Una-Sana Canton (USC) is preparing for the new tourist season. Guests are already arriving, those who choose to vacation before the peak of the season. Hotels, apartments, and other accommodation capacities are already receiving summer reservations. Still, tourism workers are wondering whether 2024, when a record number of tourists visited Krajina, can be repeated.
The most visited tourist part of Bihac, the area of Una National Park and its biggest attraction, the Strbacki buk waterfall, is being visited these days by numerous guests. Among them is a family from Novi Sad.
“I enjoyed it, I really liked it, especially because I came with my sisters and we had a great time. It was really nice for me, I would love to stay longer, but we can’t. I’m very happy I came to see the waterfalls. It’s really beautiful. We come here every time we visit our village nearby. We always visit Una and its waterfalls, there’s always good energy,” says a tourist from Novi Sad.
The beautiful nature and the Una River were also irresistible to guests from Germany and other European countries.
“I really like it, we’re camping here. It’s very nice to be here,” says a tourist from Germany.
Local renters are also rubbing their hands with satisfaction. Kemal Strkljevic is the owner of a guesthouse in the very center of Kulen Vakuf, which is visited by a large number of tourists during the summer. Many have already reserved accommodation, and he hopes for a successful season like last year.
“We have reservations, especially for July and August when it’s the peak of the season. There are also reservations in the other months, the situation is favorable, though lately there have been cancellations, especially in these months, but nothing serious,” says Kemal Strkljevic, accommodation renter.
The Bihac Tourist Board expects last year to be repeated when this part of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) achieved record results in the number of domestic and foreign tourists. Still, the number of visits and overnight stays in the preseason is not encouraging. Although more guests have been registered compared to the same period last year, the reason for this is the legalization of renters’ work, not the expected tourist visits.
“We are recording an increase, but that increase happened thanks to the fact that our apartment, hostel, and hotel renters legalized their business. We had ongoing campaigns and appeals to register guests, and that paid off. However, since we often talk to the local community, unfortunately, the reservations are nowhere near those of the previous year, even though we seemed to be heading for a record season,” says Dijana Pecenkovic, director of the Bihac Tourist Board.
Although the data is not alarming, the question arises whether the political crisis in BiH has affected the cancellation of reservations in hotels and other accommodations, as well as issues with the arrival of tourists from distant countries.
“Last year we initiated the removal of visa requirements for them because those are very important guests who come to Sarajevo and that reflects on Bihac. Those are guests who stay more than 2-3 nights, which is of great importance to us,” adds Dijana Pecenkovic.
Among the tourists, there is a large number of Arab guests, but it is uncertain how many will come this year due to the visa regime.
The Tourist Board therefore hopes that BiH will abolish visas for guests from Arab countries, at least during the summer season, which would retain not only those tourists but also visitors from numerous European countries who have chosen BiH as their tourist destination.
