BANJA LUKA BECOMING INCREASINGLY ATTRACTIVE TO TOURISTS

Banja Luka, the largest city of Republika Srpska, continues to strengthen its position as an appealing tourist destination, recording a slight but steady increase in visitor numbers at the start of the year.

According to the Tourist Organization of Banja Luka (TOBL), the city registered 6,600 tourist arrivals in January, representing a two-percent increase compared to the same month last year.

Milica Radović, an independent professional associate at TOBL, presented the latest figures confirming the positive trend.

Tourist arrivals:

A total of 6,600 visitors, up two percent compared with January of the previous year.

Overnight stays:

Tourists recorded 10,234 overnight stays, surpassing the result achieved in the same period last year.

“These figures clearly show that Banja Luka remains an attractive destination, especially during the winter holiday period and various events that continue to draw an increasing number of domestic and foreign tourists,” Radović said, according to SRNA News Agency.

Speaking about revenues from the tourist residence tax, Radović noted that 34,197 convertible marks (KM) were collected in January, compared with 36,620 KM in the same month last year.

She explained that although the physical indicators of tourism traffic — arrivals and overnight stays — are on the rise, tax collection often depends on the timing of administrative payments made by accommodation providers, as well as the structure of guests. Certain categories, such as children, are exempt from paying the tax.

“Slight variations in tax collection compared to the number of overnight stays are common at the beginning of a quarter. The real indicator for us is the growing number of guests on the ground, which confirms a successful tourist season,” Radović emphasized.