SARAJEVO, APRIL 15, 2014: Many guests gathered today in Hotel Europe for the promotion of a web portal which features touristic offerings for “Destination Sarajevo”.

This portal, which can be accessed at www.destinationsarajevo.com, marks the first time that offerings for both Sarajevo Canton and the City of East Sarajevo are contained on one site. It also promotes Sarajevo as not only an attractive urban destination, but as a haven for nature lovers and those who love holidays out in nature.

This web portal aspires to serve as the first stop for tourists as they become familiar with “Destination Sarajevo” and, with time, visitors will be able to book accommodation and tours, as well as tickets for events and attractions directly through the site. In addition to providing basic touristic information, the portal will also feature fascinating stories, outstanding photography and first-rate recommendations.

“The entire “Destination Sarajevo” project has enormous potential, and has already been recognized by the private sector, as reflected by the amount of investment being made for tourist facilities throughout the area covered by “Destination Sarajevo”. In the near future, it will be necessary to work even further on the promotion of this “Destination” and the launching of this web portal serves as one of the first steps in that direction. Current indications show that tourists are making far greater use of the internet to get information on their intended destinations, as well as to buy, at reasonable prices, everything that one destination may have to offer. The “Destination Sarajevo” portal aims to become precisely that – a place where all that “Destination Sarajevo” has to offer, in terms of facilities and events, will be promoted and where reservations can also be made,” said Nedim Lipa, a Member of the Governing Board for the Sarajevo Navigator Foundation. He also emphasized that more work will continue to be done in adding useful features to the web portal and filling it with quality content.

The Director for the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), Pelle Persson, expressed his satisfaction with the fact that the “Destination Sarajevo” touristic portal has been launched, while also making mention of the many qualities which the Destination possesses, including its hospitality, which gave Sarajevo an 8th-place ranking on the list compiled by the World Economic Forum.

The President of the Tourism Association of Sarajevo Canton, Midhat Kulo, commented on the fact that, for quite some time now, Sarajevo has been seeing a marked increase in the number of tourists, which indicates that it is becoming a more attractive tourist destination.