The Future Is Community-Led: Rethinking Rural Tourism Sustainability Through the Bregenzerwald Model

Drago Cvijanović, Darjan Karabašević (), Aleksandra Vujko (), Svetlana Vukotić, Gabrijela Popović and Vuk Mirčetić
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Drago Cvijanović: Faculty of Hotel Management and Tourism in Vrnjačka Banja, Kragujevac University, 36210 Vrnjačka Banja, Serbia
Darjan Karabašević: College of Global Business, Korea University, Sejong 2511, Republic of Korea
Aleksandra Vujko: Faculty of Tourism and Hospitality Management, Singidunum University, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
Svetlana Vukotić: Faculty of Applied Management, Economics and Finance in Belgrade, University Business Academy in Novi Sad, Jevrejska 24, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
Gabrijela Popović: Faculty of Applied Management, Economics and Finance in Belgrade, University Business Academy in Novi Sad, Jevrejska 24, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
Vuk Mirčetić: Faculty of Applied Management, Economics and Finance in Belgrade, University Business Academy in Novi Sad, Jevrejska 24, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 12, 1-24

Abstract: Community-led rural tourism plays a crucial role in promoting economic sustainability and cultural preservation by prioritizing local needs and values. Active resident participation fosters a sense of ownership and empowerment, essential for the long-term success of tourism initiatives. A study of 386 residents from Bregenzerwald, Austria—selected for its established community-led tourism model and strong local engagement—characterized by a balanced gender distribution and high education levels, investigated the factors influencing local engagement in tourism, including perceived benefits, empowerment, trust, place attachment, and resource accessibility. Complementary interviews with 31 stakeholders from Fruška Gora, Serbia—chosen as an emerging rural tourism destination with potential for sustainable development—further emphasized the significance of community agency and empowerment. Through factor analysis and structural equation modeling (SEM), the research validated its conceptual framework, demonstrating the transferability of the Bregenzerwald model to other rural contexts. Two key constructs emerged: tourism empowerment and sustainable belonging, jointly explaining 84.655% of the variance. Tourism empowerment underscores residents’ recognition of tourism as a vehicle for economic growth, job creation, and cultural safeguarding, while sustainable belonging reflects a strong commitment to eco-friendly practices and social cohesion. Stakeholders from Fruška Gora echoed these findings, highlighting tourism’s role in economic development, cultural identity reinforcement, and environmental stewardship. The results illustrate that rural tourism, when community-led, serves as a comprehensive development tool, fostering economic resilience, environmental sustainability, and social solidarity. The Bregenzerwald model offers a valuable framework for enhancing community participation and sustainable tourism development in other rural regions seeking holistic growth.

Keywords: community-led tourism; rural development; tourism empowerment; sustainable belonging; bregenzerwald model (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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