Vacation vouchers in Serbia have become a key way to encourage domestic tourism, allowing citizens to explore less-known parts of the country while providing a boost to the tourism sector. This year, the distribution of vouchers reached a new milestone, with all available vouchers being claimed within just a few hours. On January 15, the first day for voucher collection, long lines formed at JP “Pošta Srbija,” where people rushed to pick up the vouchers.
The total number of vouchers was quickly distributed, and this year, their value was increased to 10,000 dinars, up from 5,000 dinars last year.
The highest demand for vouchers came from pensioners, individuals with monthly salaries under 80,000 dinars, unemployed people, students and senior citizens over 65 years old, according to the Ministry of Tourism and Youth. The increased interest was partly due to the higher voucher value and the ability to choose from nearly 4,500 participating hospitality establishments across the country.
The Serbian government adopted a decree in December 2023 that allocated 100,000 vacation vouchers for 2024. As of now, more than 91,000 of these vouchers have been used.
There is speculation about whether the voucher program will continue in future years. The Ministry of Tourism notes that subsidies for the tourism sector are part of a broader set of measures, which also include funding for rural tourism, tourism events and investments in tourism infrastructure. According to the ministry, tourism-related foreign exchange earnings for the first eight months of 2024 amounted to 1.86 billion euros, which represents a 13% increase over the same period in the previous year and is double the amount compared to 2017.
Investments in nautical tourism alone over the past two years have exceeded one billion dinars, while cultural, archaeological, and gastronomic tourism have also seen significant investments. Given the positive results and high interest in the vouchers in 2024, it’s likely the program will continue in the future.
A new initiative will also make the voucher process more efficient. The Ministry of Tourism has signed an agreement with the Ministry of Information to develop an “E-Voucher” system, which will allow people to apply for vouchers and receive them electronically, eliminating the need to visit post offices. The “E-Voucher” system is expected to be launched in 2025.
Aleksandar Seničić from the National Association of Travel Agencies (YUTA) believes that while the voucher system has proven effective, there may be a need to adjust the subsidy model. For example, subsidies could be reduced for popular tourist destinations like Zlatibor, Sokobanja, Vrnjačka Banja, and Prolom Banja, while lesser-known destinations could receive higher subsidies to encourage tourism to those areas. This approach would help distribute tourists more evenly and support the development of less-visited regions.
Seničić also notes that the vouchers have already contributed to an increase in domestic tourism to popular destinations such as Zlatibor, Tara and Sokobanja. On some destinations, domestic visitors increased by as much as 50%, while many others saw an increase of around 20%.
However, this year, despite the allocation of 100,000 vouchers, the planned second round of distribution did not happen. This has resulted in a slight decrease in visitor numbers to the most popular destinations, with reductions of between 7% and 15%. This decline is seen as a direct consequence of fewer vouchers being distributed compared to previous years.
