Allotment of tourist vouchers for vacations in Serbia this year it is late and it is not known when it will start, says Milan Ristic from the association Moja Srbija. For this purpose, this year's budget provides 300 million dinars, which is 30.000 vouchers of 10.000 dinars.
Ristic for the portal Biznis.rs states that with this measure of support for the tourism sector, it is already too late.
"Last year, the number of vouchers was reduced for the first time and their distribution was delayed. Restaurateurs suffered great consequences as a result. In that, I am primarily referring to small restaurateurs, since expensive hotels, which were included in the action, did not have a large share in reservations", says Ristić and adds that this number of vouchers is insufficient for the needs of domestic tourism in Serbia.
Due to the crisis in Middle East, suspended flights and increased risk at certain destinations, a greater influx of tourists is expected in the region. But Ristić believes that this will not compensate for the lack of adequate action with vouchers.
Hoteliers did not experience a drop in overnight stays in 2025, while small restaurateurs are under attack due to the lack of vouchers.
"When it comes to hoteliers, they did not experience a drop in the number of overnight stays, and I don't think there will be any this year either. Vouchers have almost no effect on them, since users are obliged to book at least five nights, so the voucher often cannot cover even 10-20 percent of the total costs of the bill. On the other hand, small restaurateurs had a significant drop in income last year, and we expect that they will fare badly this year as well. At this rate, domestic tourism will return to the level of 2015, when renting out rooms and apartments was only an opportunity for additional income, and hardly anyone took it seriously", believes Ristić.
When asked whether the allocation of vouchers will help the business of the tourism sector this year, Ristić says that this measure was too late and it is questionable whether, if the vouchers are released in May, this action will bring more harm or benefit. Although this would mean that several tens of thousands more tourists will go on vacation in Serbia, considering that summer is the period when the capacities are the most full, it can lead to big problems.
According to the data Biznis.rs portal, in 2015 there were only 120 names on the list of caterers who receive vouchers, the following year around 180, and now there are around 5.000.
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