At the Fair presented the ”Mostar Pass”: Tourism will no longer be random

On the first day of the International Economic Fair in Mostar, the Tourist Board of the City of Mostar and the City of Mostar presented the Mostar Pass card at their stand, a unique tourist service intended for visitors to this city that aims to increase the number of visits to cultural attractions and landmarks.

”Bosnia and Herzegovina, including Mostar, is facing the problem of the lack of tools that would contribute to a systematic sustainable tourism policy, and this is an attempt that will make Mostar not a random destination, but that we finally have measurable and tangible indicators,” said Elvira Ćemalović, Director of the Tourist Board of the City of Mostar.

She stated that this is a long process, but that it will result in a positive outcome. She also added that the basic package includes five attractions, but that the intention is to include other tourist attractions in Mostar.

Tim Clancy, an expert in sustainable development and one of the creators of the Mostar Pass study, highlighted all the advantages and how this card works.

‘‘The tendency is for Mostar to become a base for the whole of Herzegovina, and with this card you can’t see everything in three or four hours, but it ‘‘forces’’ you to stay in this city longer,’’ Clancy said, adding that this was their intention, to retain tourists.

On behalf of the City of Mostar, the attendees were addressed by Marin Čuljak, one of the coordinators of this project who is actively working on developing digital solutions for the promotion of the local economy, connecting technology, tourism and entrepreneurship.

‘‘The Mostar Pass card is an attempt by the City of Mostar to put tourism, which has been happening in Mostar for years, into some kind of management framework. Our priority should not be solely profit, for us it is more important to have numbers and to be able to locate where these tourists are coming from,’’ Čuljak pointed out, adding that this is a complicated process that involved a large number of participants and that he is optimistic and believes that through this card they can achieve numerous benefits.

After an interesting panel discussion, representatives of the IT Solutions company, which created the platform for the Mostar Pass application, briefly presented the way in which the tourist card works.

The first day was also an opportunity to socialize with the cultural and artistic societies HKUD “Sv Ante – Cim” Mostar and KUD “Bijelo Polje” Mostar, who dressed in national costumes and presented the rich culture, customs and traditions of our region.

Also, this year, at the stand of the Tourist Board of the City of Mostar and the City of Mostar, visitors and guests have the opportunity to receive commemorative postcards with names written in Glagolitic script – a unique souvenir or gift that revives our historical heritage, written by students of the Gabrijela Jurkić High School of Fine Arts Mostar.

During the following days of the fair, other interesting presentations, performances and panel discussions will be organized. Thus, on Wednesday, April 9, a panel entitled “The Identity of Mostar: Preserving Heritage through Crafts and Souvenirs” will be held. Representatives of the Chamber of Crafts of the Herzegovina-Neretva County, owners of souvenir shops and artists will participate in this panel, and visitors will have the opportunity to see crafts skills firsthand, such as the work of goldsmiths.

On Thursday, April 10, the Tourist Board of the City of Mostar, together with representatives of sports associations, is organizing a panel entitled “Active Mostar for Active Tourism”, while the City of Mostar will present a panel entitled “Life by the River: Buna and Bunica’s New Shine”, with the participation of the organizations People in Need and LDA Mostar.

The penultimate day of the Fair, April 11, is reserved for a panel entitled “How Art Shapes Mostar”, where Mostar artists will share their vision of tourism development through their activities. Visitors will have the opportunity to witness the creation of a mural by the artists in front of the Rezon Association.