The situation in Ukraine will certainly affect tourism in Medjugorje as anywhere else in the world and the tourism sector is already suffering great consequences, said the president of the Association of Tourism, Hoteliers and Room Rental from Medjugorje Davor Ljubic, noting that they would be happy if visits this tourist season were at some 40 to 50 percent compared to 2019.
According to him, Medjugorje will suffer greatly this year due to the absence of Ukrainian and, most likely, Polish pilgrims.
”In the past two pandemic years, Ukrainians, together with Poles, were by far the most numerous pilgrims in Medjugorje and it is certain that 2022 will be very, very inconvenient for those who have worked with the Ukrainian market so far, especially since only boarding houses worked with them. Some say that there will be Italians, there will be others, all right, there will be Italians and others, but these people did not go to boarding houses but went exclusively to four-star hotels. So, Medjugorje will suffer a lot this year due to the absence of Ukrainians, and very likely Poles, although we really hope that this Western European sector will work and that we will make up for the losses that are already being felt,” Ljubic said.
He emphasizes that they would be happy if the visit to this tourist season was at some 40 to 50 percent compared to 2019.
He also notes that before the pandemic, Medjugorje was visited not only by pilgrims but also by classic tourists.
”Before the coronavirus epidemic itself, one-day visitors came to Medjugorje every year during the winter, from October to March, and returned to Medjugorje, and in that way, not only pilgrims came to Medjugorje, but also classic tourists. These were people who come on tours in the Balkans, where Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) is included with Mostar and Sarajevo, and from that side, I think we have done everything in our power as an association to adapt hotels,” he concluded.
E.Dz.
Source: Vijesti.ba
