The Ministry of Tourism and Youth in Serbia has held several meetings with regional representatives from Booking.com, along with representatives from neighboring countries and support from the World Tourism Organization. However, no consensus has been reached, as reported by the Tourist Inspectorate in response to inquiries from Danas.
During these discussions, a proposal was made to require a unique identification number (JID) for registered caterers from the eTurista system when entering into advertising agreements with Booking.com. However, representatives from Booking did not accept this proposal. Instead, they suggested an information campaign to educate users about their legal obligations in Serbia’s hospitality sector.
The Tourist Inspectorate noted that this issue is not unique to Serbia, as EU member states are facing similar challenges. Consequently, a regulation has been adopted by the European Parliament and Council, which will take effect on May 20, 2026. This regulation aims to establish a framework for data collection and exchange between state authorities, online platforms, and caterers.
The regulation intends to outline the obligations for online platforms to report data to state authorities and establish an electronic registration system for caterers, including the issuance of a registration number that legitimizes them when contracting with the platform.
The Ministry has developed the Central Information System for Tourism and Hospitality (eTurista) to manage the registration and categorization of hospitality facilities. Each facility is assigned a unique identification number upon registration. According to the ministry, this system fulfills the basic requirements set forth in the new EU regulation.
The ministry plans to continue negotiations with Booking.com to protect service users, maintain service quality, and ensure fair market conditions. However, Booking.com previously rejected the ministry’s proposal, citing incompatibility with its existing software and a lack of obligation to comply until the regulation takes effect in 2026.
The tourism inspection sector oversees compliance with regulations in tourism and hospitality but does not regulate the advertising of unregistered businesses. It monitors accommodation providers suspected of operating without registration based on public complaints and conducts inspections accordingly.
The Ministry’s goal is not to hinder Booking.com’s operations, as it facilitates many foreign tourists reserving accommodations in Serbia, but to ensure compliance with local regulations and combat the gray economy.
Requirements for legally renting accommodation:
According to the Catering Act, caterers can include companies, legal entities and registered entrepreneurs. A caterer can also be an individual if providing accommodation in privately-owned properties such as homes, apartments, or rural tourist households.
The inspection clarifies the categorization process for various accommodation types, which must comply with local regulations. Hotels, motels, boarding houses, tourist resorts, and campsites are required to undergo categorization through the tourism ministry, while private properties and rural tourism households are categorized by local government.
All catering facilities must meet minimum technical standards and, if subject to categorization, must adhere to the specific standards for their designated category.
