Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Trade, Tourism and Telecommunications Rasim Ljajić held today, at the Palace of Serbia, the first session of the National Council for the Development of Tourism in the Republic of Serbia.

“The adoption of amendments to the Law on Tourism and the preparation of a Tourism Development Strategy for the Republic of Serbia are ahead of us”, said Ljajić, adding that the National Council for the Development of Tourism should bear the burden of the job.

The minister said that Serbia needs a short Tourism Development Strategy for the period 2015 – 2020, with a specific and precise action plan.

Deputy President of the Council, emeritus and head of the Department for Postgraduate Studies and International Relations at the University of Singidunum, Dr. Slobodan Unković said it was important to make room for tourism in the socio-economic development process of the Republic of Serbia.

He pointed out that tourism should be considered as a cross-sector; it needs to be linked to transportation, agriculture, culture and many other sectors.

The council members unanimously elected the president of “Alko” Group Miroljuba Aleksić to be the Vice President of the Council. Working groups for specific areas were formed in order to deal with certain issues from their jurisdictions until the next meeting of the Council.