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2019 IN THE SIGN OF SERBIA
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National Tourism Organization of Serbia (NTOS) entered the year 2019 with enviable results as consequence of the intensive promotional and marketing campaign at the local and international tourism markets. In 2018, Serbia was visited by 12% more tourists than in the previous year, among them 9% of the local tourists and 15% of the international ones, there were 13% more overnight stays and the foreign currency tourism revenue amounts to about 1.35 billion Euros. US Forbes magazine has included Serbia among the 18 best budget travel destinations in the world which should be visited this year and described it as “One of Europe’s best-kept secrets, the place of amazing energy”. The Booking website users have included Serbia among the 10 friendliest countries and the website Travel Lemming readers declared Serbia the best emerging travel destination 2019, which is “Full of medieval towns where you can relive centuries of history to modern cities throbbing with the latest in culture and fashion, with impressive fortresses down the Danube, the gorgeous mountains around Zlatibor, the street art and floating nightclubs in Belgrade” and the judges, consisting of 12 world’s best bloggers and influencers in tourism, which awarded to Serbia the recognition Emerging Destination Awards, had also the message ‘Whatever you do, get to Serbia fast before word gets out about this incredible hidden destination!’ Marija Labović, NTOS CEO, points out the summer campaign of the NTOS #SeeSerbia – Which moments will you remember this summer? recorded 6.5 million views at social networks of video ‘moments’ from Serbia, for which we won the award of the national professional marketing association – UEPS. In accordance with such rating of Serbia at the global tourism map is also the information of Miroslav Knežević, State Secretary, that in Serbia “Tourism rose to the second place of the exports in the service sector”. Since the data of the Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia showed Serbia was visited in 2018 mostly by the tourists from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, China, Turkey, Germany, Romania and other countries, the NTOS reports it will keep on approaching these markets, but they also turn to the distant destinations. And all this together supports the expectations of Rasim Ljajić, Minister of Tourism of Serbia, that „Until 2020, the number of tourists in Serbia will rise to four million“.
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2030 TOURISM FOR SDGs PLATFORM
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Under the motto BE THE RESPONSIBLE TRAVELLER PUTTING THE PLANET TO THE FIRST PLACE, JOIN US AT THE 2030 TOUR, DISCOVER UNIQUE TOURISM INITIATIVES AND TOOLS, the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) entered 2019 promoting a greater engagement of the tourism sector with sustainable development as the main objective of 2030 Tourism for SDGs Platform. With the support of Switzerland’s State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), UNWTO developed the online methodology how to advance the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals through tourism. 17 Sustainable Development Goals were set, aiming “To end poverty, fight inequality and injustice and solve climate change by 2030”. On the UNWTO website there is a co-creation space that allows users to access a wide range of resources, add their own initiatives, findings and projects, motivate discussion and collaboration and share content related to tourism and sustainable development. Zurab Pololikashvili, UNWTO Secretary-General, highlights “Tourism plays a vital role in many, if not all, of the 17 Goals. It is a cross-cutting economic activity with deep social ramifications. Tourism for SDGs Platform is providing the space to co-create and engage to realize the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development".
The Tourism for SDGs Platform is on the UNWTO website and it is open for all wishing to join and share content related to tourism and sustainable development.
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MOTIVATING RESULTS OF THE MOTIVATING MEASURE
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The application for the tourism vouchers with the individual value of RSD.5,000, the motivating measure of the Ministry of Trade, Tourism and Telecommunications of Serbia, began on January 1, 2019. It was proved the measure gave good results since more than 250,000 people went for holiday with the vouchers in the past four years, primarily to the spas Sokobanja, Vrnjačka, Prolom, Lukovska, Ribarska and Gornja Trepča Spa, as well as to Zlatibor, Tara and Divčibare. We would remind 14,000 vouchers were approved in the first year of this motivating measure, then it went to 60,000, then 80,000 and now this figure is 100,000 and the possibility of increasing the number of vouchers has been announced, depending upon the situation in the budget of Serbia. The increased number of local tourists changed also the relation of the travel destinations in Serbia. Namely, so far, five large destinations - Belgrade, Novi Sad, Kopaonik, Zlatibor and Vrnjačka Spa brought 55% of tourism turnover and now, they are joined by Niš and Sokobanja. Rasim Ljajić, Minister of Tourism of Serbia, says these seven destinations make now 62% of the tourism turnover and announces at the same time also the new investments, which should join by the visit to these destinations also Divčibare, Palić and the Lower Danube Region. The number of catering staff receiving the guests with the vouchers is increasing at the same time as the interest of tourists in them. Thus, there are more than 1,200 of them now.
The voucher application deadline is October 15, 2019 and the deadline for their use is November 20, 2019.
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Ministry of Trade, Tourism and Telecommunications
Department of tourism
+ 381 11 3139671
 turizam@mtt.gov.rs
www.mtt.gov.rs
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ALL VOJVODINA ATTRACTIONS AT ONE PLACE |
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Activities of the Tourism Organization of Vojvodina (TOV), such as promotions at the fairs in Serbia and abroad, organizing of the press tours The Pannonian Summer Adventure and The Vojvodina Autumn Soul, production of the mobile application and digital guide through the tourism of AP Vojvodina, the execution of the projects ViCTour-Virtual and Cultural Tourism and IDENTIS, under cooperation with the local and international partners and many other activities have certainly contributed to the results showed by the Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia, saying the number of tourists in Vojvodina in the period January / November 2018 was increased for 13.1% and the overnight stays for 16.1%, compared with the same period in the previous year. Even better promotion of the tourism offer of Vojvodina will be contributed also by the first open (January 21, 2019) contemporary Information Center of the Tourism Organization of Vojvodina in Novi Sad. Nataša Pavlović, TOV CEO, highlights all 45 Cities and Municipalities included in Vojvodina are now presented at one place. Visitors may get information on many attractions, localities, sights, multiculturalism, cultural heritage monuments, natural wealth, wine routes and events. In the Information Center visitors may purchase also some of autochthonous Vojvodina wines and authentic souvenirs. Digital Guide through the Tourism of Vojvodina is a form part of this Information Center, which should become also the new venue of various cultural and economic events.
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HIGH VIEW TO SERBIAN SKI RESORTS
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Winter tourism season in Serbia gathered winter, snow and skiing fans, especially on Kopaonik, Zlatibor (Tornik) and Stara Planina. This is especially related to the Kopaonik Ski Resort, visited during the holidays and the month of January by so many local and international guests, that in a day there were as the average about 7,000 skiers. Besides the activities at 20 ski installations, 37 ski tracks and 20 ski roads, the first sleigh point was put into operation, 1,225 m long, at the Karaman Greben ski track. Ski Resorts of Serbia provided for this attraction the sleigh rented in this season free of charge with the night ski pass. Dejan Ćika, CEO of the Public Company Ski Resorts of Serbia, points out the “Ski Resorts of Serbia entered this year’s season quite ready. Fully operative are the artificial snowing systems and excellent conditions for winter sports and the adequate snow quantity, with the guaranteed entertainment, contribute to much better visit and the interest of international tourists. Thus, also this year, the Kopaonik Ski Resort is the most demanded skiing destination in the region”. The experience from the beginning of this year shows the Ski Resorts of Serbia rightfully calls its campaign High View. Both Zlatibor (Tornik) and Stara Planina, but first of all Kopaonik, are really characteristic for 150 days of the best winter entertainment, superb hotels, first of all MK Mountain Resort (Hotel Grand and the new one Gorski - www.mkresort.com ), excellent prepared tracks, unlimited quantity of entertainment features and many interesting events throughout the season.
The Ski Resorts of Serbia have got in this winter season also Ski Week (February 18 – 24, 2019, with 10% discount to three to seven days ski passes and Ski Weekend (March 7 – 10, 2019 and March 21 – 24, 2019, with 20% discount to two and four days ski passes). Kopaonik visitors are expected also by various music/entertainment features in the Sport Valley, many international competitions in Alpine skiing and snowboard disciplines, the Friendly 3S Race and various other activities.
   
  
ISTN provides attached the price list of the Ski Resorts of Serbia for the winter season 2019.
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A CONNECTION OF HEALTHY, BEAUTIFUL AND USEFUL
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Special Hospital KANJIŽA SPA, an outstanding medical/tourism institution equipped with the state of the art physical medicine and medical rehabilitation devices, intended both for those who come for prevention, using various anti-stress, spa and sport programs and those who need rehabilitation, accomplished last year the record visit. Significant funds were invested in the medical equipment and the swimming pool area was reconstructed, which satisfies now all needs of both standard guests and the disabled persons and mothers with children, so that the Spa is equally attractive for both families and individuals, businessmen, sport teams, organized groups, retired person Associations and Trade Unions. Since the first days of January this year, in Kanjiža Spa, the application for the vouchers of the Government of Serbia to the amount of RSD.5,000 began, as well. Kanjiža Spa entered 2019 also with the offer of 10 – 20% discount, depending upon the number of days spent n the Spa and it exhibits at the forthcoming Belgrade Tourism Fair (February 21 – 24, 2019) at the stand of the Tourism Organization of Vojvodina (Belgrade Fair Hall 4) the programs of medical rehabilitation, prevention, attractive wellness programs, such as My Weekend, Wellness and Sport Team Building, Shopping and Spa Weekend and other special programs.
ISTN provides attached current programs of Kanjiža Spa.
   
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The best visited destinations of Serbia – Belgrade, Novi Sad, Kopaonik, Zlatibor and Vrnjačka Spa were joined last year also by Niš, which had the increased number of guests in the period January / November 2018 for 16.1% (the local ones for 8% and the international ones for 23%), while the number of overnight stays was increased for 12.5% (the local guests 6.1 and the international ones 19.3%). It was reported from the Tourism Organization of Niš the highest number of tourists so far, first of all the international ones (about 70%) spent the New Year's Eve in Niš with the „Plentiful gastronomic offer, lively night life, unique Southern Bohemian charm. Happy holiday atmosphere created by the hospitable inhabitants of Niš, plentiful history, huge cultural heritage, legends and stories“. It is estimated most of the tourists staying in Niš were from the neighboring Bulgaria, but also from Greece, Germany, Sweden, Italy and Slovakia. The Niš inhabitants were the hosts not only in their city, but also were guests for the first time and on January 1, 2019 in the Open Heart Street in Belgrade presented to the visitors of this event THE CULINARY CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SOUTH AND THE NIŠ PASSION.
Tourism Organization of Niš presents the tourism offer of the destination, the accommodation facilities, events and gastronomy at the Belgrade Tourism Fair IFT 2019 (February 21 – 24, 2019, Belgrade Fair Hall 4).
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THE MOST VALUABLE CONTRIBUTION
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Just at the end of the previous year, at the meeting with the tourism industry representatives and tourism journalists, National Association of Travel Agencies of Serbia YUTA awarded its highest recognition – THE GOLDEN PLAQUETTE to Professor Dr. Slobodan Unković, Emeritus of Singidunum University – FACULTY OF TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT, for the long aged cooperation, outstanding contribution to the tourism development of Serbia and the education of many generations of tourism staff. On this opportunity, Aleksandar Seničić, YUTA CEO, the Association with more than 270 travel agencies achieving about 95% of the organized tourism turnover and more than 1.5 million service users, also stated many staff members of Singidunum University were employed in travel agencies of Serbia, which do not lag behind the global ones, either regarding the travel organization or the selection of destinations and accommodation facilities. However, if the global tourism experts can be trusted anticipating the increase of the number of small agencies, since travellers want less and less big 'travel packages' and 'mass tourism', turning to the 'experience tourism', weekend travels, short and diverse holidays created as desired and with the most authentic accommodation, the travel agencies of Serbia, mostly used to offer mass summer packages at the useful destinations, will have to keep pace with the market. However, wheteher they will succeed, this year 2019 will show.
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Within The MAGNIFICENT 12 Project, executed by the Supernatural Citizen Association, under partnership with Veselinov Tourism Consulting and under assistance of the US Embassy to Serbia, 12 authentic gastronomic products from various, regionally equally located places in Serbia were selected. Mapped were 12 households offering accommodation and serving meals prepared from selected groceries, such as yogurt, milk cream, cheese, potatoes, paprika, Ayvar, roast lamb meat, hot sausage, honey, spice and medicinal herbs, wine, brandy and other products. This Project Holder Srđan Stanković, Author and Producer of the Awarded Films 'Food Serbia' and 'On the Danube through Serbia – 588 Impressions', produced for the National Tourism Organization of Serbia, highlights „At the Project end we plan also to publish the bilingual brochure (Serbian/English), which will enable potential guests to get acquainted with the gastronomic offer of Serbia, food and its manufacturers, accommodation opportunities, travel tours and nature wealth. The brochure with the recipes for the meals preparation and photos will be able to be downloaded from the Internet, as well“.
The MAGNIFICENT 12 Project is followed also by a space in the center of Belgrade - Gastronaut, in which the local and international guests may taste the authentic food from specific destinations and in which, at the end of the last year (December 22, 2018) featured to the journalists getting to know the most original households were the rural tourism household The Old European Ash from Sjenica, from Pešter, the village Družiniće, the hamlet Petakovići, with the trationally prepared roast lamb meat, the family Travar from Rtanj, the village Vrmda, arrived with the medicinal herbs and spices, from Kopaonik, the village Grad, promoted were forest products called The Domestic Ones from Koznik, the family of Milanko Trtović from Zlatar, the village Komarani, offered the Zlatar Cheese, while the Banat village Veliki Gaj featured Miloš Todorović Farm with dairy products famous as The Happy Goat.
The MAGNIFICENT 12 Project continues the promotion and development of the natural and gastronomic tourism values of Serbia also in this year 2019.
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SUMMER IS CLOSER THAN YOU THINK
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Under the slogan Summer is Closer Than You Think, the 41st International Tourism Fair IFT 2019 is held at Belgrade Fair, the winner of the highest recognition of the National Tourism Organization of Serbia – Tourist Flower 2018 for important achievements in the tourism service quality level raising, as well as the contribution to the tourism development, advancement and promotion in the authentic and creative way.
This event, having registered about 75,000 visitors last year, gathers countries from all continents, cities, regions, Tourism Organizations, hotels, mountain and spa resorts, various destinations and attractions, airlines, agencies and tour operators. This year's Partner Country is Bulgaria and besides Serbia, which adapts its possibilities and price polict to the tourist needs, their tourism potentials feature also Greece, Turkey, Egypt, Macedonia, Montenegro, Croatia, Republic of Srpska, Hungary, Poland, Switzerland, Italy, Slovenia, Germany, Spain, Russia, Austria, Tunisia, China, Cyprus and other countries. Traditionally dominating at the Tourism Fair is the FIRST MINUTE offer and the travel packages for the forthcoming tourism season, with the discount up to 60% are offered, as well. As declared by the Tourism Fair organizer „This year’s innovation is the business B2B portal intended for the registration of both exhibitors and business visitors and their mutual networking”. In order to increase the promotion of the business image of the exhibitors and business visit strengthening, this year’s Tourism Fair IFT 2019 will be more turned to business visit in the morning and to the entertaining features and promotions in the afternoon.
Along with the Tourism Fair IFT 2019, on February 21 – 24, 2019 organized are also 15th International Fair of Hotel Management and Catering Equipment HORECA, 15th Souvenir Fair ‘Visit Serbia’ and 10th International Wine Fair BEO WINE.
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IS THE TOURISTIC FUTURE BRIGIHT ?
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The fact that Serbia is increasingly visible and interesting at the global tourism map, not only for the tourists, but also the investors, which is shown by the serious growth of tourism turnover, the highest one since 2014 (the number of tourists rose for 55%, the number of the international ones for 65% while the foreign currency revenue is higher for 56%), the door is open to the international capital and brands, is certainly one of the reasons that after six years of its holding in Zagreb, Adria Hotel Forum (AHF), the regional hotel – investment conference will be held for the first time in Belgrade. This conference, with the original idea to be organized in all regional capitals, considers current topics within the hotel investment and the overall hotel industry. The topic of this seventh edition of the Forum is „Is the future bright?“ Within it, the issues will be initiated regarding the new financial crisis anticipated for 2020, who wants to finance development projects in the region and under which conditions, how can investments be secured and also the bureaucracies met by the investors in the region will be compared. Marina Franolić, the conference organizer, says „Each year, AHF gathers global investors and experts. So, their arrival was already confirmed by representatives of global hotel companies, consultants and Ministers of several regional countries, as well as the Investment Funds Starwood Capital and Aina Hospitality“.
Adria Hotel Forum is held on February 20 – 21, 2019, in Belgrade, in Crowne Plaza Hotel.
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TO HONOR THE INNOVATIONS IN THE MEDICAL AND SPA INDUSTRIES
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The European Spas Association - ESPA organizes also this year within the International Travel Trade Show in Berlin - ITB Berlin 2019 (March 6 – 10, 2019) the pavilion of MEDICAL TOURISM intended for the medical services providers, hotels and destinations dealing in this type of tourism, having the increasingly fast growing market. Fostering this type of tourism, The European Spas Association opened also the competition for the ESPA Innovation Award 2019 in the medical tourism, which, as pointed out by the organizer, „Should motivate the exchange of experiences, the best practice and know-how“. The Awards are intended for medical and spa destinations, resorts, hotels, programs, innovations, research and education, i.e. the development of a new, more creative or more effective approach to any aspect of medical, wellness and marketing activities. Since such approach is accomplished through more effective products, processes, services, technologies or ideas that are readily available to the market, the emphasis in judging applicants is on the use of the local natural resources, as well as the innovations in the spa industry. This year’s ESPA INNOVATION AWARD 2019 will be granted on May 9, 2019 within the ESPA Congress (May 8 – 10, 2019, Terme Tuhelj, Croatia), with the motto SECRETS OF LIFE BALANCE.
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