In July 2024, Serbia experienced a mixed bag in its tourism sector compared to the same month in 2023, according to the Republic Institute of Statistics. The total number of tourist arrivals increased by 1.2 percent, but overnight stays declined by 4.1 percent.
Domestic tourism saw a significant drop, with a 15.2 percent reduction in overnight stays, while foreign tourists showed a more positive trend, with a 12.1 percent increase in their overnight stays. The Belgrade region was a notable exception, showing a 14.4 percent increase in arrivals and an 11.1 percent rise in overnight stays. Foreign tourist arrivals in Belgrade increased by 15.8 percent year-on-year, and there was a 15.2 percent rise in foreign arrivals over the past seven months.
In contrast, Šumadija and Western Serbia saw a 10.8 percent decline in domestic arrivals and a 16.5 percent decrease in overnight stays. However, this region experienced a 12.1 percent increase in foreign tourist arrivals and a 16.3 percent increase in overnight stays during the same period.
Southern and Eastern Serbia also faced challenges, with domestic tourist visits dropping by 18.4 percent and overnight stays falling by 19.9 percent. Despite this, foreign tourist arrivals in these regions increased by 4.5 percent, with their overnight stays up by 5.6 percent.
In specific destinations, Spas reported a 3.2 percent increase in foreign tourist visits, mountain centers saw a significant 28.8 percent growth, and other locations experienced a 10.9 percent rise in foreign visitors compared to July 2023.
