STAJČIĆ: TWO NEW VIA FERRATAS AND NEW PROJECTS TO STRENGTHEN SUMMER TOURISM

PALE, JULY 25 /SRNA/ – The Istočno Sarajevo City Tourism Organisation is continuing to develop its summer tourism offer by building two new via ferratas, expanding cycling infrastructure, and promoting the destination in new international markets, the organisation's director, Stefan Stajčić, told SRNA.

Stajčić said that just over six years ago, the city's first via ferrata, "Sokolov Put" /Falcon's Trail/, was built on the Crvene Stijene /Red Rocks/ area of Romanija Mountain, launching the development of adventure tourism. Today, there are four such routes in the Istočno Sarajevo area. "We have decided to finance the construction of two additional via ferratas ourselves - one on Romanija, above the Stajna Mountain Lodge, and another on Jahorina Mountain, on the Trnovo side, running parallel to the Trnovo six-seat chairlift," Stajčić said. He emphasized that the goal is to restore Jahorina as a year-round destination by expanding its summer attractions so that the local tourism industry does not rely solely on the winter season. According to Stajčić, the tender procedure has been completed, contracts with the contractors have been signed, and construction has already begun. The new via ferratas are expected to be completed by the end of the summer. Stajčić noted that Romanija is considered the birthplace of mountaineering in BiH, as the country's first recorded alpine ascents took place there nearly a century ago. Speaking about the summer tourism offer, Stajčić said visitors can enjoy numerous hiking and trekking trails, attractions operated by the Jahorina Olympic Centre, including the alpine coaster, activities around the mountain lake and summit, as well as the Ravna Planina tourist complex, which features a Dino Park, an adventure park, and a swimming area. He also recalled that tourists can visit the newly opened adventure park on Trebević Mountain, located within the Ruf Gardens complex, as well as the Orlovača Cave. Stajčić expressed satisfaction with the strong interest in the new Điro di Ćiro cycling trail, stressing that it is used daily by large numbers of cyclists, particularly from Sarajevo. He addedsaid that plans are in place to extend the trail to Ravna Planina, while efforts are also underway to secure funding to connect it with Jahorina, Dvorišta, and Trebević, creating a unified tourism product for cycling enthusiasts. PROMOTION ON TURKISH MARKET Speaking about destination marketing, Stajčić announced that the Istočno Sarajevo City Tourism Organisation will participate for the first time in the International Tourism Fair in Istanbul. "Our delegation will include hoteliers, the Olympic Centre, travel agencies, and the Tourism Organisation. We are already arranging meetings with Turkish travel agencies because our goal is to enter the Turkish market and increase the number of visitors throughout the year," Stajčić said. He added that the excellent air connectivity between Sarajevo and Istanbul with six daily flights during the summer and three to four daily flights in the winter, provides a significant advantage in attracting visitors to East Sarajevo.