SARAJEVO, May 7 (Xinhua) -- Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) recorded moderate growth in its tourism sector in the first quarter (Q1) of 2026, despite a sharp decline in visitors from several Middle Eastern countries amid regional instability, according to data released Thursday by the Agency for Statistics of BiH.
The country registered 305,680 tourist arrivals from January to March, up 2.8 percent year on year. Total overnight stays rose by 5.7 percent to 697,418, compared to the same period last year.
Regional markets remained the main source of visitors. Croatia and Serbia continued to account for a large share of tourist arrivals, with overnight stays by Serbian tourists increasing by nearly 18 percent in March alone.
However, the report showed a significant drop in arrivals from Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. Arrivals from Kuwait in March plummeted by 96.2 percent, with only 5 visitors recorded. Overnight stays by tourists from Kuwait plunged 93.2 percent year on year in March, while those from the United Arab Emirates fell 48.1 percent.
The Chinese market also recorded declines. Tourist arrivals from China dropped 21.2 percent in the first two months of the year and fell by 45.2 percent in March.
Analysts said escalating tensions in the Middle East and disruptions to regional air traffic have increasingly affected tourism flows to Bosnia and Herzegovina, particularly from Gulf countries that have become an important source market in recent years.
