According to an estimation of the World Tourism Organization, Bosnia and Herzegovina will have the third highest tourism growth rate in the world between 1995 and 2020.
Bosnia and Herzegovina is the heart shaped land that lies in the heart of southeast Europe. It is here that eastern and western civilizations met, also clashed, but more often enriched and reinforced each other throughout its long and fascinating history.
Bosnia and Herzegovina is a long name for a country that measures just over 52.000 km2. Bosnia covers the north and centre of the country with its name probably derived from ‘bosana’, an old Indo-European word meaning water, which Bosnia has no short of.
The southern region of ancient Hum, ruled by Herceg Stjepan (Duke Stjepan),was later named Herzegovina after the region was conquered by the invading Ottomans.
Perhaps what is most important for the visitor to know today, though, is that Bosnia and Herzegovinais a stunningly beautiful country with a vast array of landscapes, cultures, traditions and people. And as the old cliche goes ‘people make the place’ – and BiH prides itself on its hospitality and treating our guests as if they were family members. And family we take to heart.
Tourist attractions
Some of the tourist attractions in Bosnia and Herzegovina include:
- Sarajevo “Olympic City” a University and Cultural City;
- Banja Luka, the “City of Green”; art city, sport city, capital of the Republika Srpska.
- Bihać and the river Una with its waterfalls and the Una River, within Una National Park;
- Prijedor and the river Sana, with Kozara National Park;
- Doboj and its 13th century fortress;
- Jajce and its waterfall and catacombs;
- The Neretva river and the Rakitnica river canyons in Upper Neretva;
- The Trebižat river and its waterfalls Kravice and Kočuša;
- The Buna and its spring Izvor Bune with the historical town of Blagaj;
- The Lower Tara river canyon;
- The Perućica ancient forest, one of the last two remaining primeval forests in Europe, and the Sutjeska river canyon, both within Sutjeska National Park;
- Počitelj, historical and art village;
- Mostar, the UNESCO World Heritage Site – Old Bridge Area of the Old City ;
- Shrine of Međugorje, the site of a famous Marian apparition;
- Mount Bjelašnica and Jahorina, sites of the XIV Olympic Winter Games;
- Neum on the coast;
- Stolac, the Begovina neighborhood and Radimlja tombstones;
- Višegrad, the UNESCO World Heritage Site – Bridge over the Drina River;
- Visoko, site of the BiH pyramids;
- Tešanj, one of the oldest cities in BiHa with its old town;
- Bjeljina, a beatuful city known for it’s agriculture and it`s well known Etno village Stanisic.
- Tuzla, Salt city, the city of Love.