After last year’s successful tourist season, which was marked by excellent results in the number of arrivals and overnight stays, as well as a good quality-price ratio, the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton expects tourism to grow by more than 10 percent this year.
“Given the significant investments in the promotion and presentation of Herzegovina as a tourist destination, especially through the work of the Tourist Association of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton in cooperation with our partners, we believe that this year’s tourism growth will be more than 10 percent “, said Emir Tipura, assistant director of the Tourist Association for Fena.
He says that the tourism sector is very optimistic for 2025 when it comes to tourist arrivals and visits to Herzegovina, as well as the growth in the number of guests who are not excursionists but stay overnight and have more time for the tourist the offered content.
Accommodation facilities
“In recent months, the Tourist Association has visited several regional and international tourism fairs, and the interest in Herzegovina gives us the right to be even more optimistic, for growth that could exceed the statistical forecast“, says Tipura, adding that after the pandemic and in 2020, the Canton records a continuous growth in arrivals and overnight stays, an average of about 10 percent every year.
He notes that last year, 2024, in terms of the number of arrivals, was comparable to the record year 2019, which means that tourism as an industry has fully recovered, and that Herzegovina as a destination is moving in the direction of further growth.
According to him, the pandemic has brought with it some new trends in tourism, a greater interest in outdoor activities, staying in nature, and camping, which can be an advantage for Herzegovina because it is one of the destinations that successfully combines tourist offer with natural beauty.
As for prices, especially in relation to competing destinations, the assistant director of the Tourist Association says that last year at various tourist gatherings and summits it was emphasized that there is no more “cheap tourism”.
However, he adds, “analyzing the prices in our competing destinations, it should be said that Herzegovina is a more affordable destination in average” – which gives a certain comparative advantage.
“Often the price is not decisive when choosing a potential destination, but the quality and diverse offer, so we expect that Herzegovina, with its quality and diverse tourist products and more favorable prices, will remain competitive and sought-after destination this year. It should not be forgotten that we have something to offer to even those sophisticated guests, and when you have a good offer and high quality, the price should not be an obstacle “, Tipura explains.
Speaking about accommodation capacities and their growth, he emphasizes that accommodation capacities follow market growth and as such are an inseparable part of every destination.
“We can say that Herzegovina is ready for this year’s tourist season. For now, we have enough quality hotels and other accommodation facilities that meet tourist demand. So far, we have not been a luxury tourism destination, although we have five-star accommodation capacities and other high-quality services”, Tipura points out.
Outdoor activities
He adds that new trends, which have developed during and after the pandemic, have brought greater interest in a more authentic but also luxurious experience and that Herzegovina has the potential to offer this type of vacation.
The main tourist destinations in Herzegovina are certainly Neum, Međugorje and Mostar, and overnight stays are on average around two days, while other destinations are more excursion-oriented and do not have a significant percentage of overnight stays.
“Looking at the overall tourist picture, each destination is very important because with their authentic offers, they can be a reason for tourists to stay longer. For example, a guest visiting Mostar, after exploring the Old Town and a possible excursion to Blagaj and Počitelj, could stay longer if they are offered additional activities – such as adventure trips, wine tours or some outdoor activity“, says Tipura, adding that the key is in planning and that “we have to build the tourist offer in a smart and coordinated way“.
He also believes that the authenticity of each destination in Herzegovina provides an opportunity for a story that is just waiting to be told, and that it is the task of the National Tourist Association to share it with the rest of the world.
He also emphasizes that the Tourist Association is actively working on the dispersion of tourist traffic, with an emphasis on the valorization of rural areas through tourism. Moreover, various projects have been implemented in terms of wine tourism and agrotourism, and plans are to continue with camping tourism, cyclotourism and outdoor tourism.
“In the tourism market, young people are coming up with some new and innovative ideas, and we, as the Tourist Association, will be a partner to all of them who want to enrich the tourist offer and present Herzegovina in a different, more innovative and attractive way “, Tipura concluded.
