Serbia’s 2025 budget includes 500 million dinars for tourist vouchers, offering 100,000 vouchers worth 5,000 dinars each. While this is double the number of vouchers distributed last year, the reduced value has raised concerns among tourism industry stakeholders. The vouchers were previously worth 10,000 dinars each, leading to concerns that the funds could be redirected towards other projects, such as the EXPO or rural tourism, leaving small restaurateurs and hoteliers in a vulnerable position.
Since their introduction 10 years ago, tourist vouchers have provided crucial subsidies for small businesses in Serbia’s tourism sector, especially for small-scale accommodation providers. With the number of businesses utilizing vouchers growing dramatically over the years, a potential cancellation of the program would significantly harm many small operators.
Although the Serbian government has yet to confirm details regarding the vouchers for this year, tourism representatives fear that without this support, the stability of small businesses could be threatened. Many small restaurateurs and hoteliers rely on the vouchers for their survival and the development of their business. The success of the voucher program is also attributed to its ability to improve domestic tourism, with data showing significant growth in tourism-related businesses since the program’s launch.
However, some argue that the shift in policy could mean that vouchers are replaced by tender-based projects that would require businesses to put forward their own funds, possibly making it harder for smaller operators to qualify for support.
The uncertainty surrounding the voucher program comes at a time when tourism statistics for the previous year indicate a decline in the number of domestic arrivals and overnight stays, which could further exacerbate the effects of any potential funding cuts.
Experts predict that, if the vouchers are scrapped, tourism traffic could decline even further as many domestic tourists may be deterred by the absence of discounts and subsidies.
In sum, the future of the voucher program remains uncertain, and the tourism industry is left to grapple with the possibility of reduced support at a time when it is most needed.
