Mayor Memić asks the Sarajevo Canton Tourist Board: What have you done for hoteliers?

SARAJevo, (Patria) - As the thematic session "Sarajevo Canton Tourism Development Strategy" organized by the Sarajevo Canton Tourist Board is underway at the Hills Hotel in Ilidža, the Mayor of Ilidža Municipality, Prof. Dr. Senaid Memić, sent a written response to the organizers.

"On the occasion of the thematic conference "Sarajevo Canton Tourism Development Strategy" organized by the Sarajevo Canton Tourist Board at the "Hills" Hotel in Ilidža, to which I, as mayor, was not even invited, I express my protest due to the irresponsible attitude towards the local community. Talking about the goals and proposals for the foundation of the Sarajevo Canton Tourism Development Strategy, which also includes Ilidža Municipality, is a complete disrespect to this local community, which significantly contributes to the Tourist Board's budget position with its revenues. You talk about strategy, but you do nothing that would be strategically beneficial for the local community. For years, we have received nothing from the tourist tax; we do not take a single mark into our budget. Is this the incompetence of the Tourist Board or the absence of state laws and their non-enforcement? Your strategy, gentlemen in tourism, is to take away jurisdiction from the local community, while leaving it with all the risks of creating tourist destinations. In this way, you unplannedly create a situation where you have no answer to the stressful situations that our tourism workers and mayors are exposed to today, to whom you assign both the burden and the responsibility for their occurrence, and there is no expertise in this business.

It is a shame that you collect money from the overnight tax, yet invest nothing in the beautification and hygiene of our municipality. It seems that your job is to squander money on organizing fairs where you meet with someone, and you don't even know with whom. It is evident that there are many problems, and the least you could have done as a Tourist Board is to talk to those who are most concerned, namely the citizens of the local community and their legitimate representatives. An ignorant attitude will not bring improvement or good to anyone, because it is precisely with such an attitude that you show a desire and will to solve problems in tourism. Ilidža Municipality, as an always desirable, and recently a significant tourist destination, deserves that the problems of tourism workers be heard, if they do not already have special attention and access to solutions. I also ask you, what have you done to help hoteliers during the crisis?