Minister Košarac Organized A Video Conference on Mitigating The Negative Effects of The Coronavirus Epidemic on Tourism In BiH

Today, the Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of BiH Staša Košarac organized a video conference on mitigating the negative effects of the coronavirus epidemic on tourism in BiH, given the World Tourism Organization's estimates that this industry is among the four most endangered in the current epidemiological situation globally.

The video conference was attended by the ministers in charge of tourism in Republika Srpska Suzana Gašić and the Federation of BiH Edita Đapo and representatives of tourism organizations of Republika Srpska Nada Jovanovic, Sarajevo County Azra Džigal, Herzegovina-Neretva County Semir Temim, Trebinje City Marko Radić and directors of Jahorina Olympic Center Dejan Ljevnaić and the County Public Enterprise ZOI 84 Kenan Magoda.

Minister Košarac informed his interlocutors that he had recently attended a video conference of the World Tourism Organization, which, among other things, said that this year there would be 20 to 40 percent less travel globally and that Europe could be most affected by the global tourism crisis.

On this occasion, Minister Košarac noted that he had asked USAID for concrete assistance in mitigating the negative effects of the coronavirus epidemic on tourism facilities in BiH and that he was convinced that part of the tourism project, which this mission plans to implement in July, would focus on remediation of negative effects of the coronavirus epidemic on tourist facilities in BiH.

Given the fact that tourism is the responsibility of the entities and lower levels of government, Minister Košarac said that the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of BiH, through a coordinating role, will base its activities on the needs of the competent entities bodies to international institutions to support projects in the fields of tourism. In that context, potential infrastructure projects, campaigns for the promotion of tourism in the Republika Srpska and the Federation of BiH, and measures for possible subsidizing of tourist capacities in BiH were discussed.

In this regard, Minister Košarac announced that he would continue talks with both USAID and other international financiers, such as the EBRD, in order to support and help the recovery of domestic tourism facilities after the coronavirus epidemic.