Head of the EU Delegation to BiH: Tourism can – and will – be an Engine of Prosperity

The heads of the city of Sarajevo, the city of East Sarajevo, the municipalities of Sarajevo Stari Grad, East Stari Grad and Pale signed an agreement last week on the rehabilitation of the old railway line between Bistrik and Pale. The winding path that meanders along the Miljacka Gorge becomes a 15-kilometer bike and hiking trail. The European Union is working with the authorities of both cities and three municipalities on this project, which will build the embankments, tunnels and bridges along the route – some of which are remarkable and elegant examples of late 19th century engineering. It will create jobs and a unique leisure resource for citizens and tourists. The scheme has been talked about for years. What was missing so far was the administrative coordination in order to create a coordinated development plan and secure investments.

Tourism can – and should – be an engine of prosperity, but its potential is not being fully exploited. The Sarajevo-Pale Path can serve as a model for environmentally friendly, public-private projects across the country.

Unfortunately, those who work in the tourism industry often have to swim against the current – the business environment makes it difficult to offer a competitive product. That is why we need a new approach.

At a tourism conference organized last week by the EU and the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the problems faced by people who depend on tourism for their livelihoods were illuminating. Conference attendees highlighted, among other things, the need for a compelling brand for BiH that can be developed and presented to international investors and potential visitors. The image of Bosnia and Herzegovina needs to be renewed and made clearer: this is a country with a unique cultural heritage, an infinite variety of exceptional geographical features and a distinctive tradition of hospitality.

But in order to have a campaign, you must first have a strategy. Currently, despite continued efforts over the years, Bosnia and Herzegovina does not have an overarching tourism strategy. For an industry that accounts for 10 percent of GDP – and could make a lot more – this is contrary to common sense.

At last week’s conference, experts and professionals spoke convincingly about what the authorities need to do to create a competitive environment – they want transparency, legal clarity and a smart and responsible approach to infrastructure development. You may have the best hotels and restaurants in the world, but you need good roads, better airports, you need better connections to the region and the world.

One participant noted that much progress has been made through the hard work and determination of individual restaurateurs, hoteliers and tour operators. There is a lot of know-how, but it is not used in a positive environment. Other countries are now taking a more systematic approach. In the coming years, tourists could start visiting places like Georgia and Azerbaijan instead of Bosnia and Herzegovina because these countries are implementing well thought out tourism development strategies. During the conference, tourism ministers at national and regional level pledged to accelerate their efforts and establish a strategic framework by the end of the year.

As I listened to the discussion, I thought about my own experiences in this country – hiking, climbing, biking, exploring the city and the countryside. Living and traveling here has been a constant process of discovery and a privilege for me. This privilege can be extended to hundreds of thousands of visitors if the right steps are taken now as global tourism markets reopen after the pandemic.

In the last twelve months, the EU, together with the German government, has disbursed 1.6 million euros in grants to companies in the tourism sector in BiH as part of the EU4Business program. This year we launched a new EU4Business Recovery project to mitigate the economic impact of the pandemic.

Tourism can create jobs; it can feed families; it can protect rather than harm the environment; and it can help Bosnia and Herzegovina move to long-term prosperity. To this end, sensible administrative solutions must be implemented – as required for the new route from Bistrik to Pale. I urge the authorities to honor the commitments made during the Tourism Conference, thereby helping the tourism sector realize its significant potential and providing opportunities and income for the thousands of hardworking workers who depend on tourism. The European Union will continue to support this work and the tourism sector of BiH. With a new approach by the authorities, the country’s tourism professionals may well have success.