Spectacular waterfalls and the purity of the Una river are the reasons for the record number of visitors that the Una-Sana Canton recorded this year as well. Tourists from all over the world are especially attracted to the Una National Park, and it is predicted that by the end of the year, it will record almost 150 thousand visits.
Strbački buk with its spectacular waterfall, almost 25 meters high, is now a world attraction. In the first eight months alone, the figure of 128,000 recorded visits, which they had last year, was exceeded. Tourists from all over the world enjoy every bit of what this natural wonder has to offer.
“We came from Germany. We really like it here. Water, waterfalls, untouched nature, people… I have no words. It’s beautiful”, says Sebastian.
“I like that the people here are friendly and that it is not too crowded. The water has a beautiful green color. It enchanted me”.
“The location is too good, tourists love it, I work as a tourist guide. This is the only thing they ask. They think this is paradise, a house like in paradise”, says Ahmed Nukic from Sarajevo.
Of course, the local population also benefits from the National Park and tourists. With an initial capital of only one hundred marks, Almir and Azema, faced with a lack of work and poverty, first started selling ice cream and fruit. Today they say that the best tourists are Arabs.
“Our beginnings were very difficult. At first, when we started working here 13-14 years ago, many people found it unusual and even funny. They said what will happen next… We started from nothing and with persistent work we succeeded”. “It’s too hard, we work 12-13 hours a day, everything is waiting for us. You have to prepare it to be fresh. And so day after day”, they explained.
The river Una captivates with its purity. The people of Bišća will often say, Una is not a river, Una is water, and water is drinkable.
Other locations are equally attracting attention. Especially Milančev buk in the area of Martin Brod, where the surface and largest waterfall on the river Una is. The goal is for this place to be recognized on world markets as the “anti-stress oasis of Europe”.
“Our vision and imperative is to create a destination that we promote as ‘Una land – the land of water magic’. We will develop the Una Riviera based on the principles of nature protection and preservation, with the aim of creating an environment for sustainable development”, says Amarildo Mulic, director of the Una National Park.
Judging by the number of visitors, this year will be a record year in the National Park, which is the basis for the global development of this part of Bosnia and Herzegovina. This is supported by the fact that the number of accommodation capacities has increased tenfold.
