Sarajevo Canton records surge in tourism as sector prepares for winter campaign

Official data revealed that 2025 was a record-breaking year for tourism in Sarajevo Canton, recording 854,957 arrivals and 1,967,853 overnight stays from visitors spanning 199 countries. Compared to 2023, arrivals grew by 28.5 per cent, while overnight stays surged by 32.3 per cent, indicating that tourists are remaining in the city longer.

"Today, Sarajevo is truly an international tourist destination. More than 85 percent of our guests are foreign tourists, while visitors from 199 countries around the world demonstrate the breadth of the market in which Sarajevo is present," stated Haris Fazlagic, Director of the Sarajevo Canton Tourism Board.

The event featured the premiere of the promotional film Visit Sarajevo, where winter warms all hearts, building upon the success of the previous campaign, Where Cultures Embrace. Fazlagic expressed strong confidence in the upcoming campaign following earlier international accolades.

"Last year, our promotional video won second place in the world, while in Los Angeles we took first place in our category. This year, we have also completed a new video, covering autumn and winter, and next year we will enter it directly into the competition and try to win first place in the world," Fazlagic said.

Board representatives highlighted that accessibility remains critical, noting that 94 per cent of tourists view direct flight connections as a vital factor when selecting a destination. Between 2022 and 2025, over 650 projects across culture, gastronomy, and outdoor activities received support. The Board stressed that "tourism is not built by one institution – we are all building Sarajevo’s tourism together."