INCREASED NUMBER OF TOURISTS IN THE LARGEST CITY OF SRPSKA

Banja Luka was visited by 76,839 tourists in the first eight months of this year, which is a 3% increase compared to 2023, which was a record year.

PHOTO: Aleksandar Čavić

According to the Banja Luka Tourism Organization, guests made 119,447 overnight stays, which is a 5% increase compared to 2023. The statistics show 25,050 domestic tourists with 33,671 overnight stays and 451,789 foreign tourists with a total of 85,776 overnight stays.

The Tourism Organization of Banja Luka reported that Slovenian tourists continue to rank highest in terms of both arrivals and overnight stays.

In August alone, Banja Luka was visited by 2,464 domestic tourists, who recorded 3,481 overnight stays, and 8,995 foreign tourists, who had 18,394 overnight stays.

Branka Branković, from the city’s Tourism Organization, mentioned that even more tourists are expected to visit Banja Luka during the fall and winter seasons.

“There is a significant number of short-term apartment rentals in the gray market, and registered hotels, motels, and accommodations don’t report all of their guests. We have no major complaints, and by the end of the year, the tourist statistics will either remain steady or increase,” Branković said, as reported by SRNA.

She emphasized that Banja Luka is no longer just a seasonal destination, having evolved into a year-round tourist spot over the past decade.

Additionally, she noted that Banja Luka is increasingly attracting tourists from countries connected by air routes to the largest city in the Republic of Srpska.

"Due to its connection with the Belgrade airport, we have also seen a noticeable rise in tourists from Asian countries," Branković added.

She concluded by stating that Banja Luka remains the leading city in the Republic of Srpska in terms of tourist arrivals and ranks as the fourth destination by the number of overnight stays.