Sustainable Tourism in Protected Areas—Application of the Prism of Sustainability Model

Research on the impact of protected areas on sustainable tourism development is undeniable. It means that protected areas should be significant tourism destinations for the success of sustainable tourism. The improvement of natural values, reduction of negative tourism effects on the area, strengthening of the residents’ role in tourism planning, development of the nature-based form of tourism, adoption of legal regulations, and the provision of economic benefits for both managers and residents are the main activities of sustainable tourism development. The areas of Kopacki Rit Nature Park in Croatia and Gornje Podunavlje Special Nature Reserve in Vojvodina Province (Northern Serbia) are parts of the European river protected area called “The European Amazon”, and are protected as the Mura-Drava-Danube Transboundary UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. The aim of the research is to obtain significant results regarding the attitudes and satisfaction of 1225 residents with sustainable tourism development using a quantitative methodology (PoS model), and SPSS analysis of the carried-out questionnaire. The respondents’ attitudes are related to the ecological, economic, sociocultural, and institutional sustainability of the protected area as a tourism destination. In addition, interviews were conducted with the managers of natural assets and experts in their tourist development. Answers from the interviews were used to confirm the obtained results.