“The tourist indicators in Republika Srpska show a trend of continuous growth, evidenced by 72,000 more overnight stays for the first nine months compared to the same period last year. With the expanded capacities for the upcoming winter season compared to last year, we expect a record-breaking year in tourism in Republika Srpska,” said Predrag Tešić, Assistant Minister for Tourism and Hospitality.
Tešić highlighted that the focus of winter tourism in past years had been on Jahorina, but starting this year, winter sports enthusiasts can also enjoy activities at the Igrišta ski center, which will open in December, along with expanded facilities and capacities at Kozara and the ski resort in Kneževo.
“Alongside these attractions, there are also spa centers that attract guests throughout the year. Additionally, information from local communities regarding reservations for the New Year’s holidays indicates that during the holiday period, we’ll have guests from all regions in Republika Srpska,” emphasized Tešić.
He also mentioned that, based on the residence tax, over 1.8 million marks were collected for ten months this year, representing a 14.13% increase compared to the same period last year. The higher revenues from residence taxes were accompanied by a larger number of tourist arrivals. According to available data from the Republic Institute for Statistics of Republika Srpska, 371,807 tourists visited in the first nine months, marking an 11% increase in arrivals, with 867,345 overnight stays during the same period.
Regarding the decline in the number of domestic guests compared to last year, Tešić explained that this was expected due to the implementation of the tourist voucher project last year, which subsidized holidays for domestic guests at local tourist destinations. Additionally, the winter season was delayed, impacting the number of overnight stays during that period. Tešić stressed that the decrease in domestic guests was successfully compensated for by the increase in the number of foreign guests. He also noted that the Government of Republika Srpska and the Ministry of Trade and Tourism are committed to further promoting the tourist offer among domestic guests, evident in the inclusion of tourist vouchers in the Tourism Law.”
