Tourism generates more FX revenue in 2014 than last year

BELGRADE – Serbia’s foreign-currency revenue from tourism in 2014 could exceed last year's, which stood at USD 1.05 billion, Secretary of State at the Serbian Ministry of Trade, Tourism and Telecommunications Lukrecija Djeri said Monday.

Expressed in euros, the foreign exchange inflow for the first five months of this year increased by one percent, which means that during this period, tourism brought our country EUR 285 million more revenue against the same period last year, Djeri told Tanjug.

Expressed in U.S. dollars, the revenue from tourism was up 5.5 percent in the first five months of this year, an amount of USD 388 million, Djeri said.

In the first five months of 2014, the number of foreign tourists in Serbia increased by 11.5 percent from a year earlier, she noted.

However, at the same time, the number of arrivals of domestic tourists decreased by 13.6 percent as a consequence of the catastrophic floods hitting our country in May, said Djeri.

The floods in Serbia have put the work of many tourist agencies, hotels and other hospitality facilities in danger, Djeri said, adding that she expected a quick recovery.

Photo Tanjug Video, camera operator Zoran Colic