ŠULIĆ: FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CENTRAL INFORMATION SYSTEM TO BEGIN IN 2026

The entry into 2026 will mark the start of the full implementation of the Central Information System, while special emphasis in the coming months will be placed on the joint promotion of domestic products from the Republic of Srpska and Serbia, Republika Srpska Minister of Trade and Tourism Denis Šulić told the Srna News Agency.

“We believe that support for domestic production and the branding of local products represent strong economic and development potential,” Šulić said.

He added that during 2026, public debates on the Draft Law on Tourism will continue, followed by the submission of the proposed law into parliamentary procedure, as well as the consideration of the Draft Law on Hospitality.

Šulić also emphasized that special attention will be given to the most vulnerable social groups.

“In January, we will begin distributing flour to public kitchens and beneficiaries of the Red Cross of the Republic of Srpska, in accordance with the decision of the Government of the Republic of Srpska on the donation of 500,000 kilograms of flour procured through emergency procurement procedures,” Šulić said.

SIGNIFICANT GROWTH IN TOURIST TRAFFIC IN 2025

Šulić stated that through systemic legislative reforms, intensive field activities, and direct support to domestic tourism, the Republic of Srpska achieved significant growth in tourist traffic in 2025 and laid the foundations for a more regulated and sustainable market.

“Behind us is a year in which we established clear and solid foundations for systemic changes in the fields of trade and tourism, with a focus on market regulation, consumer protection, and the modernization of the tourism sector,” Šulić emphasized.

He recalled that the Ministry of Trade and Tourism worked extensively on amending the legislative framework.

“We adopted the Consumer Protection Law, which ensures more effective protection of consumer rights, particularly in areas that previously proved to be deficient or insufficiently clear. In addition, the Draft Law on Tourism was adopted and will be sent to public debate, while the Draft Law on Hospitality was also prepared — two laws that represent the foundation for a more regulated, transparent, and sustainable development of tourism in the Republic of Srpska,” Šulić said.

FURTHER POSITIONING THE REPUBLIC OF SRPSKA AS A RECOGNIZABLE TOURIST DESTINATION

Šulić added that alongside these normative activities, the Ministry maintained a strong presence in the field.

“Through visits to local communities across the Republic of Srpska and support for development projects, we actively worked on presenting the tourism offer of the Republic of Srpska at numerous domestic and international fairs. In the upcoming period, we will continue this continuity with appearances in Vienna, Belgrade, Banja Luka, and New York, with the clear goal of further positioning the Republic of Srpska as a recognizable tourist destination,” Šulić said.

He noted that the continuously growing results in tourism are particularly encouraging and confirm that the measures implemented by the Ministry are producing concrete and measurable effects.

“In the first 11 months of this year, the Republic of Srpska recorded 477,944 tourist arrivals and 1,125,259 overnight stays, representing an increase of 20,383 arrivals and 29,527 overnight stays compared to the same period last year,” Šulić pointed out.

A significant contribution to these results, he added, came from the tourism voucher project, which demonstrated that direct support for domestic tourism benefits both citizens and the economy.

“Due to the exceptionally positive effects, the tourism voucher project will continue next year as well, with the aim of further increasing tourist traffic and ensuring balanced development of tourist destinations throughout the Republic of Srpska,” Šulić said, SRNA reports.