Sarajevo Canton experienced a record-breaking surge in tourist arrivals and overnight stays during the 30th edition of the Sarajevo Film Festival (SFF), according to recent data. This year’s Festival marked the highest tourism figures ever recorded for the region.

Haris Fazlagic, President of the Sarajevo Canton Tourism Board, revealed that nearly 40,000 tourist arrivals and over 83,000 overnight stays were registered in the Canton during the Festival. These numbers reflect a significant growth in comparison to previous years.

Tourist arrivals during the 2024 SFF increased by 16.5% compared to 2023, 55.8% compared to 2022, and an impressive 71.9% compared to 2019. Overnight stays also saw a notable rise, with an 8.5% increase compared to 2023, 46% compared to 2022, and 64.9% compared to 2019.

The majority of visitors came from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia, Slovenia, Montenegro, Germany, Austria, Italy, Sweden, and Turkey.

“We are very pleased with these results,” said Fazlagic. “These statistics not only motivate us to continue investing in tourism but also reinforce Sarajevo’s status as a top tourist destination. We thank everyone who contributed to this success and invite them to return to Sarajevo to enjoy all that our city has to offer.”

The Tourism Board views these achievements as a strong foundation for further growth and development in Sarajevo’s tourism sector.