Nowadays, people are increasingly confronted with the insufficient use of water resources. Research suggests that the continuation of such practices could lead to water scarcity around the world in the very near future. Rational aspects of water management can contribute to the ecological and economic improvement of the Republic of Croatia. Therefore, it is necessary to analyze the available opportunities for water use in rural tourism in order to contribute as much as possible to the development of the offer and increase the number of visitors in rural tourism destinations. The aim of this thesis is to analyze the potential and use of water in rural tourism. For this reason, we conducted a pilot study by online questionnaire on a sample of 100 students of the Faculty of Agriculture in Zagreb about the role and personal experiences with water, as well as preferences for water sports activities on vacation. After analyzing the students' responses, we found that the majority of students (52%) preferred more rural areas compared to mass tourism (47%). 56.8% of the students stated that water provides a sense of fulfillment and richness in life, while 21.6% of the students experience a higher quality through water and 13.5% experience a sense of happiness. Students had the best experience with recreational water sports activities in rafting and activities in aqua and terra parks, as well as various water sports activities on the Adriatic Sea. Apart from the water beauties in Croatian national and nature parks, the students pointed out the beauties of the Slap Zeleni Vir, the Rastoke, the Una River, the Baćinska Lakes and the springs of the Gacka River.