Last weekend, crowds were recorded at numerous border crossings, as a large number of BiH citizens living abroad came for the holidays. At the same time, cities and municipalities prepared diverse and rich New Year’s programs that bring joy and holiday spirit throughout the country. The same is true in Krajina.
This weekend, convoys of vehicles arrived at the Maljevac and Izačić border crossings, where Krajina residents who live and work in European countries waited for hours to cross the border. Visibly tired, but still happy because they will spend the New Year’s holidays in their homeland.
In addition to the increased arrival of citizens from the diaspora, Bihać is also recording a growth in tourist interest this winter. The Bihać Winter Park is held at three locations, offers content for all ages and brings together many famous regional stars, which additionally attracts visitors.
“As for tourists, from informal conversations with landlords and hoteliers, we learned that the capacities are already 90 percent full, and of course, many tourists are expected to come to the city for these big concerts,” says Dijana Pečenković, director of the Bihać Tourist Board.
That the accommodation capacities are full is confirmed by Melisa Huremagić, manager of a hotel in Bihać. She states that in addition to accommodation, the demand for venues for celebrations and wellness services is also growing. Although the summer season in the city on the Uni River is traditionally the peak, this winter is already recording an increase in tourists, which is a good opportunity for everyone involved in tourism and hospitality.
“Ahead of the holidays, we are recording an extremely increased demand, most of our capacities are already full, thanks to the arrival of the diaspora but also tourists from other parts of the world… I must emphasize that Bihać has an exceptional tourist offer this year with frequent events and manifestations, which of course contributes to us and increased interest from guests,” Huremagić points out.
Last night’s opening of the Bihać Winter Park brought together several thousand citizens on the square, with good fun and a positive atmosphere. The increased number of events also brings additional engagement of the relevant services. The Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Una-Sana Canton says that additional measures have been taken to ensure that the holidays are safe and enjoyable for everyone.
“As every year, the Ministry of Internal Affairs is ready for these challenges, our operational plan for securing the New Year holidays foresees enhanced measures related to increased police access to places where large numbers of citizens gather,” says Malkić Azra, inspector at the Police Directorate of the USC MoI.
Given that BiH has a large diaspora, a larger number of people are expected to arrive for the holidays, which means crowds and waiting at the borders for arrivals and departures.
