the number of visits to Fruška Gora affects the level of tourist loyalty.