Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vučić has opened today the 39th International Fair of Tourism stressing that last year Serbia earn a billion and 42 million euros from tourism.
Last year Serbia earned 200 million euros from tourism more than Montenegro, Mr Vučić has said.
“Montenegro has the beautiful sea, mountains, Skadar lake, all which a beautiful country can offer. Serbia has never been number one when it comes tourism, since it has never been the most important economy branch, however, in 2016 we earned 200 million euros more than Montenegro when it comes to tourism”, Mr Vučić has stated.
At the opening of the fair, with 1.100 presenters from 56 countries including China, Russia and India, Mr Vučić has congratulated to the Belgrade Fair and the Ministry of Tourism for the excellent results.
“I’ve heard that we have five times more visitors than Zagreb, other numbers I cannot remember”, Mr Vučić has said in a joke to Minister of Tourism Rasim Ljajić.
As he has said, more and more money from tourism remains in Serbia, we are becoming more and more attractive for the guests from the west and in the past three years the income from tourism is increasing by ten per cent a year.
He has stated that an average growth of tourism in the world is four per cent a year, in Europe it is two per cent, while in Serbia it is 13 per cent.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Telecommunications, Trade and Tourism Rasim Ljajić has expressed his satisfaction with the fact that this year’s fair begins with significant records which is also shown by the reputation of the biggest event of this kind in the region.
He has emphasised that it is particularly important to stress that we are having China and Russia for the first time at the fair participating with their touristic offer, which contributes to a better cooperation and attracting of tourists from these large markets to Serbia.
Mr Ljajić has stressed that Belgrade Fair of Tourism is far above others in the region when it comes to the number of visitors, stating the example the fact that the number of visitors of the Belgrade Fair is five times bigger that the number of visitors of the one in Zagreb, or seven times bigger than the one in Ljubljana.
“Three or four years ago our tourism left the so called illegal phase. We used to speak of tourism as a kind of fun, recreation, when we made reportages on nature’s beauties. Prime Minister Vučić in his two exposes has given a great significance to tourism as an important economy branch with a multiplicative effect on the economy of the entire country. We have reached a strategy which, for the first time, defines 18 destinations in Serbia and clearly indicates that those potentials should be used in their full capacity”, he has explained.
Mr Ljajić has said that whoever is in power, will not start from zero, like this government, but will be able to continue to look after what has been already done.
He has expressed his happiness that Montenegro is a partner in the Fair, and that it will sign a new agreement with Serbia on the cooperation in the field of tourism.
“We don’t talk here only about the regional cooperation and regional touristic product. Yesterday, we defined sever touristic programmes, the best of both countries, which we are going to offer to third markets, by which we are going to raise our visibility and attract tourists from distant countries”, he has stated.
Minister of Sustainable Development and Tourism of Montenegro Pavle Radulović has stated that it is a special honour for him that Montenegro is the partner on the Belgrade Fair of Tourism for the first time in the recent history.
Relations between Montenegro and Serbia, as he has underlined, are good, and tourism can serve as an example of good cooperation.
“Montenegro is a good host for all guests, especially dear friends from Serbia, which number has been increased in recent years. With its competitiveness and services, and a balanced offer in the first place, with a great number of real estate owned by Serbian citizens, and even a larger number of friends and relatives, this year we are expecting over 400.000 tourist from Serbia”, Mr Radulović has said.
He has added that apart from good results in the field of tourism, stating that last year Montenegro was visited by more than two million tourists, 11 million overnight stays were achieved, while the revenues from this sector make 22 per cent of the GDP, we also have certain challenges, which is the extension of the tourist season, which they are working on.
Mr Radulović has pointed out that the World Tourism Organisation underlines that one third of the world tourists visits the Mediterranean, which is the reason to stay optimistic in the future.
At the same time he has stressed that the regional cooperation is an opportunity, in particular for attracting tourists from overseas countries.
The ceremonial opening of the event was attended by the Mayor of Belgrade Siniša Mali, City Manager Goran Vesić, and numerous ambassadors.
This 39th International Fair of Tourism will last until February 26, and 1.100 presenters from 56 countries will present, including China, Russia and India.
