The socio-economical phenomenon of dispersed settlement in Slovakia offers great potential for the development of the tourism. Unspoiled nature and preserved customs and habits of native inhabitants demand soft forms of tourism. The aim of this article is to outline the potential of environmentally sustainable tourism in areas with dispersed settlement, on the example of the Nova Bana region. This region, located in the middle of Slovakia, is characterized by its rich mining history and beautiful natural sites. Results showed that most of the visitors would prefer more significant development of sustainable forms of tourism contrary to residents what may be caused by insufficient knowledge of sustainable tourism.