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Foreword by Starost

It is my great pleasure to be able to invite you to read the second volume of Sądeckie Zeszyty Naukowe (Nowy Sącz Research Bulletiń). It is a direct continuation of the first publication released under the same title, and just as its predecessor, it is dedicated in its entirety to the theme of eco-tourism, i.e. tourism in haimony with naturę, which provides our region with a unique development opportunity. Both volumes of Zeszyty are direct results of the project entitled “Ecological Tourism as a Development Opportunity for the Nowy Sącz Region”, co-financed under the Norwegian Financial Mechanism. The activities undertaken by the Regional Starost Office in Nowy Sącz were supported by all higher education centres in the region, including: State Higher Vocational School, Wyższa Szkoła Biznesu-NLU and the Business College, which, together with representatives of the local authorities, madę up the project’s Scientific Committee. For many years now, the authorities of the Nowy Sącz Poviat (district) have seen such a unifying approach as an important development opportunity for the region. Sądeckie Zeszyty Naukowe (Nowy Sącz Research Bulletiń) is meant to feed into that approach, as the idea of the publication w as bom during the execution of the above-mentioned undertaking.

The second volume of the publication is to be seen as a supplement and a summary of the theme of eco-tourism, its cross-border dimension and development potential discussed at eight intemational conferences organiscd in the Nowy Sącz Poviat. They were held in the region, as well as in our partner regions in Europę (Stara Lubovla - Slovakia, Dobrich - Bułgaria, Salai District - Romania, Massa - Italy, Unna District - Germany, and Kołobrzeg District in Poland). Each conference brought together scientists, students and representatives of local authorities and the tourism industry. Each provided a platform for discussions about theoretical aspects, as well as the experiences to be drawn from projects meant to advance the development of ecological tourism in the countries participating in the project. Such conffontation stimulates the development of science and the degiee of its practical application.

I hope that our publications will serve as a source of valuable knowledge to students and other people interested in tourism and that they will become a springboard for the development of tourism and the related areas of the economy in the Nowy Sącz area.

Starost of the Now y Sącz Poviat Jan Golonka

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