A little more than a month is left to the end leta, school The year is approaching, and touristic the season is coming to an end. This year, travel agencies from Serbia sold about ten percent fewer packages than last year, and the number of those traveling individually decreased by a similar percentage, according to data from the National Association of Travel Agencies. Jute.
"We can say that it is a weaker year by an average of 10 percent. It depends on the destination. Of course, the most people traveled and will travel to Greece, however, Greece is also on the decline compared to last year by between five and 10 percent," Aleksandar Seničić, director of Utah, told "Vreme".
Apart from Greece, tourists from Serbia are also interested in other "family destinations" - say Turkey with 'all inclusive' arrangements, Egypt, Tunisia, Montenegro, but there is also a noticeable decrease in tourists from Serbia.
This year, there are also trips to Spain, Italy, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus and Malta, but there is a noticeable decline everywhere, explains Seničić.
"Greece is between five and ten percent weaker compared to last year, Montenegro about 20 percent, Turkey about 15 percent, the same is true with Egypt. We have a reduction in some of these air destinations that is far greater than in these countries where we can also come by land," adds Seničić.
Reduction in the number of days
In addition to fewer people traveling, the average number of days people spend at sea has also decreased.
"This year, there is a greater offer of arrangements for seven days than in previous years. This was previously sporadic. Mostly, they were arrangements for ten, eleven days, that is, overnight stays," explains Seničić.
Until May, he says, it seemed that the sales of arrangements would be at last year's level, but then interest dropped.
"I would say that this had an effect on the number of days offered by the agencies, that is, that the prices are lowered in such a way that it is possible for people to possibly spend a shorter time at sea, without it costing much", says Seničić.
More expensive than last year
Destinations and arrangements are more expensive than before by about 15 percent on average.
"Apartments in Greece, for example, are more expensive by about ten percent on average, while hotels have risen in price by about 15 percent. Turkey, Egypt, Tunisia, Spain, Italy, so all airline destinations, are somewhere between fifteen and twenty percent more expensive than last year," says Seničić.
And those who traveled or are planning a trip to Montenegro this year will notice the difference in price.
Hotel accommodation is more expensive by about 10 percent, while private accommodation is at last year's level or more expensive by about five percent.
Why are fewer people traveling this summer?
Rising prices and the standard of living are among the most important reasons for canceling vacations this year, but the unstable political situation and the crisis in the country are also on the list.
"The most important thing is the increase in the price of air transport, i.e. the global crisis that reigns in two war zones, which has led to the unstable price of oil and fuel in general, and then the airlines protect themselves by raising the price, expecting price increases and so on, and this, of course, indirectly affects the formation of the price of the arrangements themselves," says Seničić.
On the other hand, global inflation, but also the internal political situation in Serbia, has an impact.
"Since March, we have had instability that affects society to a large extent, so we had a part of the population, primarily educators in secondary schools and institutions of higher education, who did not receive a salary. Then, there was uncertainty about enrollment in schools. All of this surely influenced a significant number of people to possibly give up their summer vacation altogether this year," explains Seničić.
In the end, perhaps the most significant factor is inflation, which increased the prices of tourist packages, but also the cost of living.
"The difference that could have been made from the salaries we had and a few dinars saved, now seems almost unfeasible, given that all living expenses have risen significantly," says Seničić.
Less travel in Serbia too
According to data provided by Utah, there is also a decline in travel and vacations within the borders of Serbia.
"There is a noticeable general reduction of domestic tourists in all destinations somewhere between five and 15 percent, depending on the destination. This was also influenced by the internal crisis and the economic situation, but it seems to me that the biggest reason is the reduced number of vouchers distributed this year," explains Seničić.
This year, 30.000 vouchers for tourist trips in Serbia were distributed, while in previous years, on average, about 100.000 were distributed, and in some years a little more, adds the "Vremena" interlocutor.
"That part of the population that used vouchers the most was deprived of it, and due to the difficult economic situation, they cannot make up for it in some other way, so that also had an impact on the drop in travel," explains the director of Utah.
Do foreigners come to Serbia?
When it comes to guests from abroad visiting Serbia, after the initial drop in the first half of the year, there is an increase in visits.
"We faced a decline in foreign guest arrivals until around May, June, and then we recorded an increase, so we can say that Belgrade, for example, which has the largest number of overnight stays by foreign tourists, is roughly at the level of last year, even by one percent, if I'm not mistaken, better than last year in this period," says Seničić.
Apart from Belgrade, this summer there are two to three percent more foreign tourists on Zlatibor compared to the same period last year.
"All other destinations are in decline, not so big, it is somewhere between one and three percent. But August will improve the picture in all destinations, including in Serbia, perhaps to some extent," concludes Seničić.
