The importance of green procurement and responsible economy for sustainable tourism development: Hospitality of Serbia

Green procurement or responsible economy represents a production process which takes into account environmental, economic, social and ethical issues. These would, at the same time, be the basic postulates of sustainable development. The tourism market, whose consumers today have very specific needs, takes part in such a responsible economy. Tourists turn to the environmental forms of tourism. Such forms include activities focused on improvement of the values of environmental elements. This implies the selection of accommodation in environmentally responsible hotels and other facilities, directing of their business operations towards green procurement, eco-labelling and responsible economy in general. This research included the collection of data on responsible economy by surveying 50 hotels situated in Serbia. The hotels which are not sufficiently implementing responsible procurement into their business operate in the Republic of Serbia. Also, only a small number of facilities belonging to the tourism and hospitality industry possess eco-labels as the warranties of green and responsible business. What is significant is the fact that the tendency of environmental awareness to increase and its significance in the economic sphere are present in a great number of hotels in Serbia, which is demonstrated by this paper's research results.