Minister Delić sums up impressions from tourism promotion at EXPO

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - Representatives of the public and private tourism sector, as the first group of businessmen presenting Bosnia and Herzegovina at the world exhibition EXPO 2020 Dubai with the support package of the Ministry of Economy of Sarajevo Canton, presented the economic, investment and tourism potentials of our country to participants from 192 countries last week. 

Members of the first BiH business delegation attended the central forum of the tourism week “Travel and Connectivity”, thematic business forums at the pavilions of Slovakia, Serbia and Slovenia, presentations at the pavilions of Italy, Colombia, Hungary, Lebanon and Malaysia with the aim of establishing closer cooperation with these markets, and a series of B2B meetings with a special focus on innovative solutions, digitalization and the application of new technologies in the development and promotion of the tourism offer. 

Upon returning from EXPO, the Minister of Economy of Sarajevo Canton Adnan Delić hosted today representatives of tourism boards from Sarajevo, Bihać and Ljubuški, where they jointly summed up impressions and shared experiences, and agreed on continued cooperation in presenting BiH's tourism offer at this renowned world exhibition during the month of March. 

Representatives of the Tourism Board of Sarajevo Canton emphasize that it was a particular pleasure to meet with Italian Minister of Tourism Massimo Garavaglia and Secretary of the Tourism Association of the Chamber of Commerce of Serbia Tijana Maljković, with whom they discussed improving economic and tourism cooperation and opening new business opportunities.  

The Tourism Board of Sarajevo Canton, thanks to participation in this exhibition, reached an agreement with a renowned IT company on establishing cooperation that includes a full-day live stream from the most attractive locations in the area of Sarajevo Canton. 

“Our participation at EXPO brought us concrete cooperation on projects promoting the tourism offer. It is a valuable investment through which the most prominent tourist attractions and events in Sarajevo Canton will be available to potential tourists worldwide via live streaming broadcast on the websites of the Tourism Board and its stakeholders,” stated the Tourism Board. 

They also noted that the Canton and the Tourism Board have no costs for the implementation of this project, while the expected benefits relate to an increase in the number of tourist arrivals, which will directly lead to growth in tourism revenue. 

As part of the presentation of the BiH tourism industry, the Chairman of the Commission of the Tourism Board of Sarajevo Canton Kenan Magoda was a guest this morning on the EXPO TV program, where he spoke about the tourism offer of Sarajevo Canton and the competitive advantages of Bosnia and Herzegovina as a desirable tourist destination, especially for tourists coming from the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries. 

Representatives of the other two tourism boards also emphasized that participation at EXPO was an opportunity not to be missed and that, together with the Tourism Board of Sarajevo Canton, they will certainly organize for the BiH tourism sector to be presented at this exhibition during March as well, in order to further improve and strengthen the contacts made during this week.  

They also stressed that EXPO 2020 Dubai is a unique event that differs in concept from general and specialized tourism fairs, providing much greater opportunities for business improvement, both for the public and private sectors. 

As stated by Mladen Bebek, representative of the Tourism Board from Ljubuški, it was a special opportunity to see and feel a completely new business concept that we all must get to know and accept if we want to be part of the global community. 

Armin Amidžić, representative of the city of Bihać, was also impressed by EXPO and the creative energy he brought from Dubai, as well as the fact that BiH is part of this event, especially, as he said, due to the number of tourists from the Gulf who come to Bihać and Bosnia and Herzegovina, adding that it would be shameful not to be part of this exhibition. 

  Minister Delić expressed satisfaction with the fact that Bosnia and Herzegovina was presented as a whole and that the first concrete steps were taken in unifying the tourism offer with the aim of developing specific forms of tourism, such as cultural-historical, religious, festival, gastro, outdoor tourism and others, and called on representatives of tourism boards to make maximum use of the remaining time of EXPO. 

“The Government of Sarajevo Canton is at your disposal and together we should and must use this opportunity to present our homeland to the world as a desirable and safe tourist destination, and together we can achieve that Bosnia and Herzegovina is recognized as a country that offers opportunities for all forms of tourism present in the world today,” concluded Minister Delić.