SARAJEVO, Jan. 10 (Xinhua) -- Sarajevo has set a new record for foreign tourist numbers since the COVID-19 pandemic, according to figures released Friday by the Sarajevo Canton Tourism Board.
The country recorded significant growth in arrivals, overnight stays, and average length of stay in 2024, with the capital, also the political, economic and cultural center of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as the main tourist destination for foreign visitors.
From January to December 2024, Sarajevo welcomed over 698,000 foreign tourists. Total overnight stays of foreign tourists reached over 1,562,000. In October 2024, Sarajevo was selected as the top destination for 2025 by the readers of National Geographic Travel magazine.
Year-on-yearly, the number of tourists to the historic city increased by 22.3 percent in 2024, while overnight stays rose by 18.3 percent. Foreign tourists stayed an average of 2.3 days in 2024, up from 2.2 days in 2023.
According to the board, foreign tourists primarily came from Croatia, Turkey, Serbia, Germany, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, Slovenia, China, and the United States.
The spokesperson from the Sarajevo Canton Tourist Board said that before the COVID-19 pandemic, Chinese tourists represented the largest number of visitors to Sarajevo Canton. In 2019, there were over 46,600 arrivals and over 60,600 overnight stays.
After the COVID-19 pandemic, a gradual return of Chinese tourists was observed. In the first 11 months of 2024, the region welcomed over 66,390 arrivals and over 99,000 overnight stays by Chinese tourists.
Sarajevo, called the "European Jerusalem," is a city where four religions and cultures are intertwined and is home to mosques, Catholic churches, Orthodox churches, and synagogues. Main attractions there include the Old Town of Bascarsija, the Latin Bridge, the City Hall, the Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque, and the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart.
