 THE MASTER PLAN FOR TOURISM PROMOTION IN SERBIA |
| BACKGROUND |
§ Tourism of Serbia achieved nearly a 44% share of tourism in former Yugoslavia. Foreign arrivals to Serbia run up to nearly 900.000 in 1990. In the year 2.000, 165.000 foreign tourists were registered.
§ After 12 years of isolation and war Serbia is seeking to renew its links with the international community, to regain the confidence and to improve its image
§ Tourism figures declined in 2000. comparing to the previous year. Considering the low standard of living in Serbia and the lack of the investments in this sector, further declination can be expected.
§ The positive impact of a sound tourism industry, such as a higher employment rate, better wages, improvement in the infrastructure, the better quality standard of the environment, the preservation of cultural inheritance, better leisure facilities, benefits the population, the tourism industry and the state.
§ The enterprises benefit from the growth of the number of tourists through the business volume, higher profit and shareholder value. For the state, tourism means higher tax and currency income and higher employment of the population.
§ Thus tourism can play a significant role in revitalizing the Serbia economy and raising the standard of living.
§ Many initiatives in the private and public sector in Serbia started during past years. These initiatives are spread into many different directions and do not achieve the results that could be possible.
§ The inclusion of Serbia in to the Stability Pact for Southeast Europe, EU programs and other development programs initiated projects that will have impact on the traffic/tourism infrastructure and on tourism itself.
§ The central geographical position of Serbia in Southeast Europe is the reason why many traffic crossroads, by road, rail or by river can be found in Serbia.
If Serbia cannot meet the required standards of the tourism infrastructure, this will have an impact on the tourism development in the whole region.
§ Project of development of cultural tourism, according to the project of development cultural tourism Southeast European countries, would improve cultural itinerary between Southeast European countries in cooperation with ICOMOS (International Council of Monuments and Sites)
| OBJECTIVES |
To develop a tourism Master plan for Serbia in order:
1. To create the basis for a sustainable tourism development in order to achieve tourism figures before the war (from 165.000 to 900.000 foreign tourists)
2. To realize the impact of a sustainable tourism development on the whole
3. To generate confidence in Serbia and to encourage private investments in tourism projects
4. To put Serbia into position to play its role at the many crossroads, connecting North and South, East and West, by road, rail and river
5. To support the reintegration of Serbia into the region
6. To pool the efforts of the private and the public sector into one direction and to take advantage of synergies
7. To take into account the tourism industry effecting projects of the Stability Pact, EU programs and the other donors, in order to take advantage of synergies.
8. To optimize the effects of the given projects by taking into account the needs of the tourism industry
| DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT |
The project should be realize in following phases:
1. Analyze the tourism development of Serbia before and after the war and what has to be done to get back and to achieve former figures
2. Evaluate health/spa possibilities in the whole region to find out if there are unique health treatment and if there could be the cooperation with other partners
3. Analyze environmental effects and possibilities for enhancing cultural inheritance and promoting eco-tourism
4. Analyze the accessibility of the potential tourism sites and the crossroads by road, rail and river and define measures that would be taken
5. The activities of ICOMOS and the Danube Tourist Commission will be part of a Master plan for Serbia
6. Analyze the competitive situation of the tourism products of Serbia
7. Analyze the change in the tourism flows since the beginning of the transition process
8. Define major source markets, consumer trends and the competitive position of Serbia tourism products on these markets
9. Develop a comprehensive product strategy, including accessibility of transportation means, accommodation, cultural heritage, events, which create a unique sales proposition
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10. Develop a communication strategy including electronic means and electronic market place for Serbia which comprises tourist information's and bookable
offers
11. Examination and coordination of regional tourism activities
12. Promote and practice public/private partnership on the product development and marketing sector
13. Analyses of tourism staff qualification level and making the programs for staff education
14. Analyze the measures of the Stability Pact, European Union and other donors, and their impact on the tourism industry
15. Prepare development plan for the first five years
| REGIONAL COMPONENT AND ANTICIPATED IMPACT |
 Cultural itinerary |
§ ICOMOS is concerned over the status of cultural heritage in Southeast Europe arising from its unrevealed cultural integrity the danger of natural calamities armed and, economic difficulties and commercialization of uncontrolled tourism. They are convinced that preservation of the regions cultural heritage requires coordinated efforts and mutual understanding of the others values.
- Cultural heritage is one of regional development aspects, which rational use would contribute to returning invested funds and to its preservation, maintenance and development
- Cultural routes, as a part of tourist sector, express the identity of the country and diversity of the cultural heritage in the region and contribute to its European integration
- The rational use of cultural heritage would contribute to achieving the objectivity's of the Southeast Europe Stability Pact in relation to the development of democracy, economy, stability and cooperation in the region
| The Danube River |
§ The Danube River can be seen as a link between countries and cultures, as a tourism attraction in all countries along the Danube and as a mean of the transportation, e.g. cruise ships.
- There are many reasons to spend a holiday on the Danube river itself and on its banks and amassing diversity of events and activities linked together by the river as a common unifying element
- With 588 km length Serbia covers nearly 25% of total length of the river, with natural and cultural highlights
- To meet the expectations of tourists coming in to the region for the Danube river, the prerequisites of the Serbian sector have to be reestablished in the near future. Otherwise, the Danube River cannot get its position in linking
| Crossroads |
§ With its geographical position between the Central European countries, Southeast European countries, and the Middle East, Serbia is a gateway for the whole region
§ The tourism flow depends on the standard of the infrastructure (roads, rails, air transportation) and the accessibility of the tourism regions. The tourism infrastructure in Serbia is actually the bottleneck which has to be eliminated in the near future in order to improve the accessibility not only for Serbia but also for the whole region
§ The Danube River plays two roles in respect to interregional aspects. The first, as a part of many crossroads in Serbia and the second, as a tourist attraction. The experiences of the Danube Tourist Commission would be involved in the tourism development of Serbia
| COST STRUCTURE |
§ Realization of Master plan of tourism development of Republic of Serbia would cost about 500.000 EURO (450.000$).
§ The actual cost will depend on the depth of the research in Serbia itself and in the most important upcoming markets as well as to what extent the competition is to be analysed.
§ A further aspect pertaining to the costs is the quality of existing studies that could be utilised and how up to date they are.
§ Finally, the qualifications and numbers of the team members from Serbia who will play a vital role in the project are a decisive factor for the overall budget.
| CONNECTION WITH OTHER DONORS |
Potential donors are Stability Pact, EU funds, WTO/UN funds, European Governments
| REGIONAL CONFERENCE |
Stability Pact for South East Europe |
