Tourism is an activity that belongs to the fast-growing economic activities with a number of other positive development effects. This sector stimulates the growth of gross domestic product (GDP) in countries and represents the significant tax revenue. It produces almost 5% of the world's economic turnover, employs approximately 200 million people in the world and is the fastest growing industry.
Tourism has long been considered an industry that does not have too much impact on the environment, and it was not considered important to measure its negative ecological, economic and socio-cultural impacts. However, the growing phenomenon of mass tourism and the large number of tourists in tourist destinations, and the damage it causes (both in cities and in the natural environment) is an increasingly common topic, and it is becoming one of the biggest criticisms of tourism. In response to the negative aspects that tourism and associated development bring, such as air and water pollution, destruction of ecosystems, soil erosion and loss of biological diversity, the concept of green or sustainable tourism is being imposed.
The World Tourism Organization defines the sustainable tourism as the management of resources by realizing economic, social and aesthetic needs in such a way that cultural integrity, basic ecological processes, biological diversity and systems on which life is based are respected, creating well-being and well-being for the entire society, taking into account both the needs of tourists as well as of the tourism industry. In the future, the world's tourist destinations will be able to differentiate their tourism offer through sustainable tourism and thus become more competitive on the market, and this will enable them to make tourism development sustainable in the long term. Sustainable tourism does not mean the development of some new form of tourism, but rather the development of tourism that takes place in accordance with the needs of the environment, respecting its natural features, but also its limitations. The final goal of sustainable tourism is the reduction of negative impacts on the environment, and in this regard, the green tourism can be considered part of the concept of sustainable development. Green tourism is based on the protection, preservation and improvement of the natural and physical environment, for the long-term preservation of a healthy and sustainable environment.
Tourism represents one of the most promising sectors of the economy in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which during the past five years has recorded significant growth and benefited from the growing global tourism market. Bosnia and Herzegovina represents an interesting tourist destination, based on cultural and historical assets and untouched nature, favourable climatic conditions and an excellent gastronomic offer. All this has contributed to the growth of the number of visits by tourists who come for adventure, rural and cultural tourism, which results in increasingly diverse tourism models and several different socio-economic benefits, including new jobs, attracting foreign investment, promoting entrepreneurship and encouraging investment in infrastructure. The diversity and number of destinations and natural attractions offer special and exciting experiences that can encourage the arrival of a larger number of tourists and increase investments in Bosnia and Herzegovina. According to the data of the Agency for Statistics of BiH, in 2023, tourists made 1,733,071 visits to Bosnia and Herzegovina, which was 17.3% more than the previous year.
The significance of the development of sustainable tourism is also recognized in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of Bosnia and Herzegovina, together with the entity ministries responsible for the development of the tourism sector and the Brčko District, works through numerous projects in the direction of developing sustainable tourism. Among these projects, the project for the development of sustainable tourism in Bosnia and Herzegovina, financed by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), stands out, Via Dinarica: a platform for sustainable tourism development and local economic growth, as well as the two projects implemented by UNDP EU4Agri and EU4Recovery.
Likewise, in the past period, the document FBiH Tourism Development Strategy 2022-2027 was developed, the objective of which is that the development of tourism in the Federation of BiH is guided by the idea of environmental protection and focused on people with the aim of increasing tourism resources for the benefit of the local population.
Bosnia and Herzegovina is gradually accepting the principles of sustainable tourism, but coordinated efforts of all sectors are needed to accelerate this process. In addition to the tourism industry, the inclusion of non-governmental organizations, the public sector and financial institutions is crucial. These cooperations enable the development of products and services that support sustainable practices and the creation of a legislative framework that encourages environmentally friendly initiatives through incentives, tax breaks and educational programs.
The example of the agency Visit Konjic highlights how local communities can focus on sustainable tourism by promoting activities that are in line with nature preservation, using licensed guides and professional equipment for adventure trips. On the other hand, National Park Una is an example of how the protection of natural resources can go hand in hand with the tourist offer, offering visitors the opportunity to enjoy natural beauty with minimal impact on the environment.
To achieve long-term sustainability, BiH must continue with adjustments in all aspects of the tourism sector. This includes greater education of the local population about the benefits of sustainable tourism, development of infrastructure that supports environmentally friendly practices and global promotion of Bosnia and Herzegovina as a destination that values thesustainability. The inclusion of local communities in tourism activities not only increases economic profits, but also ensures the preservation of the cultural and natural heritage of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
