Gondola cable cars, ski center and hotels between potential and profit - Retrospective 2025, investments in TOURISM in Bosnia and Herzegovina

We understand that the picture would be different if the potential of this economic branch had been recognized and utilized earlier, and the challenges are reflected in the promotion, air traffic development, road infrastructure and continuous investment in the sector.

Even though the advantages are not exploited and profitable, Bosnia and Herzegovina certainly has something to offer tourists. Trebinje is well on its way to becoming the star of tourism. The city in the south of the country is an increasingly frequent destination for tourists, especially those from the region, and increasingly throughout the year. New projects and investments are emerging and we hope that the city and state authorities are aware that the development of the offer must not stop now and that tourists want even more.

Without a strong airport and a developed flight network, there is no tourism. That's why great hopes are first of all placed in Sarajevo Airport - infrastructure development, new lines and further increase in the number of passengers, and then to other airports in the country and expanding their capacities.

According to the plans, the cable car will be of the "gondola" type with a capacity of 500 to 1,000 passengers per hour, which, as stated, will enable quick and comfortable transportation of visitors from central locations to the top of the hill. The project includes the construction of the departure and destination stations, with accompanying contents such as catering and commercial facilities.

The project will cover approximately 380 hectares, and by connecting with the City of the Sun, an already well-known tourist attraction, the total area of the future urban complex will amount to approx. 420 hectares.

According to the ACI EUROPE Airport Traffic Report for October 2025, Sarajevo Airport records exceptional results and is ranked among the fastest growing airports in Europe in its category.

This year too, the "King of Chocolate" continued to talk about investments for the development of Trebinje and the wider region of Herzegovina where he plans to invest another 50 million KM.

The locals of Manjaca, as well as the surrounding towns, welcomed another snowfall but still not the construction of the ski center, although it is the third winter since the master plan of its construction was presented. It is a project worth around 53 million KM. Let us recall that on August 17, 2022, numerous officials gathered on a mountain near Banja Luka, announcing this big project, but the construction start date is not in sight.

- Unfortunately, the financial situation of the company was such that in the past years we could not start activities in Manjaca and the Igriste at the same time, thus, the activities on Manjaca are still in the invisible phase for the public, that is, they relate to property-legal affairs and design affairs - they told Nezavisne from OC Jahorina.

The Manjača Ski Center should cover an area of 75,000 m², with two ski slopes with a total length of 2,500 meters, which will be fully covered by an artificial snow system. You can read all the details and contents at this link.

Later, there is a twist in which the Government of the RS presents plans to buy the long-closed hotel in the Kozara National Park, which the company C&M Trade from Bijeljina bought in 2022 in bankruptcy proceedings for 3.1 million KM. It was said that the government would allocate 20 million KM for that investment, so that only in December we would have information from the Prime Minister that there will be no hotel purchase.

The traditional Kiseljak spa has more than 150 years of history and has been known for its sources of healing mineral water since ancient times, and will now get a new face and contents adapted to the modern needs of tourists and patients.

Sarajevo is already proud of the Ars Aevi Museum of Contemporary Art which is to be built in the coming years. The museum, which was designed by Renzo Piano, a world-famous architect, is the most ambitious cultural and development project for contemporary art in Bosnia and Herzegovina and has the potential to become a significant cultural feature of Sarajevo.

At the end of December, an international tender for its construction was announced and the project with the slogan "Vision becomes reality" aims to ensure a permanent home for the Ars Aevi collection and improve the cultural offer of the city of Sarajevo.