An economic assessment of tourism and recreational activities in North Macedonia

In today's developing world, tourism and recreational activities have become a significant phenomenon as a result of social, cultural, and especially economic reasons. The tourism sector stands out with its many positive effects such as the employment it creates, providing large volumes of foreign currency to the country, and reducing the current account deficit. These positive effects of tourism sector make tourism a strong sector especially for countries with a fragile economic structure in terms of securing a place in the global development and increasing the welfare level of the country. As one of these countries, tourism investments made in North Macedonia to improve the economy through tourism are of great importance. In the study, it was aimed to reveal the potential of the rapidly developing tourism sector in North Macedonia through its direct and indirect interactions with various sectors and its impact on economic growth, and to investigate the effects of tourism and recreational activities on the economy of the country. In the first part of the study, the relationship between the natural properties of the area and tourism activities was discussed. In the second part of the study, attraction elements which are effective in the development of tourism and recreational activities were evaluated from a geographical perspective, and tourism activities in North Macedonia were dealt with. In the third part of the study, firstly, economic activities in North Macedonia were examined, and then, the economic, environmental, and socio-cultural impacts of tourism and recreational activities in the country were investigated. As a result of the study, the effects of the developing North Macedonian tourism industry on the country's economy were examined. One of the most important positive effects of the tourism sector on the economy is the increasing amount of foreign currency due to the increasing international tourism in North Macedonia. It is possible to reveal the developments experienced in tourism sector through evaluating the data obtained from the state statistics institution. In addition, revealing the current problems in line with these evaluations will create a positive effect in terms of guiding studies planned for the future.