MORE THAN 100 LICENSED TOURIST GUIDES IN SRPSKA

Tourist guides are the best ambassadors of a local community and a country. A good tourist guide plays a crucial role in shaping the impression a visitor takes from a city, significantly influencing the quality of their stay and their likelihood of returning.

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This was emphasized during the celebration of International Tourist Guide Day in Banja Luka, where RS Minister of Tourism Denis Šulić awarded accreditations to newly certified tourist guides.

In this round, 23 new guides received accreditation, bringing the total number of licensed tourist guides in RS to over 100. These guides are authorized to conduct tours throughout the region. Additionally, there are local guides who operate exclusively within specific communities.

Minister of Tourism Denis Šulić announced that special attention will be given to Trebinje in the future.

"We have information that agencies bringing visitors from Mostar, Montenegro, and Dubrovnik are arriving with their own tourist guides. Therefore, we will strengthen inspection oversight," explained Šulić.

He emphasized that any organized tourist tour requiring a guide must contact the local community's tourism organization upon arrival.

"Just as our agencies respect the laws of the countries they bring tourists to, others must respect our regulations as well," added Šulić.

Gospava Kalaba from Šipovo has been working as a tourist guide for over a decade. She shared that guides from Šipovo particularly enjoy leading tours in their hometowns, as it brings a special sense of pride to showcase their birthplace.

The municipality of Šipovo has long been recognized as a tourist destination and has seen a significant rise in visitors in recent years. It is home to the source of the Pliva River, the Janj Islands, and the Janj Primeval Forest.

"Tourists are primarily drawn to our natural beauty, and once they arrive, they also discover our unique traditions and gastronomy," Kalaba revealed. However, she also pointed out the issue of unregulated waste disposal, which affects the environment.

She further reminded that tourism workers and the local population are actively opposing the planned construction of mini hydropower plants on the Pliva River.

"Unfortunately, there is always a struggle between tourism and industry, and Šipovo is no exception. The greatest strength lies in the local community, and we believe this project will be stopped. I must stress that tourism does not destroy, drill, or exploit resources; instead, visitors come and pay to witness natural beauty," Kalaba stated.

Dragana Vukliš, director of the Banja Luka Tourist Organization, announced that their organization will soon have even more licensed guides.

"We receive daily requests for tourist guides fluent in various languages, and the plan to expand the database of guides is encouraging," Vukliš noted.

She highlighted that Banja Luka recorded approximately 123,000 tourist arrivals and over 186,000 overnight stays in the past year.

"Tourist visits have been steadily increasing over the past few years, and a new record was set in 2023," Vukliš added.