Serbia did what no other European country managed: With 298,949 foreign visitors in the first half of 2009, Serbia was able to gain a respectable seven percent on the first half of the previous year. The figures speak for themselves: Serbia is one of the few, if not the only European country that achieved an increase in the number of visitors in the ongoing year. However, the South East European country was not left entirely unaffected by the economic crisis. Accordingly, a trend owed to the difficult environment is starting to show. While the country welcomed more foreign tourists, these visitors would mostly stay in Serbia for shorter periods of time.
The number of German visitors to Serbia in the first six months reached a total of 16,937 travelers generating 35,037 overnight stays. This marks another seven percent plus, with a simultaneous five percent decline in overnight stays. In other words: There is a growing interest in Serbia, but the crisis forces many to cut expenses.
Still: The total number of overnight stays by foreign tourists in Serbia reached 656,445, translating to an average length of stay of around 2.2 days and a four percent plus compared to the previous year.
Serbian tourism professionals hope to be able to keep up this unique trend in the second half of the year – a hope likely to be fulfilled, since highly attended events in the summer months, such as Universiade in Belgrade and the EXIT Festival in Novi Sad, have reached an international audience. One thing is for certain: at the end of the year, there will be no two-digit minus – as seen in the neighboring states of Hungary, Romania and Slovenia – for the destination of Serbia, showing once more that the former Yugoslavian constituent republic has retaken its spot on the world map.
A major contributor is the favorable price-performance ratio thanks to the benefits of the exchange rates. While it makes traveling more expensive for Serbians, it makes the stay less costly for foreigners. This year, the Euro buys ten percent more, with the rates presently ranging at 92 Dinars.
More Information at www.serbia.travel.
