São Paulo, Brazil, from April 3 to April 5 – Representatives of Bosnia and Herzegovina are showcasing the country’s unique blend of cultures, landscapes and visitor experiences to Latin American travelers and tourism trade in WTM Latin America, one of the largest travel fairs on the continent. USAID’s Developing Sustainable Tourism in Bosnia and Herzegovina (Turizam), Visit Sarajevo and Turkish Airlines are holding the first ever destination presentation of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Latin America to tour operators and travel media.
Bosnia and Herzegovina, promoted as “the most exciting destination in the world,” is a country blessed with spectacular natural attractions including untouched rivers, mountains and forests, a unique mix of four religions and cultural traditions, a cuisine combining the best of Mediterranean, central European and Ottoman influences and a laid-back, open-minded mentality in which hospitality plays a central role. The cities of Sarajevo and Mostar are globally recognized as attractive destinations, while other places like Trebinje and Banja Luka have also attracted the world’s attention. Furthermore, the country is also home to the world-famous Catholic pilgrimage site of Međugorje, which attracts over 1 million visitors a year.
As part of the event, USAID Turizam Chief of Party Ibrahim Osta and Faruk Čaluk of Visit Sarajevo gave a presentation on some of the country’s most interesting tourism products and offerings, including the recently launched The Most Beautiful Villages of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Herzegovina Wine Route, the newest member of the Council of Europe’s Iter Vitis Cultural Route. Furthermore, religious tourism, particularly pilgrimages to Medjugorje and other Catholic sites, were introduced to the country with the largest Catholic population in the world.
Additionally, Bosnia and Herzegovina was presented as the gateway to the Balkan region, highlighting the Mystical Balkans marketing collaborative recently signed at ITB Berlin with Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina tourism boards.
Douglas Araujo, regional manager of Turkish Airlines, also presented his plans to expand new routes to new destinations of interest to Latin American and Brazilian travelers. A partnership between USAID Turizam and Turkish Airlines has been announced, in which commercial and media visits, as well as roadshows, will be organized to increase demand from Brazil and Latin America to Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The main tour operators and travel media from Brazil and Latin America participated in the event, including Go Viagens, Tereza Perez, FLOT, New Age, BandNews, TV Cultura and Estadão and others.
Skender Hatibović, Bosnian tour operator BiH Funky Tours, said: “We are excited to be at WTM Latin America to showcase the beauty and diversity of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the Latin American market. As a travel agency based in Bosnia and Herzegovina, we are committed to providing our customers with the highest level of service and expertise. We understand that planning a trip to a new and distant destination can be overwhelming, which is why we’re here to help. We can provide customized itineraries that will showcase the best of our country, whether our clients are interested in exploring our cities, hiking our mountains or relaxing by our lakes. We are confident that once Latin American tourists discover Bosnia and Herzegovina, they will fall in love with its beauty and charm, just as we have!”
Lívia de Sá, director of Go Viagens, highlighted: “The event was very rich, with essential information for the promotion of the destination. I believe that it is a destination for two main profiles, the passenger who has already visited part of Europe, already knows the main capitals and now wants to explore a B side, explore another destination, wants to have other experiences that he does not find in these better known capitals. But there is also the profile of a passenger who is not well traveled, who does not like the conventional, who wants something different, a connection with the place, authenticity, who travels to discover destinations with which he connects, and that Bosnia and Herzegovina can provide. I believe that in the coming years we will hear a lot about the country.”
With the aim of positioning Bosnia and Herzegovina as a competitive destination on the global market, the United States government, through USAID’s Developing Sustainable Tourism in Bosnia and Herzegovina (Turizam) project, is advancing human capital in the tourism sector, improving access to finance for tourism businesses, developing innovative tourist products, harmonizing policies and regulations, and revolutionizing destination branding and promotion. Through a comprehensive approach to sustainable tourism development, USAID Turizam will contribute to economic growth and social harmony in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
