Almost nine and a half billion marks were invested in Bosnia and Herzegovina. These are the data of the Agency for Statistics, for last year. Trade, processing industry and electricity production are sectors for which billions of marks are allocated annually. On the other hand, tourism is an area that, with little investment in our country, nevertheless records excellent results. In the first six months of this year, BiH was visited by more than 850 thousand tourists.
Total investments in BiH increased by 5.36 percent and last year amounted to about 9.44 billion marks. More than half was invested from own funds, almost 5.834 billion. Most of the investment was in the trade and processing industry – more than two billion marks. Observed according to the activity of investors, the largest investments in total investments in 2025 had:
- Wholesale and retail trade – 15.32%
- Manufacturing industry – 15.11%
- Production and supply of electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning – 13.73%
- Transport and storage – 12.77%
- Public administration and defense – 12.49%
On the other hand, in the field of health and social protection, investments decreased by more than 30 percent compared to the previous year, more specifically by 126 thousand marks. Also, smaller investments for agriculture and forestry are noticeable. The statistics also showed interesting results in the field of tourism. Although the number of arrivals decreased by 1.1 percent compared to last year, the number of overnight stays increased.
From January to the end of June, a total of 1,819,690 overnight stays were recorded, which is an increase of one percent compared to the first half of 2025. On average, one tourist arrival had a little more than two overnight stays. Domestic tourists grew by 4.3 percent, while the number of overnight stays by foreigners decreased by 0.5 percent.
The largest number of tourists comes from the region: Croatia is in first place with 19.3 percent of all foreign overnight stays, while guests from Serbia had a share of 14.2 percent.
When it comes to the length of stay of foreign tourists in Bosnia and Herzegovina, in the observed period, tourists from Egypt stayed the longest, with an average stay of 3.6 nights upon arrival. They are followed by tourists from the Republic of South Africa and Iceland with an average of 3.4 nights and Qatar with 3.0 nights.
Although applications for booking private accommodation are popular, among foreign tourists the preference is for hotels, as much as 94.4 percent of all registered overnight stays. Sarajevo, as the capital and also a tourist center, attracted more than 286 thousand tourists this year.
In July 2026, Sarajevo Canton recorded 241,584 overnight stays, 2.4 percent higher compared to July 2025. During the three-day Dino Merlin’s concerts, almost 156 million BAM in fiscal turnover was recorded, or 48.4 percent more than during the comparable period from Friday to Sunday in June, according to data from the Tourist Board of Sarajevo Canton and the Tax Administration of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
From July 31 to August 2, 2026, the revenue recorded through fiscal devices in the Sarajevo Canton area amounted to 155,995,444.12 BAM. During the comparable period from 26 to 28 June, which also encompassed Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, 105,109,660.27 BAM in fiscal revenues was recorded.
The difference between the two observed periods is almost 50.9 million BAM.
On the first day of the concert, Friday, July 31st, the fiscal revenue in Sarajevo Canton amounted to 117,668,476.24 BAM. On the comparable Friday, June 26th, 73,927,783.06 BAM was recorded. This means that the fiscal revenue on the first day of the concert was higher by around 43.7 million BAM, or 59.2 percent.
On Saturday, August 1, 29,061,585.28 BAM was recorded, compared to 24,092,015.69 BAM on Saturday, June 27th. It is an increase of almost five million BAM, or 20.6 percent.
On Sunday, August 2, the fiscal revenue amounted to 9,265,382.60 BAM, while on the comparable Sunday, June 28, it amounted to 7,089, 861.52 BAM, which represents an increase of almost 2.18 million BAM or 30.7 percent.
The taxation agency delivered to Fena data for Monday following the concert. On August 3rd, the fiscal revenue amounted to 83, 232, 367.64 BAM, an 8.47 million BAM increase or 9.2 percent lower than on the comparable Monday, June 29, when 91, 697, 496.44 BAM was recorded.
During the entire four-day period from July 31 to August 3rd, a total of 239, 227, 811.76 BAM of fiscal revenue was recorded, or around 42.4 million BAM, or 21.6 percent more than during the comparable four days in June.
The data showed that three big concerts and the arrival of tens of thousands of people overlapped with a significant fiscal revenue increase, especially on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
However, the data cannot confirm which segment of the total revenue was realized thanks to the concerts solely, and which was related to other business activities and circumstances on the Sarajevo Canton territory.
The official monthly data of the Tourist Community of Sarajevo Canton indicate more significant tourist effects.
A total of 112, 724 guests visited Sarajevo Canton in July 2026, and realized 241,584 overnight stays. The number of guests was 4.2 percent higher than in July 2025, while the number of overnight stays increased by 2.4 percent.
The monthly tourist indicators do not single out a direct contribution of concerts to the total growth, but fully occupied accommodations and increased activity in the city during the concerts indicate significant direct effects.
Almir Peštek, a Professor at the Department of Marketing at the Faculty of Economics, University of Sarajevo, assessed for Fena that almost 200,000 visitors across three concerts shows that it is about an event with highly significant economic and tourism effects.
However, he emphasized that for a precise economic assessment it is necessary to determine the number of unique visitors, considering that some people could attend multiple concerts, how many came from outside of Sarajevo, how many days they stayed, and how much they spent on average.
“These are analyses that can and must be done. But, based on the occupancy of accommodation capacity and increased activity in the city, it can be concluded that the economic effect was significant,” Peštek said.
Haris Fazlagić, Director of the Sarajevo Canton Tourist Board, confirmed for Fena that during the concerts, accommodation capacity was fully booked and that there was a high demand for a place to stay throughout the city.
“It was fantastic. The city is full, and there was a demand for an extra bed. This is the best and most beautiful thing Dino Merlin has done for this city and the country. He also did a great deal of work for the Sarajevo Canton Tourist Board,” Fazlagić said.
The tourist community, as he said, directly contacted representatives of the private accommodation and hotel sector to check market conditions.
“As a Tourist Board, we have conducted ad hoc checks. We contacted a certain number of private accommodations to check the capacity, just to be informed. Everything was booked. We received information from hotels and others that the days before the concert everything was full. That is truly fantastic,” Fazlagić said.
He assessed that the concerts brought exceptionally valuable promotion to Sarajevo, the effects of which continue even after the end of the event.
“Dino Marlin provided top-tier promotion. The entire region, and beyond, is still talking about it. Photos, visuals, video clips, and scenes of the spectacle are being posted. That is what the Tourist Board does, and Dino Merlin did something truly beautiful,” he said.
According to him, Sarajevo traditionally records high occupancy rates during the Sarajevo Film Festival and the New Year holidays, while in recent years, major sports events have had similar effects.
“Besides the Sarajevo Film Festival, Sarajevo has high occupancy rates for the New Year holidays, but also during major sporting events, such as the Red Bull Showrun. I think a similar thing happened during the European Judo Championship. Now, outside of the Sarajevo Film Festival and New Year, Dino Merlin filled the city in the exact same way,” Fazlagić said.
The President of the Association of Hoteliers and Restaurateurs of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Amir Hadžić, also told Fena that Sarajevo was full during concerts – not only with guests using hotel or private accommodation, but also with a large number of people from surrounding cities and the region.
“In my opinion, the city was full, packed. It wasn’t just those who were using accommodation. I think many people from the region and surrounding cities came to Sarajevo, to see and to be seen. Most of those who resided in the city probably came because of the concerts, whether they stayed for one day or three days. They came to tour the city, attend a concert, and experience a spectacle that was truly done to the highest standards,” Hadžić said.
He added that it was expected for guests to primarily book accommodation in central city areas so they could walk to the concerts and tour the city.
“When a concert is being held in a city, everyone is trying to book city accommodation to tour the city on foot and attend a concert. For suburban areas, like Vogošća and Ilidža, transit and transportation can present a challenge,” Hadžić said.
He believes concerts represented exceptionally successful promotion of Sarajevo, especially due to the positive experiences of guests and content shared via social media and news outlets throughout the region.
“Everyone I had the opportunity to speak with was thrilled, especially by the city, kindness, and everything they have experienced here. There is no need to talk much about the concert, as the photos and videos showed it was a success. It is important to congratulate the organizers on three consecutive sold-out concerts,” he said.
Hadžić particularly emphasized the hospitality of the citizens of Sarajevo and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Peštek underlined that concerts and other events should not be seen as exclusively cultural or entertainment events, but as important tools of a destination’s tourist and economic development.
“Sarajevo must be on the concert map of regional and world stars if we want to extend the tourist season, increase the number of arrivals and tourist spending, and improve the quality of tourism and Sarajevo’s reputation as a tourist destination,” he said.
The stay and spending of visitors, as he emphasized, are not limited to a few hours spent at the concert, but the effects of such events are significantly broader than the revenue generated from ticket sales.
Visitors spend money on accommodations, food and drinks, transport, parking, shopping and many other products and services.
“During the concert, it was difficult to find available accommodation on online booking platforms. It is important to note that people rarely attend concerts alone, but rather with family or friends, so a single reason for coming usually generates spending for multiple people,” Peštek noted.
Instead of direct visitors’ spending, concerts and major events increase the volume of business for a large number of other participants in the local economy.
“Hotels, restaurants, transport providers, shops, organizers, technical services and other service providers increase their procurement volume, hire additional workers, and use the services of other suppliers. Thus, the money visitors spent is further passed through the local economy, creating a multiplier effect,” he explained.
Peštek emphasized that investing in tourism has a significant and multiple effect on the development of the entire economy, but to assess the actual economic contribution, it is necessary to analyze how much revenue remains within the local community.
It is also necessary to establish the amount of additional public revenue generated through taxes and other fees, but also the costs incurred by the Sarajevo Canton, public enterprises, and services due to the organization of the event.
“By comparing additional spending, public revenues and expenses, a full picture of the net economic effect can be obtained. For this reason, data should be systematically collected and research conducted among visitors and business entities after major events,” he said.
He singled out the promotional effect of concerts as especially important, referring to the fact that thousands of people shared photos and videos on social media, promoting not only the event but a personal experience, city, atmosphere and tourist offer in Sarajevo.
“It is for sure one of the most efficient ways of promotion, both in terms of reach and cost efficiency. Sarajevo becomes more visible and desirable not only in the region but also in the highly competitive international tourist market,” Peštek said.
According to him, a long-term effect will depend on whether the visitors will only experience Sarajevo as a place for hosting concerts or a destination they want to return to.
He cited the Sarajevo Film Festival as the best domestic example of systematic development of event tourism, which became one of the key reasons for the arrival of tourists and an important part of the city’s international image.
“Many tourists plan to arrive in Sarajevo around the dates of the Festival. A similar approach needs to be applied to concerts, sports events, fairs, conferences, congresses, and other events,” he said.
As he added, Sarajevo needs more concerts, events, festivals, and other events, but their development cannot be exclusively the responsibility of the organizers and the private sector.
“The public sector should create appropriate conditions, invest in infrastructure, offer support, encourage the development of quality events, coordinate the work of different institutions, and help connect these events better with Sarajevo’s tourism offer,” Peštek stated.
The increasingly better air connectivity of Sarajevo further eases the arrival of tourists and represents a great opportunity for the development of cultural, event, sports, convention, and conference tourism.
This is why he believes Sarajevo should shift from sporadic, although successful events, to a year-round calendar of concerts, festivals, sports, cultural and business events.
“Tourist should know a few months ahead what is taking place in Sarajevo and for them to plan their arrival according to that, just like we from Sarajevo plan trips to other cities due to concerts and events. Calendar should be unique, publicly available, and promoted promptly,” he said.
Peštek concluded that Sarajevo’s tourist potential has been discussed for a long time, but that now it is important to move toward its systematic and serious economic utilization.
“Quality standards for event organization are continuously rising, and now we have to work on increasing their quantity. We have been talking about Sarajevo’s potential for a long time, and now it’s high time to seriously capitalize on it,” Peštek said.
Only three concert days were taken into account to calculate the 48.4 percent growth, while the four-day comparison was specifically noted so that the drop in turnover on Monday would not be glossed over.
