ETHNO-TOURISM GAINING MOMENTUM

BANJA LUKA, APRIL 10 /SRNA/ – Republika Srpska has significant potential in ethno-tourism, with the highest number of rural households engaged in tourism located in the municipality of Šipovo, the Srpska Tourist Organization told SRNA.

Public relations associate at the Tourist Organization, Sanela Šimun, said that rural tourist offerings can be found across nearly all parts of Srpska, from Herzegovinian households set in stone surroundings, to Semberija-style cottages, Podrinje houses, and Krajina log cabins.

"All of them are authentic and reflect the environment, customs and traditions of the regions they come from. As part of Srpska's tourist offer, we have several ethno-villages created to give modern visitors a sense of traditional rural life and enable them to stay in nature," Šimun said.

She emphasized that tourists from various countries increasingly seek to spend their free time in peaceful rural settings, enjoying natural landscapes, rich cultural and historical heritage, and traditional cuisine prepared according to homemade recipes.

She added that such villages almost always include hospitality facilities offering traditional food, citing examples such as Ethno Village Stanišići near Bijeljina, Ethno Village Usora near Teslić, Ethno Village City of the Sun in Trebinje, the Ziličina rural household near Rogatica, Ethno Village Ljubac Valleys near Banja Luka and the Jagodić household.

Šimun also highlighted the importance of religious tourism, noting that Republika Srpska is home to numerous medieval monasteries.