Nestled on the banks of the Vrbas River, Banja Luka has long been known as the administrative and cultural heart of Republika Srpska. Yet, for many international travellers, it remains a city viewed through a window—a brief stop on the road between Zagreb and Sarajevo, or a convenient base for exploring the wider region. But according to Mladen Šukalo, Head of Tourism Development at the Banja Luka Tourist Board (TOBL), this perception is ripe for change.
In this exclusive interview, Šukalo outlines a vision that goes far beyond traditional destination marketing. He details a comprehensive strategy to reposition Banja Luka not as a transit point, but as a compelling destination in its own right, one that leverages its unique blend of urban culture, layered heritage, and dramatic natural landscapes.
From the six pillars of TOBL’s mandate to the ambitious plans for the Kastel Fortress and a new cable car, Šukalo provides a candid look at the city’s tourism roadmap. He discusses the critical importance of public-private partnerships, the role of digital storytelling in reaching distant markets, and the untapped potential of the Spanish and Portuguese markets. Crucially, he explains how Banja Luka is embracing a “Hub-and-Spoke” model to extend visitor stays and why the city’s authentic assets from the Dajak boat to UNESCO-listed Zmijanje embroidery offer a competitive advantage that cannot be replicated.
As Banja Luka sets its sights on a future as a recognised centre for active and eco-tourism, Šukalo’s insights reveal a destination that is not only open for business but is strategically building a sustainable, authentic, and connected future.
Could you describe the core mandate of the Banja Luka Tourism Organisation today?
The Banja Luka Tourism Organisation (TOBL) is the city’s destination management and tourism development institution. Its core mandate is to coordinate tourism stakeholders, develop and promote Banja Luka as a destination, enhance the quality and competitiveness of its tourism offer, and ensure the sustainable valorisation of the city’s natural, cultural and heritage resources for the benefit of visitors, local communities and the tourism economy. In practical terms, the Organisation’s mandate can be understood through six interconnected pillars:
1. Destination development
TOBL identifies tourism resources and opportunities, supports the development of new tourism products and experiences, and works to improve and diversify the existing offer. Particular attention is given to areas and attractions that remain underrepresented within the city’s tourism portfolio, with the aim of creating a more balanced and geographically diversified destination.
2. Destination management and coordination
An important part of TOBL’s role is to bring together public and private tourism stakeholders and facilitate cooperation among accommodation providers, restaurants, attractions, tourist guides, event organisers, cultural and sports institutions and other actors within the destination. The objective is to encourage a coordinated approach and a common strategic direction for tourism development.
3. Destination marketing and promotion
TOBL is responsible for positioning and promoting Banja Luka in domestic and international markets. This includes managing the destination’s tourism identity and communication, implementing promotional activities and providing relevant tourism information and visitor services.
4. Sustainable valorisation and protection of natural and cultural heritage
The Organisation works to transform cultural heritage, local traditions, landscapes and natural resources into high-quality tourism experiences while ensuring that their protection and long-term sustainability are not compromised. Particular importance is attached to the interpretation and promotion of local traditions, customs and ethnological heritage.
5. Visitor experience and tourism information
TOBL provides visitors with reliable and accessible information about the destination, facilitates access to information on tourist guides, accommodation and tourism services, and operates and develops tourist information services. The objective is to ensure that visitors can easily access relevant information before and during their stay.
6. Events and specialised tourism programmes
Events represent an important component of Banja Luka’s destination offer. TOBL organises and supports cultural, sporting, entertainment and other events that contribute to the city’s attractiveness and visitor appeal. The Organisation also supports the development of business and MICE tourism and other specialised tourism segments. Its activities include major destination events such as “Summer on the Vrbas river”, one of Banja Luka’s long-standing tourism and cultural events.
The Banja Luka Tourism Organisation was established by a Decision of the Banja Luka City Assembly on 25 September 2003. As a public institution established by the City Assembly, TOBL is accountable to its founder for the implementation of its mandate and activities. The Organisation is predominantly financed through the Budget of the City of Banja Luka.
Overall, TOBL’s role goes beyond destination promotion. It increasingly acts as a destination management and development platform, connecting public institutions, the tourism industry and the wider local community in order to build a more competitive, sustainable and recognisable destination.
How does Banja Luka position itself within the broader Republika Srpska and Bosnia and Herzegovina tourism landscape, and what makes the city a distinct destination rather than just a stop on the way to other attractions?
Banja Luka occupies a distinctive position within the tourism landscape of Republika Srpska and Bosnia and Herzegovina. As the second-largest city in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the administrative, cultural, educational, healthcare and sports centre of Republika Srpska, it combines the functions and amenities of a regional urban centre with the natural and cultural assets of a much wider destination.
One of Banja Luka’s principal strengths is its geographical diversity. Covering approximately 1,239 km², the city’s territory encompasses a combination of urban and rural landscapes, plains, hills and mountainous areas. This creates an unusually broad range of tourism opportunities within a single destination – from cultural and city tourism to outdoor activities, rural experiences, wellness and nature-based tourism.
The wider destination is also surrounded by three spa centres with different natural thermal and mineral water characteristics, further contributing to the diversity of the tourism offer.
Banja Luka’s cultural identity is equally important. Different empires, civilisations and cultures have passed through or established themselves in this area over the centuries, leaving a layered cultural heritage that remains visible in the city’s architecture, traditions, gastronomy and local identity.
The city’s geographical position is another important advantage. Banja Luka is well connected by road with other parts of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the wider region. It is approximately three and a half hours by road from major regional centres such as Belgrade, Zagreb, Ljubljana, Sarajevo and Split. This makes Banja Luka both an accessible destination in its own right and a potential base for exploring the wider north-western part of Bosnia and Herzegovina and and the Balkan countries.
However, our ambition is for Banja Luka to be more than a convenient stop between larger or better-known destinations. Its competitive advantage lies precisely in the combination of urban culture, living traditions, nature and outdoor experiences within a relatively compact destination.
The city can offer visitors an urban experience centred on cultural heritage, gastronomy, events and a vibrant city atmosphere, while the surrounding area provides opportunities for hiking, cycling, adventure activities, river experiences and rural tourism.
Banja Luka also serves as a gateway to a wider north-western region characterised by extensive forests, clear mountain rivers, distinctive rural communities and a cultural heritage developed over centuries. This gives the city an important role in multi-destination itineraries and creates opportunities to extend visitor stays by connecting urban experiences with attractions in the surrounding area.
Finally, Banja Luka’s identity is reinforced by a number of highly distinctive cultural elements. These include the famous Banja Luka ćevap, the authentic Dajak boat, traditionally used on the Vrbas River, and Zmijanje embroidery, which is inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Taken together, these elements allow Banja Luka to position itself not simply as a transit point, but as a distinctive urban and nature-based destination in its own right, offering a combination of culture, heritage, gastronomy, events and outdoor experiences that is difficult to replicate elsewhere in the region.
Banja Luka’s cultural identity is equally important. Different empires, civilisations and cultures have passed through or established themselves in this area over the centuries, leaving a layered cultural heritage that remains visible in the city’s architecture, traditions, gastronomy and local identity
What is your current strategy for increasing visitor numbers, and which specific segments, cultural, nature, sports, MICE, wellness are you prioritising?
Our strategy is based, first and foremost, on strengthening the international perception of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Banja Luka as safe, attractive and welcoming destinations. The country has often been represented internationally through predominantly negative or politically focused news, and one of our objectives is therefore to present a more balanced and authentic picture of the destination.
We are actively promoting Banja Luka through social media and digital campaigns targeting selected European markets, while also participating in tourism fairs across Europe. In addition, we support and organise familiarisation visits for journalists, tour operators and content creators, allowing them to experience the destination directly and communicate its diversity to their audiences.
At the destination level, we also coordinate with tourism stakeholders and work on the development of new tourism programmes, products and experiences.
Two areas currently receiving particular attention are outdoor tourism and events tourism. Within a relatively compact area, visitors can enjoy a wide range of outdoor activities, including white-water activities, rides on the authentic Dajak boat, climbing, hiking, cycling, skydiving, paragliding, horse riding, quad biking, fishing and other nature-based experiences.
At the same time, Banja Luka can increasingly be described as a “City of Events”, with a wide range of sporting, cultural, entertainment and tourism events taking place throughout the year.
We believe these two segments have the greatest potential to generate tangible results in the relatively short term. At the same time, we continue to see significant opportunities in health, cultural, MICE, rural and gastronomic tourism.
Banja Luka draws strongly from the regional market. How do you plan to grow length of stay and spending per visitor, not just arrivals?
Increasing the share of visitors from European and other international markets beyond the region should contribute directly to longer stays and higher tourism expenditure. Banja Luka remains comparatively price-competitive in relation to many other European destinations, while offering a diverse range of experiences within a relatively compact geographical area.
Further investment in tourism infrastructure, the development of new attractions and products, and stronger connections with destinations in the surrounding region will also contribute to extending the average length of stay.
We also see significant potential in applying a Hub-and-Spoke model, in cooperation with domestic and international tour operators. Banja Luka can serve as a base from which visitors explore a wider area, while the city itself becomes an integral part of multi-destination itineraries rather than a short stopover.
What role do digital marketing, social media, and content creators play in your promotion strategy, and how do you measure the return on these efforts?
Social media and digital marketing are at the centre of our promotional activities, primarily because they provide direct access to international markets, enable precise audience targeting and offer an efficient and environmentally sustainable way of communicating a destination globally.
They are particularly important for the promotion of events, where timely digital communication can significantly influence visitor decisions and travel patterns.
We are also increasingly cooperating with influencers and other content creators. Their role is particularly valuable in increasing the visibility of Banja Luka and presenting the destination through authentic, first-hand experiences.
Our objective is not simply to generate visibility, but to ensure that tourism products, experiences and the authentic image of Banja Luka reach relevant audiences in international markets.
How important are partnerships to your strategy in general with city and entity institutions, neighbouring tourism organisations, the private sector, airlines, and international bodies — and which partnerships are you most focused on developing?
Partnerships are fundamental to our approach. One of the statutory responsibilities of the Banja Luka Tourist Organisation is to coordinate tourism stakeholders within the destination. In this context, we organise joint meetings several times a year to discuss strategic tourism development and strengthen cooperation among key stakeholders.
At our current stage of development, we are particularly focused on strengthening cooperation within the destination itself. At the same time, cooperation with domestic and international partners remains extremely important.
Regional cooperation is primarily aimed at extending visitor stays and developing joint programmes and experiences that encourage visitors to explore a wider geographical area.
International cooperation, meanwhile, provides opportunities for the exchange of experience and expertise, joint promotional activities, the transfer of good practices and participation in international projects and partnerships.
Are there any cooperation agreements with tour operators, travel agencies, or tourism boards outside the region that have proven particularly valuable, and what have you learned from them?
At present, our formal cooperation agreements are primarily with partners from the region, including tourism organisations and destinations in Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as local private and civil sector partners such as hotels, associations and tour operators.
These partnerships enable us to exchange experience, facilitate the implementation of joint projects and support one another in strengthening destination visibility and competitiveness.
Looking ahead, however, we see considerable potential for expanding this network of cooperation to partners beyond the region, particularly in European and other international source markets.
Spanish and Portuguese travellers often book through established tour operators and value direct air connection. Do you see charter routes or partnerships with airlines serving Banja Luka as a realistic lever to open the Spanish and Portuguese markets?
Yes, absolutely. The local tourism organisation has limited influence over airline and airport policies, but we believe that improving international air connectivity should be addressed through coordinated efforts at the entity and state levels, including the creation of an appropriate institutional and policy framework.
Bosnia and Herzegovina currently receives approximately 15,000–16,000 visitors from Spain annually, and this market has been growing from year to year. Most Spanish visitors currently travel to Sarajevo and Mostar, while Banja Luka receives only around 500 Spanish visitors annually.
At present, the only direct air connection between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Spain is the seasonal low-cost service between Sarajevo and Girona.
For Banja Luka, regional airports can also play an important role. Zagreb Airport, for example, is approximately 180 kilometres away, or around two hours by car.
In our view, one of the most realistic initial steps would be the introduction of charter flights from Spain to Banja Luka International Airport, organised in cooperation with tour operators and designed to serve organised tourist groups while also facilitating two-way visitor exchange.
What challenges do you face in building partnerships with distant markets, and how do you adapt your approach compared to working with regional partners?
Establishing partnerships in distant markets – such as Western Europe, the Middle East and Asia – involves very different dynamics, objectives and challenges compared with cooperation within the region.
With regional partners in Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia and Montenegro, cooperation is generally more natural and faster, benefiting from existing cultural connections, linguistic similarities and geographical proximity. The main challenge is to continuously refresh the tourism offer and encourage repeat visits, particularly short weekend stays and event-driven travel.
Distant markets, on the other hand, present additional challenges related to logistics and connectivity, visibility and destination recognition, as well as cultural and linguistic differences.
Limited direct air connectivity between Banja Luka and major international hubs requires creative combinations of routes and cooperation with regional airports. Banja Luka and Republika Srpska can still be regarded as relatively undiscovered destinations in many distant markets. This creates an opportunity, but also means that building awareness and trust requires time and a consistent presence.
A strong focus on niche tourism – particularly adventure, active and eco-tourism – can provide an effective entry point into these markets. Our approach also needs to be adapted to the travel habits and expectations of visitors from different parts of the world, from digital communication channels to the standards and presentation of accommodation and gastronomy.
We believe that the initial breakthrough into distant markets should be supported by entity- and state-level institutions. As a local destination organisation, Banja Luka generally seeks to enter these markets in cooperation with partners from across Bosnia and Herzegovina, thereby increasing our collective visibility and competitiveness.
Visitors from distant markets also tend to stay longer and explore wider geographical areas. This creates an opportunity to position Bosnia and Herzegovina – and, where appropriate, the wider Western Balkans – as an integrated multi-destination experience.
Can you share details about new tourism projects currently underway or planned, new attractions, events, infrastructure, or investments, and what role public-private partnerships will play in delivering them?
We expect the continuation of the revitalisation of Kastel Fortress, the most important cultural and historical monument in Banja Luka, together with improvements to the trail leading to the natural phenomenon known as the Stone Bridge and further improvements to transport and tourism infrastructure throughout the destination.
The City of Banja Luka is also planning a number of major capital projects, including the development of the “Temple of Love – Safikada”, dedicated to one of the city’s best-known legends of unfulfilled love; a cable car connecting the city with a viewpoint offering panoramic views of Banja Luka; the establishment of a City Museum; and the development of a via ferrata route through the Tijesno Canyon.
Alongside these infrastructure and tourism-superstructure projects, it is equally important to strengthen tourism awareness, develop the skills and capacities of local stakeholders, improve the quality and diversity of the tourism offer and create an environment in which public and private-sector investments can complement one another.
Public-private partnerships will therefore be important, particularly in the development and operation of new tourism products, attractions and services, where the public sector can provide strategic direction and infrastructure while private operators contribute investment, expertise, innovation and market access.
Looking ahead five years, what would success look like for Banja Luka tourism, and what support do you need from partners at home and abroad to achieve it?
Looking five years ahead, success in tourism for Banja Luka would not be measured solely by higher visitor numbers or statistical growth. For us, success means sustainable, balanced and authentic development that generates tangible benefits for the local community while providing visitors with memorable experiences.
We see Banja Luka developing as:
- a recognised regional and European centre for active and eco-tourism;
- a network of vibrant and sustainable rural destinations that can successfully benefit from tourism while preserving intangible heritage, traditional crafts and local traditions through contemporary interpretation centres;
- and a smart and green destination that uses modern digital tools to improve visitor management, reduce seasonality and extend the average tourist stay towards three to four days, with a strong focus on authentic local gastronomy and events tourism.
Achieving this vision requires strong and multi-layered support from our partners.
1. Institutional and financial support from higher levels of government and international funds
Investment is needed in major infrastructure projects, particularly improved air connectivity, the modernisation of transport and accommodation infrastructure, and greater access to EU and international funding programmes focused on the green transition and sustainable development.
2. Strategic cooperation with tourism organisations across the region and Europe
We need continued exchange of good practices, joint promotion in long-haul markets and participation in transnational tourism routes and networks, including initiatives related to rivers, adventure tourism and the Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe.
3. Education and knowledge transfer
Partnerships with professional institutions, the non-governmental sector and international experts and consultants are essential for strengthening the capacities of local communities and tourism providers. Priority areas include digital marketing, quality standards and destination management aligned with internationally recognised ESG principles.
Ultimately, our ambition is to build a destination that is recognisable, sustainable, connected and authentic – a destination where tourism is not an end in itself, but a tool for strengthening the local economy, preserving cultural and natural heritage and creating meaningful experiences for visitors.
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