Ethnobotanical knowledge and practices in the context of regenerative tourism

Етноботаника 5 (2025), Том 2 (стр. 151-182)

АУТОР(И) / AUTHOR(S): Milica S. Luković, Danijela V. Pantović, Jovana S. Davidović

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DOI: 10.46793/EtnBot25.151L

САЖЕТАК / ABSTRACT:

Regenerative tourism represents a step beyond sustainability. It involves returning to traditional knowledge, reviving cultural aspects, fostering symbiosis with local communities, and leaving places in a better state than they were found by tourists. This type of tourism encourages green and biodiversity-focused businesses to adopt regenerative practices.

Ethnobotanical knowledge and practice – through the use, conservation, and management of plants by local people – are closely aligned with the principles of regenerative tourism. Ethnobotany and tourism share a strong interrelationship, particularly in the context of sustainable tourism, ecotourism, nature-based tourism, cultural tourism, health and wellness, gastronomy, and education.

In this context, the research aimed to identify the most important categories of plants used in regenerative tourism, as well as specific species of interest. Using the method of standard ethnobotanical questionnaires, a study was conducted among tourists, and the Relative Frequency of Citation (RFC) of certain plant species was calculated. The results of the research indicate which plant species attract the greatest interest from tourists, depending on their usage category (edible plants- Allium ursinum (wild garlic), Urtica dioica (nettle), and species from the Rumex genus (sorrel); medicinal plants- such as Thymus spp. (thyme), Geranium spp. (geranium), and Taraxacum officinale (dandelion); there is also interest in plants with ritual significance, such as Laserpitium siler, as well as endemic species like Ramonda spp.). These findings point to a significant potential for the touristic valorization of natural destinations through gastronomy, botanical tourism, education, biodiversity interpretation, and the development of thematic trails dedicated to specific plant species. The findings also highlight the importance of preventing the loss of traditional knowledge and biocultural heritage, while emphasizing local authenticity.

КЉУЧНЕ РЕЧИ / KEYWORDS:

regenerative tourism, ethnobotany, biocultural heritage, Principal Component Analysis, ethnobotanical basic values

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT / ПРОЈЕКАТ:

This research is supported by the Ministry of Science, Technological Development and Innovation of the Republic of Serbia by the Decision on the scientific research funding for teaching staff at the accredited higher education institutions in 2025 (No. 451-03-137/2025-03/200375 of February 4, 2025).

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