Tourist vouchers worth 100 KM will be available to citizens of the Republika Srpska again from September 7 to November 30. The voucher is available to adult citizens with a residence in the Republika Srpska, and they can use it for stays outside their place of residence.
Sanela Šimun from the Tourist Organization of the Republika Srpska spoke to BHT1 about tourist vouchers, the tourist season, investments in tourism and preparations for the winter season.
The voucher is worth 100 KM and can be used outside their place of residence
Šimun explained that the vouchers will be available to all adult citizens with a residence in the Republika Srpska.
“A citizen with a residence in Banja Luka cannot use a tourist voucher in Banja Luka, but can use it in Trebinje, Jahorina, Prijedor or Bijeljina.”
The Ministry of Trade and Tourism of the Republika Srpska should publish a list of hotels and catering establishments where the vouchers can be used.
Speaking about the possibility that the citizens of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina also use the vouchers in the future, Šimun said that there is currently no legal basis for this.
“Everyone is very welcome. Republika Srpska, that is, the whole of Bosnia and Herzegovina, is accessible to both the population and the rest.”
As she stated, the goal of tourist vouchers is to support domestic tourism and encourage the population to spend part of their vacation in domestic destinations.
About 80,000 vouchers have been used since the beginning of the project
According to Sanela Šimun, about eight million KM was set aside for tourist vouchers in the previous period, while about 80,000 vouchers have been used since the beginning of the project, that is, from the period of the coronavirus pandemic until today.
The largest number of vouchers last year was used in spa centers, which, according to her, contributed to the increase in the number of overnight stays by domestic tourists.
Šimun points out that domestic tourism has room for additional development, especially through investments in infrastructure.
“We have to invest in road infrastructure, which is really very important, in our airports, in order to make it as easy as possible for tourists to arrive and stay in our country.”
She particularly pointed out the importance of tourist signage and investments in natural resources, which, she says, attract an increasing number of foreign visitors.
About 278,000 tourists visited the Republic of Srpska in seven months
According to the data of the Republic’s Statistical Office, during the first seven months of this year, about 278,000 tourists visited the Republic of Srpska, who spent about 780,000 overnight stays.
Compared to the same period last year, the number of arrivals increased by four percent, while the number of overnight stays increased by six percent.
Tourists stay on average for about two and a half days.
Among the most visited, according to Šimun, are city break destinations such as Banja Luka, Trebinje, Višegrad and Bijeljina, as well as mountain and spa centers.
There is a growing interest in staying in nature and in rural households, especially in the area of Šipovo, Mrkonjić Grad and Ribnik.
Events additionally attract tourists
As Šimun pointed out, the tourist offer is significantly influenced by different events.
Among the events that attract visitors, she singled out OK Fest in Tjentište, Banja Luka Fest and Motorijada.
“We can truly say that the events attract precisely a part of the tourists who visit the Republic of Srpska.”
Šimun states that a significant number of tourists come from distant countries, including China and Japan, while there are more and more campers from Great Britain who pass through Bosnia and Herzegovina and stay longer.
They expect a successful winter season
The Tourist Organization of the Republika Srpska is already preparing for the winter tourist season, which, if the weather conditions are favorable, should start at the beginning of December.
Šimun particularly highlights Jahorina, the Igrišta ski center and the Kozara ski center, which attracted a large number of domestic and foreign tourists during the previous winter season.
“If last year and the previous winter season repeat themselves, it will really be a big boom.”
The Tourist Organization of Republika Srpska expects that this year’s weather conditions will be favorable for the winter tourist season, and that ski resorts in Republika Srpska and throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina will be well visited.
