Serbian tourism is guided by the Tourism Development Strategy 2016-25. The Strategy is implemented through a mixture of strategic master plans, a strategic marketing plan, a product development programme, and spatial and urban plans. The Tourism Development Strategy also establishes a competitive arena for the business sector in Serbian tourism.
Serbia is in the final stages of drafting a new strategy for tourism development. The main objectives of the strategy are to manage tourism more efficiently, attract investments, increase employment and create attractive tourism products and offerings based on sustainability principles.
To implement the strategy, several programmes have been implemented, with a particular focus on rural and regional tourism development. Lessons learned from the pandemic include the importance of developing tourism in smaller rural areas. Positive rural impacts in Serbia were seen including increased employment of women in rural areas, encouraged entrepreneurship, and boosted tourism employment, like local guides, national park rangers, and food suppliers. This revealed the necessity to involve residents in the creation of local tourist offerings where possible.
The Ministry of Tourism and Youth supports the development of rural and village tourism through incentive funds. In addition to funds allocated for events organised in rural areas, the Development Fund approves favourable credit resources to enhance the quality of tourism offerings in rural tourism. In 2023, RSD 17.7 million was allocated. In 2024, the Ministry of Tourism and Youth will pass a law to allow the allocation of non-refundable funds to rural tourist households, with a 20% co-founding arrangement, to repair and construct accommodation facilities, improve landscaping, upgrade tourism facilities, and increase catering in rural areas. At the end of February 2024, the regulation on the conditions, method of awarding and using incentives for the development and improvement of rural tourism and hospitality in the territory of Serbia has been adopted. Non-reimbursable funds with 10% of own participation will be allocated to rural tourism households (legal entities and physical entities - agricultural farms) that are engaged in the development of rural tourism.
To continue supporting domestic tourism, Serbia has extended the use of travel vouchers in 2023 and 2024. In 2022, travel vouchers, provided by the Ministry of Tourism and Youth, helped Serbia reach a record in domestic tourism.
In 2024, national criteria for sustainable tourism development will be specifically crafted for Serbian destinations, the hotel industry, and travel organisers. Serbia will be supported by the Global Council for Sustainable Tourism. Serbia is also finalising its tourism digitalisation programme to present the Serbian tourism offer on digital platforms.
