“Enjoy in Time” is the motto that should be remembered, especially today, at the beginning of the 39th International Tourism Fair, because – in the next four days, the “whole world” is at Belgrade Fair – meet it, enjoy, pay your holiday at the outstanding Fair prices. This is confirmed by almost 1, 200 participants from 56 countries, among them an extraordinary one this year by its status – Montenegro as the Partner Country.
With the welcome to the participants, guests and visitors, before he declared the 39th International Tourism Fair opened, the Prime Minister of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić congratulated Belgrade Fair and the Ministry of Tourism for all records accomplished in the organization of this event and the contribution to the tourism development.
– Unlike Montenegro, which has got the beautiful sea, mountains, Skadarsko Lake and everything making a country the tourism destination, in Serbia the tourism is not the priority economic branch, but it earned from it last year a billion and 42 million Euros, which is 200 million Euros more than the incomes accomplished in Montenegro. This is just showing we were not aware of the potentials, we have started using them now and expect even higher success from the mutual participation. Our most important objective, beside the cooperation with Montenegro, is to try making as many mutual offers also with Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, as well as Hungary as possible, said Aleksandar Vučić.
As he stated, the objective of Serbia is that the tourism income exceeds two billion Euros in five years, but this cannot be accomplished by individual participations, but only by the cooperation advancing in the region. Some figures support such thinking – while in the world the number of tourists rises four percent annually and two percent in Europe, the number of guests in Serbia was last year increased for 13 percent and the number of nights almost 14 percent. The Prime Minister pointed out the increasing amount of money remained from tourism, but the tourists from far destinations could be attracted only by the regional uniting.
– The Chinese spend the most money for travels, but in the last few years they visited Paris, Vienna and other European cities many times and now it is the turn of this region and our great chance is here, said Vučić. – In our offer we have to focus on these 18 distinguished tourism points of ours, on the natural beauties we have got and Belgrade, which is becoming one of the most important City Break destinations.
In addition to the fact that all global languages will be heard owing to the tourism at Belgrade Fair, another three similar events are held at the same time – 13th International Fair of Hotel and Restaurant Equipment HORECA, 8th International Wine Fair BEOWINE and the 13th Souvenir Fair Visit Serbia.
On behalf of Montenegro, this year’s Partner Country, Pavle Radulović, Minister of Sustainable Development and Tourism, spoke at the Festive Opening ceremony of the 39th International Tourism Fair:
– Montenegro is for the first time in the recent history the Partner Country at Belgrade Tourism Fair, which shows the relations are good. This is not new, but the fact and the relations in this branch should be the example of cooperation also in all other sections. I would like to thank for the special status on behalf of my country –the Government, economy and Tourism Organizations.
– In addition to this, the Montenegrin tourism is characteristic for competitiveness, balanced offer – something for everyone, simplified administration entry systems, close relative – friendship relations between the two nations. This year, we expect from Serbia more than 400 thousand guests and our special challenge is to try to ‘extend’ the tourism season, i.e. to develop tourism throughout the year. We shall continue the regional cooperation development, due to the attracting the tourists from far destinations and we all have already been working hard on this. There are a thousand reasons to visit Montenegro and which reasons they are – check at our stand, concluded Minister Radulović.
Rasim Ljajić, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Trade, Tourism and Telecommunications in the Government of Serbia, also spoke about this year’s record event. He said almost 1,200 exhibitors came from 56 countries, and China and Russia presented their offers for the first time:
– This is also a very well visited event, visited last year by more visitors than the Tourism Fairs in Sofia, Thessaloniki and Timisoara together and the number of visitors was five time higher than at the Tourism Fair in Zagreb, i.e. there were seven times more visitors compared with the Fair in Ljubljana. Three or four years ago, our tourism went out of a sort of the illegal status, it was like entertainment and special status has been given to it now – it became an important economic branch with great influence to the whole country’s economics. The tourism has already got the continuity and it is growing, said Rasim Ljajić at the 39th International Tourism Fair opening at Belgrade Fair.
