BiH is a country rich in natural beauty, historical and cultural sites. According to surveys conducted by the Tourist Board of the FBiH and the Ministry of Environment and Tourism of FBiH, the primary reason for the arrival of 27 % of the total number of tourists that are coming to BiH is its cultural and historical heritage.
“According to the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), BiH is on the list of countries that have recorded the most significant increase in tourist arrivals,” said Asja Hadziefendic-Mesic, the Spokesperson of the Tourist Board of Canton Sarajevo.
BiH has a lot to offer when it comes to religious, spa, eco, ethno, hunting, fishing and adventure tourism. There are also ideal locations for rafting, biking and climbing.
According to the Tourist Board of Canton Sarajevo, most of tourists in our country are coming from Croatia, Turkey, Slovenia, Serbia, South Korea, Germany, USA, Montenegro, Kuwait and Austria.
Among 10 most attractive summer tourist destinations in our country are Sarajevo, Mostar, Medjugorje, Teslic, Neum, Tuzla, Bihac, Travnik, Banja Luka and waterfalls Kravice.
Banja Luka
Banja Luka is famous for its picnic sites, since in the vicinity of the urban part of the city can be found some great places of wild nature and landscaped ideal for visits and recreation.
Bihac
Bihac, a small town on the Una River has a rich and long history, as well as natural beauty. There are numerous cultural and historical monuments in the city center, most notably Kapetanova kula, Fethija Mosque, Church of St. Anto Padovanski, turbe, the Museum of the First AVNOJ Session, Monastery Rman, the youngest national park in Europe. National Park “Una” with beautiful waterfalls, high canyons and other monuments offers many sporting activities to tourists such as kayaking, rafting, fishing, diving, and with its natural beauty, hiking and mountain trails it represents an ideal place for recreational activities.
Travnik
This city in central Bosnia was the capital of the Ottoman viziers in the period from 1686 to 1850, thus its cultural heritage is dating from that period. Plava voda, Babanovac, Ugar, Old Town, Devecani, Regional Museum of Travnik and Birth place of Ivo Andric, are only some of the many destinations that attract tourists. There are only few cities in BiH that can offer so many cultural and historical monuments from the Middle Ages, Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian period on such a small area. Certainly, the nearby Mount Vlasic must be mentioned as well.
Waterfall Kravice
Kravice waterfall is located on Trebizat River, about 3 kilometers downstream from Vitaljina, in Studenci near Ljubuski. Height of the waterfall is around 26-28 meters. Calcareous travertine areas around the waterfalls are geological monuments of BiH.
Neum
Neum is a town, touristic settlement and the only municipality center of BiH located on the Adriatic Coast. It is characterized by long, warm summers and short and mild winters, and it is known as a coastal town with the highest number of sunny days.
Favorable climatic conditions allow, besides swimming and sunbathing, climatic therapy, which consists of clean coastal air, walks along the coast and various water sports.
Medjugorje
The most attractive destination when it comes to religious tourism in BiH is Medjugorje. This is a small town in Herzegovina, and after the story that a group of young people witnessed the apparition of Virgin Mary in 1981, it has become one of the largest Catholic pilgrimages in the region. Groups of pilgrims are coming from all over the world, and statistics show that millions of believers visit Medjugorje every year.
Mostar
Mostar is one of the most famous tourist centers in BiH. Its most famous attractions include the Old Town, the historic center of the city with the Old Bridge and a number of other contents from the rich history such as Karadjoz-bey’s Mosque, Franciscan Church, Biscevica Sokak and the historic settlement Brankovac, including houses and courtyards of old families from Mostar, built in the Ottoman style.
Sarajevo
Unique fusion of cultures, interwoven through the narrow city core, makes Sarajevo one of the most popular tourist destinations. In its surrounding area, Sarajevo offers beautiful natural monuments, such as the Olympic Mountains, Bijambare, Lukomir, Vrelo Bosne or waterfall Skakavac. All this is only part of the contents offered to hundreds of thousands of tourists who are visiting our capital city every year.
Tuzla
Tuzla is the only city in Europe that has the salt lakes and the only city in the world whose salt lakes and the beach are located in the city center.
Within the complex of Pannonian lakes are Salty waterfalls, Archaeological Park, a Neolithic lake settlement and Geological Museum. Besides these tourist sites, potentials such as Spreca River, Modrac Lake, Djevojacka cave, and other natural and historical potentials make Tuzla highly competitive on the tourist market of BiH.
(Source: Radiokameleon.ba)