In the first half of 2022, the public company “Sarajevo” exceeded the profit and number of visits compared to 2019.
“Our profit is already higher by almost 300,000 BAM compared to the pre-coronavirus year. Of course, the corona year 2020 cannot be compared with anything. But compared to last year, which was still a bit milder, we achieved a higher profit of almost 800,000 BAM, of course, by increasing the number of tourists in Sarajevo and the quality of service that we improved,” said the director of Public Enterprise “Sarajevo” Bakir Hadziomerovic in an interview for Fena news agency.
According to him, this especially applies to the Sarajevo City Hall, which records for the number of visits. He mentioned that they are printing tickets for the Town Hall for the third time, because they are running out, and he says that they have created a lot of new content.
“With the revenues from the Sarajevo cable car, which are very important for the business of the Public Enterprise “Sarajevo”, we hope for a successful year, if there are no disturbances on the market in the coming months until the end of the year, and this is primarily due to the epidemiological situation. I hope it will not come to that,” said Hadziomerovic.
He pointed out that visitors to the Town Hall have a lot to see, and that they are planning to solve the issue of the museum in the Town Hall already this year and the next.
“The construction works have been completed, however, we still haven’t solved the content. We are trying to find the best option that will be compatible with this entire space,” he concluded.
As for the income from the Sarajevo cable car, he says that more than 60 percent of it is foreign guests.
“With the fact that the ticket for foreigners is 20 BAM, and for residents six BAM, so there are more residents in the total number, in principle, but in the sum of money, foreigners bring more income. This is the commercial price of using the Sarajevo cable car,” stated Hadziomerovic, and added that six BAM is a significant percentage reduction in price.
He added that starting in the fall, he will try to make an agreement with pensioners’ associations that they use the cable car at an even cheaper price in the non-peak months, from October to May.
He noted that for national and religious holidays, dates significant for the city and state of Bosnia and Herzegovina, ticket prices are reduced.
He announced that for the 30th anniversary of the shelling and burning of the City Hall, they will provide free entry to the City Hall on two days, August 25 and 26.
“We will have a concert and one day will be dedicated to the National and University Library (NUB) of Bosnia and Herzegovina,” said Hadziomerovic, adding that it will be a dignified marking of 30 years since the terrible crime committed against this institution.
Hadziomerovic, speaking about the Sarajevo Film Festival, which is being held for the 28th time in the capital of BiH city, assessed that it is the most important event in terms of culture and tourism in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and in the entire Balkans.
“There is no better festival in the Balkans. I am sure that the SFF will be held successfully this year as well. I wish them all the luck and to continue as we are used to from them, to be the best,” concluded Hadziomerovic.