"If we dared to predict": Coronavirus damage to Serbian tourism to reach around one billion euros

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Minister of Trade, Tourism and Telecommunications Rasim Ljajic says estimates show that during the first five months of this year the damage in Serbia due to the reduced number of international trips will be around 300 million euros, while at the annual level this figure could reach around one billion euros.

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"Over one a year, if we dared to make a prediction - it is about a billion euros less revenue than it was in 2019," Ljajic told reporters in Zemun at the presentation of the tourist campaign ,"Choose your adventure, see Serbia."

According to the World Tourism Organization assessment, the minister added, the overall losses are estimated at 910 billion euros.

"In terms of international travel, this year is realistically lost and everything that happens by the end of the year will be an attempt to reduce that damage," said Ljajic.

He said that for now, it is known precisely that in the first three months, Serbia had an eight percent lower number of tourist arrivals than in the same period last year, adding that compared to international goings-on, our country fared "less badly" than others.

"The percentage of international travel dropped by 22 percent, in our country that percentage is eight percent. March ruined everything for us, because in the first two months we had a growth of more than 24 percent, then March fell to 56 percent due to the crisis," said Ljajic.

He added that due to the epidemiological situation, this year will be dedicated to domestic guests and tourists, not only in our country, but everywhere around the world.

"In that way, an attempt will be made to repair the damage, it cannot be compensated for, because it is measured in billions of euros, but to at least partially mitigate it," concluded Ljajic.

(Telegraf Biznis/Tanjug)