Why do we think that village tourism will be the world's No.1 tourism in the future?
We will now explain why we think that village holidays are taking the lead over seaside holidays. First of all, why do people become tourists? Why should they leave their homes and spend time and money in long-distance travels? The reason is that they need natural environment in order to live in the best possible way. We all know that city life is quite different. It is understandable that instead of endlessly watching the skyscrapers, crowds of people, and motor vehicles passing by, people would like to be surrounded by high mountains, trees, and domestic animals from time to time. Wouldn't it be nice to breathe fresh air instead of smog, to take a stroll or ride a bike through a beautiful landscape, to eat home-made food instead of fast food, or to plant fruits and vegetables, mow grass and distil brandy instead of watching TV all day long? It's not surprising that the necessity of resting in a pleasant environment is as important as the air, water, food, clothes, and habitation. And it will remain so, at least as long as people continue to live in towns the way they do.
Tourism is already one of the most important branches of the world's economy. According to the prognosis of the WTO General Secretary Francesco Frangialli, in 2020 there will be about 1.6 billion tourists travelling abroad, who will spend 2 trillion American dollars in total, or 5 billion dollars per day! For the sake of comparison, in 1996 there were 595 million tourists who spent 425 billion American dollars in total. One may ask where the future tourist army will be accommodated. The warm seas' coastlines represent a limited area, becoming more and more crowded with the rapid growth of the world population. In the near future it will be almost impossible to find a building space in such regions. There is already a significant number of those who want to experience something new, and change the usual way of relaxation and avoid exposing their bodies to dangerous sunrays.
However, not every place has the potential to develop into a decent tourist centre. Some of the basic conditions need to be fulfilled, namely the pure and attractive environment, pleasant climate, conditions for the healthy outdoor activities and last, but not least, hospitality of the hosts. We claim that the chosen villages in Serbia meet all of the above requirements and we encourage everyone who is interested to see for himself. Should you find a better place for a high quality vacation, please let us know!
The villages included in the Air Lift recreational tours are mostly located in the western and central regions of Serbia. They are usually situated on the mountain slopes and foothills in some of the most picturesque regions of the South Eastern Europe, with natural conditions combined in such a way as to provide fertile soil and a long growing season. There are many dense forests and pastures rich with wildlife, medical herbs, and edible mushrooms, while the mountain springs flow into pristine creeks and brooks and then join with rivers that meander through the valleys. In this unpolluted natural environment, small farm holders grow crops, fruits, vegetables, raise cattle and make dairy products, without using chemical fertilizers and pesticides. The history of Serbian villages goes back hundreds of years, even millennia in some cases as testified by the archaeological sites, historical monuments, and traditional village architecture. In some villages artisans have preserved the old crafts, such as weaving and woodcarving, and there are also several artistic colonies.
Should you decide to spend your vacation in Serbia, you will be able to experience warmth and charm of farmers' comfortable homes instead of impersonal cold anonymity of a hotel room. Upon your arrival at the airport and after the transfer by an air-conditioned luxury coach to the village of your choice, you will be welcomed in a traditional way with salt, bread, home-made brandy, and fruit juice, and you will have a wonderful opportunity to become acquainted with your new host and his household. Accommodation includes bed and breakfast, either half- or full-board. The way you spend your time is up to you; you may get up when the rooster crows at the break of dawn, or stay in bed longer. Time of meals is at the time you choose, with food and unlimited quantities of home-made beverages (be careful with alcohol, as it's very strong). Food produced on the farm includes meat, eggs, vegetables, fruits, milk, cheese, and kajmak. You can arrange with your host to have a picnic in the meadow or by the stream, or dine in the orchard. Very soon, you will realize that hospitality and cordiality of Serbian people are genuine, for in their homes the guest feels like in his own house.
Those who want to take a refreshing break from the hi-tech world by helping out with the local "low-tech" chores are welcome to join. There are many such activities depending on the season: using the traditional watermill to grind grain, picking fruit, cooking or preserving food, picking mushrooms, wild berries, or medical herbs. There are also plenty of opportunities for swimming, horse riding, hiking or trekking, fishing and hunting, birds watching, enjoying the sight of waterfalls, exploring forests and caves, visiting historical sites or local artisans, and taking part in making handicraft items or attending local celebrations, weddings, and fairs. One can also just sit back and enjoy the fresh air and gentle rhythm of this bucolic paradise. | 
