FN ISI Export Format VR 1.0 PT J TI Hiking Tourism as a Tool for Sustainable Rural Development AF Suter, Lynn AU Suter, L AB If managed sustainably, hiking routes can have economic, social, and environmental benefits. The Via Dinarica aims to encourage tourists to stay in rural areas by promoting communities in the Dinaric Alps. It connects the Western Balkans and fosters the rural development of the region by establishing a sustainable and diversified tourism offer. This Bachelor Thesis discusses success factors for sustainable hiking tourism based on literature research, best practice examples and expert interviews. Furthermore, the current development and challenges of the Via Dinarica in Croatia are assessed. The thesis gives suggestions on how the trail in Croatia can further be developed in a sustainable way in order to increase the benefits for the communities and enhance its standing as a sustainable tourism product. In a last step it will examine German and Swiss travel agencies’ interest in offering Via Dinarica as a product and how their expectations can be met by local tourist service providers. ER