RAVNO, November 12 (FENA) – Vjetrenica Cave, which was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in July this year, has seen a record number of tourists visiting it this year. The number of visitors is expected to continue growing, and efforts are being made to expand the tourism offer and enrich the content for visitors.

“Speaking about this tourist year, we can say that it is a record one in terms of visits to the Protected Landscape of Vjetrenica – Popovo polje,” said Davor Baković, director of the Public Institution ‘Vjetrenica’, adding that in the first ten months of this year, 18,000 visitors came to the Protected Landscape of Vjetrenica – Popovo polje.

He mentioned that they are pleased that project activities related to both protection and tourism promotion, along with improvements in tourist infrastructure, have contributed to the increase in visits not only to Vjetrenica Cave but also to the entire protected area.

“This year is also the first in which the ratio of domestic to international visitors is almost equal, which motivates us to continue working on promoting the value of the protected area in the international market,” Baković added.

In addition to visitors from neighboring countries, Vjetrenica has been most frequently visited by guests from Germany, the Czech Republic, Poland, Slovenia, the Netherlands, and Scandinavian countries.

Baković also emphasizes that the inclusion of Vjetrenica on the UNESCO World Heritage List brings certain responsibilities.

These responsibilities primarily relate to continued efforts in protecting the values of the protected site, promoting them, and continuing educational activities to raise awareness about the importance of sustainable development and the conservation of natural heritage.

However, as he points out, it is crucial to ensure tourist development is in line with sustainable development and ecological standards (the environmental carrying capacity).

The cave can be visited year-round, with tours organized up to 700 meters from the entrance.