Tanović: BiH must utilize its diaspora, they can attract hundreds of thousands of tourists to us every year

Adis Tanović (36) is one of the biggest promoters of Bosnia and Herzegovina's tourism potential. With eight books, which speak of the natural and cultural beauties of our country, he has so far attracted thousands of tourists to Sarajevo, Mostar, Jajce, Konjic, Trebinje...

However, Tanović does not stop there. His new tourist guide through Bosnia and Herzegovina will be promoted on January 8th in the Yunus Emre center in Sarajevo, and after that, he will continue to work on new projects. Again, those that promote the tourism potential of BiH.

- Bosnia and Herzegovina is making progress in tourism every year. Some cities in our country are already at a European level. Of course, there are also parts of Bosnia and Herzegovina that require additional investment, some small and some large investments – says Tanović in an interview for the BiH news agency Patria.

When he talks about investments in tourism, he says, he primarily means that Bosnia and Herzegovina should not allow itself to have a gravel road leading to a significant tourist destination.

The country also needs a larger number of hotels, more organized public transport, and educated tour guides.

According to all statistical indicators, Bosnia and Herzegovina will be an increasingly sought-after tourist destination in the coming years, so Tanović believes this should be utilized. Tourism can bring enormous financial benefits to the country, create new jobs, and contribute to an increase in GDP.

- Neighboring countries are working on cultural route projects, connecting cultural heritage into a thematic whole and thus contributing to sustainable development. Unfortunately, no one is doing that here yet – warns Tanović. He believes that strong marketing promotion of Bosnia and Herzegovina is now needed more than ever if we want to earn more from tourism.

- Many people in the West think that the war is still ongoing in Bosnia and Herzegovina. They are afraid to come to our country – says Tanović, adding that efforts must be made to change that.

For Tanović, the whole of Bosnia and Herzegovina is a tourist gem. The brightest among the jewels for now are Jajce, Travnik, and the Old Town of Sarajevo. There are also, he says, Blagaj na Buni, the waterfall in Jajce, Stolac, Kravice, the Una and Neretva rivers, as well as dozens of other locations across the country.

This young promoter of Bosnia and Herzegovina concludes that our diaspora could play a key role in the development of tourism in BiH. By opening agencies in Sweden, Denmark, Norway, and other countries around Europe and the world, which would coordinate with travel agencies in BiH, they could make a significant step forward in bringing tourists to the country, believes Tanović, writes Patria.