SARAJEVO, November 6 (FENA) – Seven airlines have applied for the most recent public call to subsidize air traffic within the Sarajevo Canton, aiming to connect Sarajevo with over 23 destinations, it was highlighted today at a press conference.

Over the next two years, Sarajevo will be connected to Berlin, Hanover, Geneva, Düsseldorf, and Hamburg, along with existing destinations such as Copenhagen, Oslo, Stockholm, Memmingen, Warsaw, Gothenburg, London, Brussels, Milan, Rome, Abu Dhabi, Thessaloniki, Antalya, and Izmir. Additionally, Ryanair will introduce five new routes, including Stockholm, which was recently announced.

These new routes are a result of incentives provided by the Sarajevo Canton Government, the Sarajevo Canton Ministry of Economy, the Sarajevo Canton Tourism Board, and the Sarajevo International Airport, all working to improve Sarajevo’s accessibility as an attractive tourist destination.

The new direct air connections, aimed at further strengthening the tourism and economic potential of the Sarajevo Canton, were presented by the Sarajevo Canton Minister of Economy Zlatko Mijatović, the Sarajevo International Airport’s Director of Airport Services Vedrana Vikić Musić, and the Sarajevo Canton Tourism Board President Haris Fazlagić.

Minister Mijatović stated that 16 new direct air routes have been established so far under the Sarajevo Canton Government’s program.

“This is the best economic move by this government, in cooperation with the Tourist Board and our partner, Sarajevo International Airport. The importance of establishing direct air routes for economic activities in the Canton lies in opening new markets, investment opportunities, business cooperation, job creation, and generally generating new economic activities in the Canton,” Mijatović said.

According to analysis, each euro invested in this subsidy program for air traffic brings a fifteenfold return, generating €15 directly and indirectly in the economy for every €1 invested.

Vikić Musić added that the improved air connectivity between Sarajevo and a large number of strategic new destinations results from the Sarajevo International Airport’s proactive management strategy and the dedication of all employees and supporting services.

“The Sarajevo Canton, and Bosnia and Herzegovina as a whole, are seeing unprecedented results in tourist numbers, and we at the Sarajevo Airport have been consistently breaking records for the past two years. As of the first half of October, we have surpassed 1.5 million passengers, marking a record-breaking year in terms of passenger numbers and flight operations,” Vikić Musić stated.

She noted that the recent call for air traffic subsidies was the most successful yet, attracting seven airlines—Norwegian, LOT Polish Airlines, Ryanair, Wizz Air, Eurowings, Swiss, and SunExpress—that will connect Sarajevo to 23 destinations over the next two years.

“This includes eight completely new destinations from Sarajevo, with Ryanair planning to significantly expand its network by adding five strategic destinations,” she said.

Fazlagić expressed satisfaction with the strengthening of the tourism sector in the Sarajevo Canton and announced continued co-funding for air traffic over the next two years.

“We are very pleased to connect our tourist destination with 23 cities, eight of which are entirely new, facilitating travel and undoubtedly strengthening the tourism sector in the Sarajevo Canton. The previous co-funding of air traffic has yielded highly positive results in terms of increased arrivals and overnight stays in the Sarajevo Canton. According to the latest statistics for the first ten months of this year, we have recorded more tourist arrivals and overnight stays than in the entire year of 2023,” Fazlagić added.