Bentbaša Cliff Diving through History
This year, on August 5th, the 9th edition of the Bentbaša Cliff Diving competition was held Bentbaša Cliff Diving an exciting event where athletes from the region and beyond come to showcase their diving skills. The tradition of diving in Bentbaša can be traced back to 1958 when the dam was built. However, the famedBentbaša Cliff Diving – Sarajevo” event began its tradition in 2015. The competition divided into two categories: figurative dives ((with (with 10 participants) and traditional dives (with 10 participants), and was attended by more than 3000 people. Moreover, this year’s edition gathered competitors from the region and other European countries. The first award was received by Evald Krnić, scoring 58.5 points in both rounds. Igor Arsenić took second place with 57.5 points, and Rade Stefanović came in third with 56 points.
This year, the focus wasn’t solely on adventure tourism. It was equally important to restore Bentbaša as a traditional area of Sarajevo rich in cultural and historical heritage, thus highlighting the immense potential for enhancing Sarajevo’s tourist offerings.
Before the dives, visitors enjoyed an all-day entertainment at Dariva with a program that included educational and art workshops, sports climbing, and retro photo exhibitions.
Significance of USAID Turizam Project’s Support
In 2023, the “Bentbaša Cliff Diving” event aimed to achieve several key objectives. First, it focused on strengthening the event’s brand identity through enhanced visual content and increased social media presence. To improve the event’s reputation and promote adventure tourism in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), the competition organization was supported by targeted digital campaigns and strategic collaboration between broader tourism value chain stakeholders.
A great number of visitors!
Starting Point of Adrenaline: “SporTur”
The Association for the Promotion of Sports and Tourism “SporTur”, Spor-sport and Tur-tourism, is dedicated to promoting natural resources and cultural-historical heritage through sports and tourism resources and is the proud organizer of the Bentbaša Cliff Diving event. Additionally, this event engages young people in creating a dynamic tourist scene and promotes the country’s natural wealth.
Adventure Tourism in BiH
Adventure tourism is increasingly making a mark on the global tourism scene. Data from the World Tourism Organization – UNWTO show that this sector accounts for about 10% of international trips. Leveraging the success of the Adventure Tourism Cluster establishment plan from the previous year, USAID Turizam plans to further develop this emerging network in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Since its inception in 2015, Bentbaša Cliff Diving has been continuously growing in size and reputation, highlighting the tourist potential of Sarajevo and BiH.
