Ljajic: Serbia Will Lose One Billion Euros Due to Lack of Foreign Tourists

Rasim-Ljajic-Beta

Serbian Trade, Tourism and Telecommunications Minister Rasim Ljajic said on Aug. 13 that this years Serbia stands to lose around EUR1 billion on the account of foreign tourists not visiting the country because of the COVID-19 epidemic.

“Perhaps the loss won’t be as bad given how good January, February and even March were,” Ljajic told the RTS public service, adding that the increased number of domestic tourists might help “compensate” for the loss, but that it will not be enough.

According to him, compared to the previous year, the number of foreign tourists in Serbia in January 2020 was up 28 percent, and in February 18 percent. Due to the epidemic, however, the following months saw a decrease of over 90 percent.

Speaking about Serbia’s exports to Kosovo, Ljajic stated that since Kosovo’s previously imposed tariffs on Serbian goods were completely abolished in April, Serbia has exported goods worth EUR86 million.

“This, however, is still half of what [we exported] during the same period in 2018, when there were no tariffs,” Ljajic said, adding that it will take time for Serbia to reestablish itself on the market that the neighboring countries had been supplying meanwhile.