Survey: 86 percent of tourists would visit Sarajevo more often with direct flights

In order to analyze the impact of direct flight connections on tourism growth and Sarajevo’s international accessibility, the Sarajevo Canton Tourism Board conducted a survey in which 451 respondents at the Sarajevo International Airport answered 22 questions.

The survey, conducted between March and May this year, provided detailed insights into tourists’ profiles, motivations, habits, and experiences.

The most important findings show that 93 percent of visitors are foreign tourists, primarily from Italy, the United Kingdom, Turkey, Germany, and France.

Most are between 25 and 44 years of age and travel for leisure and tourism-related activities. For 86 percent of respondents, it was their first visit to Sarajevo.

They mainly use hotels and private accommodation and most commonly stay for two to three nights.

Their primary sources of information are recommendations and online platforms. Some 81 percent believe that flight availability strongly influences their choice of destination, while 86 percent said they would visit Sarajevo more frequently if there were more direct flights.

Tourists are most interested in history, culture, nature, and gastronomy. Most plan to spend between 50 and 100 euros per day, and 87 percent said they would recommend visiting Sarajevo to others.

The analysis indicates that Sarajevo has a strong international character with diverse source markets and that direct air connections are a key factor in increasing tourist arrivals and visitor satisfaction, ultimately strengthening Sarajevo’s position as an attractive and accessible tourist destination.