Sokobanja breaking all records – Foreign investors looking to build hotels in Serbia's most popular spa

By the end of April 2019, a total of 80,785 overnight stays by local tourists and 10,207 by foreign tourists were recorded in Sokobanja. Compared to 2018, this is an increase by 21% and 46% respectively, the Tourism Organization of Sokobanja says for eKapija.

The number of tourists using vouchers for their summer vacations increased as well. The number of vouchers issued grew from 31,000 in 2018 to 40,000 this year.

Investments in tourism in Sokobanja keep coming and numerous infrastructure projects are planned.

– The completion and the opening of the Vrelo Summer Stage, with the capacity of 1,500 seating and 3,500 standing places, a small and a large stage, as well as two small lakes, which will be turned into skating rinks in the winter months, is expected this summer – TO Sokobanja says.

Hotel Sunce should be completed by the end of the year. The hotel has been fully reconstructed and has a capacity of over 200 beds, featuring pools and wellness facilities.

– There are several foreign investors interested in building a hotel in Sokobanja, but this is still at the negotiation stage – TO Sokobanja says.

Tourists are usually drawn to Sokobanja by its intact nature, namely, the Ozren mountain and the Ripaljka waterfalls, the first nature monument in Serbia, declared in 1948, the Lepterija picnic grounds, the Sokograd fortress, and the Amam Turkish bath in the city center.

There are currently around 8,000 registered guests in the most popular Serbian spa, and TO Sokobanja believes that the recipe for a successful development of tourism is active media and social network promotion.

I. Milovanovic

Organizacija za turizam i kulturu Sokobanja

TO Sokobanja

Hotel Sunce

Vrelo summer stage

tourism in Sokobanja

Lepterija picnic grounds

Sokograd fortress

Amam Turkish bath

Ozren mountain

Ripaljka waterfalls