The Director of the Business Association of the Hotel and Hospitality Industry (HORES) informed Danas that hotel reservations in February have decreased, particularly in Belgrade, with most cancellations coming from guests from Slovenia and Croatia.
“We’ve gathered data from hotels, and we are currently analyzing the situation. Around 20 percent of bookings have been canceled, though this is not the case in all hotels; it varies depending on the location,” said Genov. He added that the data from December and January were “normal.”
Branko Krasojević, Director of the “Tourism Advisor” agency, also confirmed the cancellations and explained that several neighboring countries, particularly those aware of the current political situation—such as student protests and road blockades—have advised their citizens not to visit Serbia at this time.
“These are not travel bans, but rather recommendations to avoid Serbia due to potential risks of escalation,” Krasojević remarked, referring to the ongoing protests.
However, Krasojević believes that many tourists are undeterred by these risks. He sees both positive and negative aspects to the current situation.
“On the positive side, it sends a peaceful image to the world, along with a sense of youthful energy and enthusiasm. But, politics has influenced everything. Some view it one way, others differently, and few remain neutral… This situation could also attract people who hadn’t considered visiting Serbia until now, as it has become the focus of attention from many countries. How people perceive this is important at this point,” he added.
Goran Petković, a professor at the Faculty of Economics in Belgrade, shared that while he didn’t expect protests to have a significant impact, a “minor impact” has indeed been recorded.
“This is typically the season for business trips, which tend to be unaffected by such events, and this has been confirmed to some extent… Bookings through online platforms have decreased compared to the same period last year. However, the overall impact is still minimal,” Petković stated.
He explained that hoteliers have noted that hotels located in the center of Belgrade are less affected than those on the outskirts of the city or inland. This trend is also seen in private accommodations.
Government officials have previously noted the economic toll that student blockades and protests have had on the country’s economy. Outgoing Prime Minister Miloš Vučević mentioned last week that strikes not only result in economic losses but also discourage potential investors, stating that January marked Serbia’s “worst in recent years” in terms of economic performance.
