The aim of this study was to determine the motives that attract tourists to visit rural areas in Vojvodina Province, Northern Serbia. The authors identified the motivation factors that push tourists to rural areas, the activities that tourists prefer on the destination, and the relationship between these two constructs-motivation and activity preferences. The questionnaire was filled in by 476 rural tourists who spent at least one night in rural accommodation facilities in Vojvodina. For data analysis, the authors used the following: descriptive statistics to provide the characteristics of the sample and general information regarding the variables, correlation analysis with reliability test to identify a relationship between individual items, and canonical correlation analysis to analyze the relationship among dependent and independent variables. The results of the research indicated that the rural environment was one of the primary reasons for choosing rural areas for holiday, but the possibility for adventure or taking adventure activities was the lowest between the motivational factors. The study revealed that there are correlations between the push and pull factors, i.e., that motivations and preferred activities are interlinked. [Project of the Serbian Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, Grant no. III 47007]

Rural economy in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) is increasingly diversified but agriculture is still important. Governance influences agricultural and rural development (ARD) policy impacts. The paper aims at analysing ARD governance and coordination in BiH. The paper is based on primary information collected by questionnaires and semi-structured interviews performed in 2011 with representatives of 120 institutions as well as a secondary data review. Vertical coordination between State level institutions with entities, cantons, regions, municipalities and non-state actors, especially civil society ones, is still particularly challenging. Coordination between the State Ministry of Foreign Trade and External Relations; Ministries of Agriculture of the Republika Srpska (RS) and Federation of BiH (FBiH) and the Department for Agriculture of Brčko district is crucial. Participation of civil society organizations in ARD policies design and evaluation should be encouraged. Effectiveness of vertical coordination also depends on quality of horizontal coordination at RS and FBiH levels.

Savings are essential for protecting and boosting the assets of rural populations. The paper analyses rural households’ saving strategies in eastern Bosnia. It is based on a secondary data and primary information collected by a questionnaire survey carried out in March 2013 with 147 rural households from nine municipalities in eastern Bosnia. The questionnaire focused on saving purposes; access to various saving means, including formal and semi-formal ones; membership in and management of saving/credit groups; and reasons for using formal money deposits (banks). The formal and semiformal sectors are currently not meeting the demand for financial services of all rural households. Survey results showed that 72.8% of respondents prefer keeping their savings as cash at home. Savings are also kept in form of livestock, precious metals and jewellery or invested in buildings. Access of rural households to appropriate saving services is of paramount importance for rural livelihood diversification in Bosnia.