REPUBLIKA SRPSKA LINKS REGIONS TO CREATE A JOINT TOURISM OFFER

Republika Srpska is continuing the process of clustering its tourism offer, with the aim of attracting more visitors, extending their stays and increasing tourism spending.

PHOTO: Trebinje danas

The initiative, launched by the Ministry of Trade and Tourism of Republika Srpska in 2023 with the completion of tourism clusters covering the Banja Luka-Prijedor and Doboj regions, has now continued with the clustering of the Foča-Višegrad tourism zone.

A NEW MODEL FOR CONNECTING TOURIST DESTINATIONS

The Ministry of Trade and Tourism says the new clustering process will follow the “Hub and Spoke” model, based on primary and secondary tourism centres.

Under this approach, a major tourist destination, attraction or locality serves as a primary centre and is connected with nearby attractions, destinations, smaller towns and rural areas.

The model is designed to create stronger functional links between tourism sites and facilitate the development of thematic tourism routes within one or several clusters.

This means that the tourism offer will no longer focus solely on individual attractions. Instead, different destinations and experiences will be connected into comprehensive tourism products.

According to the ministry, this approach will enable the creation of thematic packages and tourism routes covering several destinations and attractions, providing visitors with a more complete travel experience.

At the same time, connecting a larger number of destinations within a single cluster could help distribute tourist flows more evenly, extend average stays, increase tourism spending and strengthen the involvement of local communities and businesses in Republika Srpska’s tourism offer.

The Ministry of Trade and Tourism says workshops will also be organized in the remaining tourism regions – Romanija, Semberija and Herzegovina – with the plan for the entire clustering process to be completed by the end of the year.

VIŠEGRAD WANTS TOURISTS TO STAY LONGER

Jadranko Janjić, director of the Višegrad Tourist Organization, says the involvement of the Ministry of Trade and Tourism is an important signal that the town’s tourism development could receive additional momentum.

He says Višegrad wants to cooperate with nearby destinations such as Rogatica, Čajniče and Rudo to create excursions that would encourage visitors to explore several destinations during a single trip.

The proposed experience could include a visit to the famous Mehmed Paša Sokolović Bridge, Andrić’s Classroom and Dobrun Monastery, followed by visits to Rudo and Čajniče, with the possibility of spending the night in the area.

The ultimate goal is to encourage visitors to stay in Višegrad rather than simply passing through.

FROM TRANSIT DESTINATION TO MULTI-DAY DESTINATION

Janjić points out that tourists staying in Zlatibor and Tara represent an important potential market for Višegrad.

“These tourists who spend two or three days in the mountains are certainly with us for a day or two. We are currently working on keeping those people here for two or three days as well,” Janjić said.

He notes that Višegrad is currently largely regarded as a transit destination, and that extending the length of visitors’ stays is therefore one of the key priorities.

Višegrad also opened its tourism season this year, with plans to organize the opening at the same time every year.

According to Janjić, local records show that Višegrad has welcomed between 5,000 and 6,000 more tourists than during the same period last year.

He also believes the completion and opening of the hotel in Andrićgrad could contribute to attracting additional visitors and strengthening the town’s tourism infrastructure.

TOURISM GROWTH CONTINUES ACROSS REPUBLIKA SRPSKA

That Republika Srpska has significant tourism potential – and that visitors are increasingly interested in experiencing it – is also reflected in official tourism statistics.

According to data from the Republika Srpska Institute of Statistics, 245,744 tourists visited Republika Srpska during the first six months of 2026, generating 611,951 overnight stays.

Compared with the same period last year, tourist arrivals increased by 2.9 percent, while overnight stays rose by 5 percent.

Tourists stayed in Republika Srpska for an average of 2.5 days during the first six months of the year.

As in previous years, in addition to domestic visitors, the largest number of foreign tourists came from neighbouring countries, particularly Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia and Montenegro.

Among other European markets, Turkey, Austria, Germany and Italy also stood out in terms of visitor numbers.

According to the Tourism Organization of Republika Srpska, the largest number of overnight stays was recorded in other tourist destinations, followed by spa resorts and mountain destinations.

The growing figures, combined with the new regional clustering strategy, point to a clear direction for Republika Srpska’s tourism sector: connecting destinations and experiences in order to turn short visits and transit stops into longer, more valuable tourist stays.