Djokic: Political issues in Kosovo "stifle" tourism development

Sandra Djokic, Director of the Tourist Organization of Gracanica, stated that the Western Balkans region holds numerous opportunities for creating a joint tourism offer, which would contribute to economic development and raise the citizens' standard of living to a higher level. However, she points out that in practice, this is difficult to achieve, particularly considering the political actions of Pristina, which negatively affect tourism not only in Kosovo but across the entire region.

Djokic recalls that there have been previous attempts and initiatives to form a joint tourism offer for the region, but despite the potential benefits, this idea has never been fully realized.

“Certainly, there were earlier initiatives for a joint regional offer, and it would indeed be a good move because it would enhance economic profitability and have a positive impact on the citizens. Unfortunately, the situation on the ground is such that we are daily faced with numerous political developments from Pristina that affect political security and create an unstable situation here, placing tourism, as an economic sector, under pressure. However, I hope that in the near future, we will make some concrete progress on this topic and offer a regional tourism package—the potential is significant,” Djokic told Kosovo Online.

She notes that despite these circumstances and the fact that political issues "stifle" the development of tourism, the municipality of Gracanica remains highly popular on the global tourism map, primarily because it is home to a UNESCO World Heritage Site—the Gracanica Monastery.

Djokic believes that connecting such cultural heritage sites in the region and presenting them jointly on the market would attract a large number of tourists and history enthusiasts.

She also added that a joint regional tourism offer could be realized based on natural potentials, which would contribute to the development of active tourism.

“The possibilities are vast—one of them would be connecting UNESCO cultural heritage sites located in the region, organizing tours based on ancient heritage, regional tours centered on cultural and religious heritage, as well as other cultural assets. At the same time, we could develop active tourism, as besides numerous cultural and historical attractions in our municipality and its surroundings, we also have significant natural resources,” concluded the Director of the Tourist Organization of Gracanica.