Tourism earned Serbia almost Usd 1 billion Usd in 2011, which illustrates how sustainable this branch of economy is, as well as its contribution to job creation and more balanced regional development, Serbian Minister of Economy Nebojsa Ciric said.
The profit reflects an increase of 15-18 percent in comparison to 2010, the minister said at the conference ”Sustainable Tourism for Rural Development” which opened today in Belgrade.
According to Ciric, 55% of Serbian citizens live in rural areas, and the level of poverty amounts to 10 percent, in comparison to 4% in urban parts of the country.
Ciric added that 27% of tourist activities in Serbia are taking place in rural areas, adding that 2.3 million out of a total of 7 million overnight stays were recorded in these areas.
Secretary General of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Taleb Rifai said that in 2011 tourism saw an increase of 4.4% at the global level, a rise of 6% in Europe, and a leap of 8.8 percent in southern Europe and the Mediterranean countries.
He said that Serbia must enhance competitiveness of every destination, and as a landlocked country, attract its prospective tourists with what it has- food, music, lifestyle, and underlined that tourism accounts for only 5 percent of GDP.
The three-day conference will underscore the importance and development prospects for rural tourism in Serbia, explore the strategies for overcoming obstacles to its sustainable development, and legal framework for a sustainable tourist industry in the southeastern region.
Source ANSAmed
