Future sports and recreation center in Leskovac as example of sustainable tourism

The future sports and recreation center in the location of picnic grounds Pasina Cesma (Pasha's Fountain) near Leskovac is the most demanding tourist project that is currently being implemented in Serbia since the complex occupies the surface area of 86 ha. In addition to the huge surface of land, the planned contents - hotels, a wellness center, a stadium, sports fields, a horse farm, a zoo, an eco-park - need to be fit into a whole, adapted to the contemporary concept of sustainable tourism.

Arab company Emirates Power Contracting & General Maintenance has started preparing the terrain. Leskovac-based Energosistem Coguric company has been entrusted with the preparation of the project, on which it works together with Belgrade-based Savath Hospitality Management consulting company. Architectural details are still being developed, but one thing is for sure – the complex will be energy-efficient, which means that a special care will be taken of the method of construction and the use of alternative forms of energy, and that is the field in which Energosistem Coguric has a significant experience. Heating and cooling will be enabled by means of the earth energy and heating pumps, while solar energy will also be used as a source.

The hotel complex development is entrusted to Savath Hospitality Management, of which task is to help architects in adapting the future hotel contents to the needs of optimal use, in accordance with the operational standards and planned categorization.

As Bojan Popivoda, the Project Development Director at Savath, explains for eKapija, the hotel complex will consist of three parts - one building with three-star rooms and the other in the category of five stars, which will be connected by the central joint premises where a reception desk, a wellness center with an indoor swimming pool, congress halls and a kitchen will be situated.

- The first phase includes the construction of a three-star hotel, which will have three floors with a total of 60 very comfortable rooms, a restaurant and other accompanying contents. The central part will comprise the contents that will be at the service of both wings, but they will also function independently. The entrance lobby, which will be used by both hotels, will be of a very specific design and remind of the Orient. The wellness center will occupy the surface area of about 700 square meters, that is, over 2,000 square meters together with the indoor swimming pool. In addition to the contents of the Spa zone, there will also be a gym, a fitness center, as well as a medical office. Congress rooms at about 500 square meters will be situated on the first floor. Also, a multifunctional sports hall is planned to be built next to the three-star hotel. It will have two entrances – one from the hotel and the other from the outside – eKapija's interlocutor explains.

The hotel with five stars will be built in the second phase, it will have the same number of floors and 70 to 80 rooms, as well as additional contents that are common for the facilities of the highest class.

The anticipated capacity of the hotel complex is about 250 guests.

Initially, the investors from the United Arab Emirates planned that complex to be used for the preparations of Arab sportsmen, and the task of Savath is to develop the complex in order to also make it interesting for other tourists during the whole year.

- The hotel contents, wellness center, sports fields, horse riding, zoo, walks, beautiful nature represent an excellent opportunity for the development of the family and congress tourism as well. Besides, the future complex is an ideal starting point for the tour of south Serbia. Leskovac's surroundings are quite interesting - for example, in one day, one can visit the archeological site of Caricin Grad (Queen's Town) near Lebane, Vlasina lake, the Sicevo and Grdelica gorges, Devil's Town, several significant medieval monasteries and churches, mountains, caves and hunting grounds - says Popivoda.

Sustainable tourism

In the eco-park, which will be situated in an oak and beech forest, in addition to footpaths and trim tracks, there will also be glades for sun bathing and waterways that will be supplied with the water from the central artificial lake. There will also be a zoo with about 100 species of animals, primarily those that can be found in our region. Since the growing of organic plants is also in the pipeline, the products from the eco-park will be used in the restaurants within the complex.

Animal biological waste will be used as an organic fertilizer, while the investors are already negotiating with a foreign company on the possibility of purchase of that type of waste for use in the production of bio-fuel.

- A rational use of all resources in the complex and a positive influence on the location community are the basic preconditions for sustainable tourism - says Popivoda.

Halal

The restaurant's menu will include traditional Serbian meals, organic products, as well as meals prepared by Halal standards.

When the plans for the complex were being drawn, a special care was taken of the tradition and customs of the Islamic world since the investors come from that world. Therefore, the rooms will be adapted accordingly, there will be premises for praying, while the interior will remind of the Orient.

That is why the question of the construction of a horse farm is excessive since we know how fond of horses Arabs are.