Jahorina

In Bosnia and Herzegovina, the skiing season opened as planned in mid-December, with the two main ski centres in Bjelasnica and Jahorina on the mountains that overlook Sarajevo relying on artificial snow to keep the skiers happy and maintain the influx of tourists.

Jahorina, Bjelasnica and Igman, Bosnia's three "Olympic" mountains, have officially welcomed visitors for some time now, although the relatively mild weather is not promising for ski enthusiasts.

The official ski season started on Jahorina, near Sarajevo, on December 3 and on Bjelasnica, another well-known skiing mountain, on December 16.

Hundreds of visitors from all over Bosnia descended at the weekend on Mount Jahorina, one of the country's three 'Olympic mountains', to enjoy the early winter sunshine and mark the official opening of a new ski season.

Local officials and rock bands from Sarajevo and Belgrade also arrived for the opening ceremony, but the main ingredient was still missing - snow. 

Bosnia's mountain ski resorts at Jahorina, Bjelasnica and Vlasic are having a good season as a result of the large number of visitors who have come to spend New Year's Eve there and enjoy the thick snow.

After last year's poor snowfall in the winter season left tourist operators struggling, heavy snow at the end of December this year has brought joy to skiiers and hoteliers.