No. 1 2018 BALKAN TRAVELLER ...... .... Travel journal through Western Balkans ..... ..... Welcome to the Balkans ..... ....Country descriptions and what to see Balkan Traveller /...... 1., 2018. ..... / Ljubljana,2018. www.ceatm.org, info@ceatm.org, sales@ceatm.org SKYPE: CEATM d.o.o. QQ: 1712245775 .. / Headquarters CEATM d.o.o. Dolga Poljana 57 SI 5271 Vipava, Slovenia . . : +386 30 65 38 28 Andrej Raspor, CEO andrej.raspor@ceatm.org . . : +386 51 31 32 21 .../ Editor in Chief: Andrej Raspor ..... / Editorial Board: Tjaša Crv, Sanela Kšela .... / Cover photo: Tjaša Crv .... / Other photos: Luka Furjan, Tjaša Crv, Maša Egart, Tim Jeršic, Nika Crne, Pixabay (Creative Commons licence) .. / Authors: Andrej Raspor, Matej Krmelj, Sanela Kšela, Martina Kolak, Melisa Nikic, Danilo Bulatovic, Frosina Ristovski, Stefan Erakovic, Luka Furjan .../Translators: Seth Vid Peterson, Xiaoli Ye, Tina Žuber, Sanela Kšela, Martina Kolak, Melisa Nikic, Danilo Bulatovic, Frosina Ristovski, Stefan Erakovic, Luka Furjan ....... International Standard Serial Number (on line) ISSN 2630-2918 .. / NOTICE ...........,..“.........”. ..............................,.......! This magazine was created within the project: Promotion of the beauty of Slovenia in the Chinese speaking area with innovative content. Articles in this magazine were written and translated by students of Sinology (Chinese) who are not native speakers. This means that there may be some errors in translations. Thank you for your understanding. Pedagoški mentorji / Pedagogical mentors: dr. Jaroslav Berce dr. Maja Veselic dr.Matevž Pogacnik Klemen Pecnik DELOVNI MENTOR / Mentors from the business sector: dr. Andrej Raspor Špela Kunst KOORDINATOR / Coordinator: Matjaž Štefancic Sodelujoci študenti na projektu / Students working on the project: Tjaša Crv Matej Krmelj Seth Vid Peterson Xiaoli Ye Tina Žuber Maša Egart Tim Jeršic Nika Crne ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Revija je nastala v okviru projekta: Promocija lepot Slovenije na kitajsko govorecem obmocju z inovativnimi vsebinami Projektne aktivnosti se izvajajo skladno z Operativnim programom za izvajanje Evropske kohezijske politike v obdobju 2014–2020 v okviru prednostne osi: »10. Znanje, spretnosti in vseživljenjsko ucenje za boljšo zaposljivost«, prednostne naložbe: »10.1. Krepitev enake dostopnosti vseživljenjskega ucenja za vse starostne skupine v formalnem, neformalnem in priložnostnem okolju, izpolnjevanje znanj, spretnosti in kompetenc delovne sile ter spodbujanje prožnih oblik ucenja, vkljucno prek poklicnega usmerjanja in validiranja pridobljenih kompetenc«, specificnega cilja: »3. Spodbujanje prožnih oblik ucenja ter podpora kakovostni karierni orientaciji za šolajoco se mladino na vseh ravneh izobraževalnega sistema«. The magazine was created within the project: Promotion of the beauty of Slovenia in the Chinese-speaking area with innovative content Project activities are carried out in accordance with the Operational Program for the Implementation of the European Cohesion Policy for the period 2014-2020 within the priority axis: »10. Knowledge, Skills and Lifelong Learning for Better Employability ", Priority Investment: »10.1. Strengthening the equal accessibility of lifelong learning for all age groups in a formal, non-formal and informal environment, meeting skills, competencies and the promotion of flexible forms of learning, including through vocational guidance and validation of acquired competences ". Specific objective: »3. Promoting flexible forms of learning and supporting quality career guidance for learners at all levels of the education system. " .. FOREWORD ................................ ....................“.....”(»Po kreativni poti«).......................................,........................................hercegovina.............................. .........CEATM(Central Europe Association of Tourism Management,“........”)........................................Andrej Raspor,..(..).....................25.........-......-........... ................................,.......................... .........................................! Andrej Raspor & Tjaša Crv ../Translation: Seth Vid Peterson Before you lies a magazine that tries to present the Western Balkans in all their natural beauty and cultural heritage. Concept and idea for the magazine comes from a Slovenian project “By the creative way” (»Po kreativni poti«) that brings together students of various fields, their study mentors and a mentor from business. Objective of this project is to produce something creative and new, so we decided we want in the best possible way present countries such as Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia and Hercegovina, Montenegro and Macedonia to you dear reader, to the Chinese people, to invite you to come travel to and discover this beautiful part of Europe. Students of University of Ljubljana cooperate with a company called CEATM, which stands for The Central Europe Association of Tourism Management. Company was established with the aim of connecting the key actors of the tourism industry in the territory of the countries of the former Yugoslavia. Main project mentor is Andrej Raspor, Ph.D. of Social Science – Management, company's founder and CEO. With his vast knowledge and experience of over 25 years in tourism industry, specialising in Chinese tourist, he consults for other organizations and corporations. In the magazine you read more about historical, cultural and natural sights you can visit in countries of Western Balkans. In the end join our traveller on his adventure through Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Croatia. Come and discover the vast potential and outstanding possibilities of South-East Europe and the interesting history and breath-taking nature of these countries! Andrej Raspor & Tjaša Crv .. TABLE OF CONTENTS ........ SLOVENIA.......................................................................................................................................... 6 .... CROATIA ......................................................................................................................................................... 12 .......... BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA ................................................................................................... 16 .... SERBIA ........................................................................................................................................................... 20 ... MACEDONIA ...................................................................................................................................................... 24 .. MONTENEGRO ....................................................................................................................................................... 28 ... TRAVEL JOURNAL............................................................................................................................................... 32 .................... ......................................................................................................... 45 EMERGENCE AND FUTURE FLOWS OF CHINESE TOURISTS IN SELECTED COUNTRIES OF BALKAN REGION .................... 45 ..... AUTHOR’S INFORMATION .......................................................................................................................... 54 ........ SLOVENIA ..................................................................(Ljubljana).........................2017............. ....... ..........,...............................................,............... .20273.............,...........................................,....................... ....................(Proteus).................................,......................“..”. ......... ,........,.................................. ..........................(Predjama castle)..............(Notranjska).......,.........,.............,........(Skocjan caves)................(Cerknica lake)..........,.............. ..... ..,.........................——...... ......................................................... ..,........................................................................ ..........(Preseren square)...........,.........................................(..........)....................................................,.................. ...................... ........,...........BTC. BTC..................,......,............. .... ...........,................(Primorska). ............(..,....,..,....)............... ..........................(Secovlje saltern)................. .........(Lipica)................ .......(Lipizzaner)....,.......................1580..................,................................................ ... ..,...(Upper Carniola).................................................................(2864.),......(Planica Valley).........................,................... ........................................,.......,.........................(Carniola)...............,.......................,......,...(Vrba)..................·..............:.... ..... .....(Stajerska).................... .................. .................................... .,...........2012.,..............................,...........(Lent Festival)......(.............).....(Pohorje).....(......). ................ ........(Lent).....,.....,.............. ......400..,...............,............... ..,..................:..(Muskat)....(Rhine Riesling). ...(Sauvignon)....(Pinot Grigio).......... ...............(Ptuj). ...............,.......................... ....................(Ptuj carnival).................... ..... ........................,.....(Prekmurje),........................................... ..........................,..............................................·....(Misko Kranjec)...,...................,............ ................. ..... ................(Lower Carniola)........................................................,.....................,................................. ..............................,........................................ ............(Cvicek).....................,.....(River Kolpa),......(River Kostanjevica).....(River Krka)........... .. ............................... “...(Potica).....,...........”. .............................. ................. ....................... ........................(Prekmurje Layer Cake)...........(Bled Cream Cake),....................... ................................... Sanela Kšela I FEEL SLOVENIA A Country in the heart of Europe, with a diverse environment and many Natural attractions Slovenia, is known for its beauty and scenery, and is a country that is definitely worth a visit. Besides its beautiful nature, Slovenia is also a member of the United Nations, NATO, the Schengen agreement, the Council of Europe etc. Its capital Ljubljana, is both, a political and cultural center and was declared Green Capital of Europe 2016. Slovenia is also home to many mountains, and it's highest peak Triglav is 2864 meters high. Although it is a small and young country, it is so diverse, that everything can be found there. On the area of 20.273 km˛ there are mountains, sea, karst, green plateaus, caves, and more. Its small size also allows tourists to explore a lot of its attractions in a very short time and moreover, to see things that can only be seen in Slovenia. One of these things is the human fish (Proteus), which lives in Postojna cave, in the southwest of Slovenia. POSTOJNA CAVE and PROTEUS The human fish (Proteus) is an amphibian, it's shaped like a snake and it's skin is pink like humans . Because it lives in a cave, its eyes are vestigial, but it's sense of smell and hearing are highly developed . Every year the Proteus attracts thousands of tourists to the Postojna cave. Another popular tourist destination in Postojna is Predjama castle, which is built into the mountain. Postojna is part of the Notranjska, which is home to many caves, though the Skocjan caves really stand out. Last but not least is the Cerknica lake, which is well known as an intermittent lake and is ideal for relaxation and excursions. LJUBLJANA The most visited place in Slovenia is Ljubljana, located in the middle of Slovenia. Ljubljana is the geographical, cultural, scientific, economic, political and administrative center of the country. Moreover, it is the seat of the central government, public administration and all ministries in Slovenia. It is also the seat of the Slovenian National Assembly, Slovenian Prime Minister, President of Slovenia, of the National Museum, the Slovenian Ethnographic Museum, the National and Modern Gallery and the Slovenian Academy of Science and Arts. The symbol of Ljubljana is the dragon, which we can see on the Ljubljana city coat-of- arms. There is a very famous Dragon bridge in Ljubljana, that many tourists go to see. Ljubljana also boasts a castle on the top of the town, that offers a view not only of the city, but also of the mountains. Furthermore, the triple bridge, located in the city center on Preseren Square and the Congress Square are two more places where theres' always something going on and is a must visit in Ljubljana. Tourists that come to Ljubljana can go see its main attractions, relax and sit in the bars next to the Ljubljanica river or simply sail along the Ljubljanica river and experience Ljubljana in a totally different way. Even those who love to shop will be satisfied with Ljubljana. Besides the shops in the city center, BTC is another place for shopping. BTC is a huge compley of shops offering all kinds of shops and is a big attraction not only for locals, but also for tourists. PRIMORSKA For those who want to experience the Slovenian coast, the Primorska region, has a lot to offer. In the west of Slovenia. Each of the Slovenian coastal towns (Piran, Portoroz, Koper, Izola) represents another piece of the puzzle that shapes Slovenia. Primorska is also home to the national park Secovlje saltern, that offer a centuries-old tradition of making salt. Nearby Lipica is another city that attracts many tourists. It's famous for itsLipizzaner horses and its' main attraction is the stud farm, where Lipizzaner horses have been bred since 1580. They they are highly intelligent, willing to learn and are able to quickly acquire the knowledge. Slovenians are exceptionally proud of these horses. UPPER CARNIOLA Upper Carniola is a part of northern Slovenia. It's famous for its mountain slopes and as one of the most economically developed parts of Slovenia. After Ljubljana, Upper Carniola is the second most popular tourist destination. In this part of Slovenia is Lake Bled, which boasts a beautiful landscape, bright blue sky, and a magnificent lake with the small island in the middle, on which is a church. From Upper Carniola originates also one animal, that is another pride of Slovenians - Carniolan bee. It is known as a peaceful type of a bee that rarely stings and it's main job is to collect nectar in densely populated areas. Moreover, it is this part of Slovenia, that is ideal for all mountaineers, who can climb the Slovenian highest mountain Triglav, and skiiers who can watch one of the worlds biggest ski jumping events in Planica Valley. There is one more reason why this region is so important to the Slovenian people. It is here, or more specifically in Vrba, where the Slovenian greatest writer was born. France Preseren wrote the Slovenian anthem: Zdravljica. STYRIA Styria is a region full of forests and hills in northeast of Slovenia. It is known for its vast green plains and its vineyards. Its biggest city is Maribor, which is also the second largest city in Slovenia. Styria is the largest Slovenian region and consequently offers a lot of places worth visiting. In 2012, Maribor earned the title of the Cultural Capital of Europe, because annually a lot of cultural events occur. The most prominent are Lent festival, Borstnik Festival (the most important festival of professional theaters in Slovenia) and the Golden Fox (global competition in skiing) in Pohorje. This is also the city of wine lovers. In Maribor, in front of the Old (grape) wine house, we can find the world oldest grape vine. It's age is more than 400 years and it's registered into the Guinness Book of Records as the oldest wine in the world, which still bears precious grapes. The famous Slovenian wine, that can be found here and all around Slovenia, are: Muskat, Rhine Riesling, Sauvignon and Pinot Grigio. Not far from Maribor, in this part of Slovenia, is the oldest Slovenian town the city of Ptuj. It's famous for its castle, from offers a panoramic view of the area and that still gives a touch of medieval life. One of the most popular events there is the Ptuj Carnival, which is the largest organized carnival event in Slovenia and in central Europe. PREKMURJE On the north-west there's an area known for its traditional folk dishes: Prekmurje layered cake, beef goulash etc. In this area the traditional way of life is kept to a much larger extent than other Slovenian regions. Tourists can enjoy watching and experiencing the old Slovenian peasant traditions or can go to the popular swimming pool complex. Here the visitors can enter the chimney or shoe museum, can explore the homestead of the famous Slovenian writer Misko Krajnc and can admire the biggest Slovenian castle in Goricko. Besides that, the tourists can have a look at the art of making pottery or simply ride a bike and go explore the beautiful landscape that this wonderful part of Slovenia has to offer. LOWER CARNIOLA Further on, in the southeastern part of Slovenia stretches Lower Carniola, where the characteristics of the three regional units are combined: the Alps, the Pannonian Plain and the Dinaric Alps. This area hosts the greatest number of castles in Slovenia. Furthermore, it is famous for numerous hayracks, seemingly insignificant things in the middle of the fields in the Slovenian countryside, but with an extremely important function in the global architecture and Slovenian tradition. People are using them to dry the grain and grass. They represent a specialty in the field of architecture in the world, because can only be seen in Slovenian countryside. It is in Lower Carniola, that tourists can see the first open museum of hayracks in the world. Lower Carniola is also a paradise for the lovers of the wine Cvicek and for all of those who love water sports. Thus, you can enjoy canoeing, rafting or simply go freshen yourself in one of the famous rivers there: Kolpa, Kostanjevica and Krka. CUISINE Last but not least, some of the most famous Slovenian traditional dishes have to be mentioned. "Potica is a good dish, nowhere in the world can we find a more delicious one". This proverb describes one of the most precious jewels of the Slovenian culinary treasures. It is popular in all Slovenian regions. We distinguish them by their names, fillings, dough types and forms. We also have the Prekmurje Layer Cake, which originates from the Prekmurje region in northeast Slovenia and the Bled Cream Cake which makes Bled even more famous, Potica also represents an important part of Slovenian cultural heritage, through which tourists can learn the habits and values of the nation. These three dishes shouldn't be missed by any tourist visiting Slovenia. Sanela Kšela .... CROATIA ....... ..........................,...............................,................,............................. .........................,........................Cest is d`best.....,.......................,.................,..........DOLAC.....................,.................. ..........................................,........“.....”...........................,.....(Sponza Palace)................ ......................... ...........................................................(............).....................(sea organ)——.........................,....... ....(Split)..........,...........................................................,.............. ......7..,.............................,....................... ......,.......................................,.....——.........,............... ........,.................................,............444....,.................... .................,....... .................(Rastoke),.............,................,.......23.............,.....22...,..........17... ...................-......(Plitvice)....................,...................16....................,..............,......................... ........(Natural park Lonja Field).......,......... ..............,.....................,.......... .................. ................(Cigoc)............“. .”......... .....1994.....“....”. ............,..................... .....——.......,...3........ ........,..............,..........,................................ Martina Kolak CAPTIVATING ATTRACTIONS OF CROATIA Croatia is famous for its natural beauty and cultural heritage. It has many things to offer to wandering tourists for such a small country. From flat fields and traditional rural life, history as early as ancient Greek colonies, to the most popular sun and sea. Here is the list of some of the must-see attractions. First up, we will go through cultural centres of Croatia starting with the capital of Zagreb, where you can experience quite a few festive events throughout the year. Summer is the time for street festival, Cest is d’best, while in winter Zagreb hosts twice in a row crowned the most beautiful Advent in Europe. Besides these events, there is a well-established tourist sight-seeing tour around the Lower and Upper Town, where tourists walk through the very history of the older parts of the capital, visiting the City Cathedral, market Dolac, Bloody Bridge, Stone Gate, St. Mark’s Square, etc. After Zagreb, Dubrovnik is the next place to go to. Pearl of the Adriatic Sea, Dubrovnik has its own ample history to tell. The Old Town was a city-state now known for its city walls, which also appear in the world-famous TV series Game of Thrones. The Old Town is rich with Renaissance architecture, such as Sponza Palace and Rector’s Palace, as well as many churches and monasteries. Dating from the 7th century, it is listed as one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Next important city on the coast is Zadar, which traces the earliest evidence of human life back to the Stone Age. Famous for many Romanesque churches and monasteries (most famous one being Church of St. Donatus), Zadar’s most unique attractions is a sea organ, an architectural experimental musical instrument, which plays music when sea waves crash into the tubes underneath marble stairs. Split is another place to go to, being the second largest city in Croatia. It was first established as a Greek colony, but its most prominent history started with the building of Diocletian's Palace in the fourth century AD, intended as the retirement residence of Roman emperor Diocletian, but it also served as the military garrison. The Old Town itself was established in 7th century AD, when people of Roman colony Salona fled from the invading Slavic tribes. Today, Diocletian’s Palace is listed as one of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Besides the ones mentioned above, there are many more places rich in culture and history worth visiting. Pula, for instance, the old colonial town rich in Roman architecture, and Varazdin, old capital of Croatia known for its opulent Baroque heritage. After visiting these urban sights, it’s time for some relaxation in nature. The list of such sites is never-ending, as Croatia has a bountiful variety of natural phenomena. There are 444 protected areas of Croatia, consisting of national parks, nature parks and strict reserves. However, there are many more places not listed as protected, but worth paying a visit to. One such place is Rastoke, a small village built on a natural barrier at the entry of one small river into another with 23 waterfalls decorating the flow. To use its good position, the villagers built 22 mills, the oldest one dating back to the 17th century. The village of Rastoke is connected to an even larger such phenomena called Plitvice Lakes. Plitvice are the oldest and most popular national park of Croatia, listed as UNESCO World Heritage Site. There are 16 lakes arranged in cascades separated by natural dams of travertine. The lakes are renowned for their range of colours, varying from azure to green, grey or blue, depending on minerals or organisms in the water and the angle of sunlight. Lonja Field is another protected area, this time a nature park. It is the largest protected wetland in Croatia, and it is a mosaic of different habitats typical of the flooded areas such as different kinds of wet forests, grasslands, and meadows, which are an important habitat for birds. Among other things, here lives the white stork. In the park, there is a village named Cigoc, where nearly every house has "their" stork nest, which is why it was proclaimed the "European Stork Village"in1994. There are many places of unique beauty in Croatia, and the ones mentioned are just a portion of all the destinations worth exploring. And not just in summer, which is the busiest tourist season, but also during other 3 seasons. And when you come to Croatia, don’t forget to enjoy local dishes and beverages, or attend some local festivities, as they are sure to enchant your senses. Martina Kolak .......... BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA .........:.......... ..........,.............................,.........,.......80.........«.........». ........................................ .................................. ..11.27.,...........«............................»......,....................... .................,..........,......,.....................,................,............. ..........,....,......,.......................................................·........:“....................,.......“..”. .........,..............: ..... (Jahorina Mountain) ................................1913.,........ ...,.............,.............,.......,................;.....,........,....,..............................................,.. ...1984..........——........,.Bjelasnica............ ........ (Sutjeska National Park) ...................,.....................................,................................,......................... ..........175....,.............................,............Maglic.........,..2386................. ....:.... (Sarajevo) .............,.............. .............. ..........2002....,....31.... ..............,............. .....................,....“..”.................................................,............................,....,....,.......... ...(Latin Bridge)..............................,. ....,...................,..........................................,.................,......... .............,............“.......”..,....,................ ...,........(.........)......,...........................................,...........................................,............,.................. .... (Mostar) .............................,....“.......”..................,....................... ..............,.. ......,...1993.......——......,......................16........................................ .....(Pocitelj) ......................,............................,................................ Melisa Nikic THE COUNTRY WHERE WALTER FOUGHT: BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA What makes Bosnia and Herzgovina known to the foreigners is its natural scenery and unique architecture. In addition, when hearing about Bosnia and Herzegovina, a lot of Chinese people think of the movie »Walter defends Sarajevo«, which was played in the 1980s. The movie talks about Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina and reflects lifes of the people living in Sarajevo during the World War II. Many Chinese peoples' impression of Bosnia and Herzegovina comes from this movie. On November 27th last year, the foreign ministers of China and Bosnia and Herzegovina signed the »Agreement between the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Ministry of Bosnia and Herzegovina on the exemption of Visas for Ordinary Passports«, meaning that Bosnia and Herzegovina has become the second country in Europe offering free visa entry to the holders of Chinese passports. The great architecture of Bosnia and Herzegovina is the result of the cultural exchange between the East and the West. Besides its unique architecture, turists can also enjoy a fresh and clear air, and beautiful sceneries. Moreover, Bosnia and Herzegovina has a long history of multiculturalism and the multiethnic people have lived there peacefully for centuries. The people living there are also very special. They are brave like Walter and sucessful in many fields: they have won the Nobel prize for literature and have a lot of distinguished individuals in different cultural and sports fields. Just as Amer Kovacevic, the ambassador of the embassy of Bosnia and Herzegovina in China said: »We are intelligent, hardworking, enthusiastic and friendly and this is our best »product«. There are a lot of places worth going to, but I am going to mention just a few, the most interesting ones: JAHORINA MOUNTAIN Is located in the southeast of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina and in the southeast of Sarajevo. The highest peak is 1913 meters high and is at the same time the second highest mountain in the country. In the summer, the tourists can enjoy its green scenery and observe the wild flowers covering the whole mountain. The mountain there is ideal for outdoor activities, such as hiking. In the winter it gets covered by white snow, so it also becomes a paradies for skiers. In 1984 the Winter Olympic Games – women's alpine skiing competition was organized there. SUTJESKA NATIONAL PARK Is the national park of Bosnia and Herzegovina and at the same time one of the oldest in the country. What makes it even more famous is it's reputation of being one of the few primeval forests in Europe. If you go there, you will see some stone monuments, which commemorate the great victory over German occupation forces during the Second World War. The Sutjeska National Park covers an area of 175 square kilometers. Large trees all around the park, cover the whole area like a green blanket. From afar, you will also be able to see many mountains and rivers. Consequently, you will be able to enjoy the view on the highest mountain in Bosnia and Herzegovina – Maglic mountain, which reaches up to 2386 meters. The mountain attracts many climbers every year. THE CAPITAL CITY OF BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA: SARAJEVO Is an important industrial and railway transport center. The city, besides being famous for being the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina, is also famous for being the city of the outbreak of the First World War. Besides that, it is a city surrounded by mountains and with a beautiful scenery. According to the 2002 year survey, the city has a population of 310,000 people. The east entrance to the city is an important mountain road, where the tourists can go visit the castle built during the reign of Turkey. Not far from the east gate is also a famous stone arch called »Sheep Bridge«. It used to be an important gateway from Sarajevo to the rest of the world. On the western side of the city is the main highway and railway that lead to the Western Europe and to the Adriatic seashore. Sarajevo has a pleasant climate with a lot of rain in summer and snow in winter, therefore it is a good place for vacation and tourism. The Latin Bridge in Sarajevo is a bridge, that every tourist has to visit. Although it looks very ordinary on the surface, it has extremelly important significance in the history context. Here it is where the First World War started, the reason being that Gavrilo Princip near the Latin Bridge shot the Austro-Hungarian throne, and his wife Sophie, Duchess of Hohenberg. Because of its big historical significance, the Latin Bridge became the first place that many tourists visit in Sarajevo. Historically, Catholic and Orthodox Christians, Christians and Islamics, Germans and Slavs, Russians and Westerners have all fought there in the former Yugoslavia (more precisely across Bosnia and Herzegovina), Sarajevo's strategic position has thus become exceptionally important. Years of war have made this little-known city in a world famous city, later even becoming the capital city of Bosnia and Herzegovina. MOSTAR Is located in the south of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Because of the Neretva River flowing through the city, it is also called the »City of Neretva«. Mostar is one of the most important travel destinations in Bosnia and Herzegovina. In the center you can go see the Old Mostar Bridge, which is the most famous tourist destination in the city. It is considered to be a world cultural heritage. The only disadvantage is, that the bridge was destroyed during the Croatian-Bosnian War in 1993, but it was soon rebuilt. Another famous bridge there is the Arch Bridge, which was built during the Ottoman Empire in the 16th century and last but not least, you can go see some mosques, which are not rare there. POCITELJ Is an old village built on the stone. Pocitelj was built during the Ottoman times and is also known as having one of the most perfect buildings in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The houses there are different from any other in the country. They are located on a small hill in a circular uneven land, which gives the visitors the feeling of their untouchability. The scenery of this place is particularly charming and worth visiting. Melisa Nikic .... SERBIA ...... .......................................... .......,..........,............... ................................................... .......,......,.......... ..................,........ ..,............... (Constantine the Great)- ............................ ..,...............,.........................................,................... ——........(Studenica)........(Sopocani).......(Fruska gora).....(Manasija).....(Ravanica).Zica..... ..........,..............................................,............................,................ .......................................................... ....................... ..............19..,....................... .......(“Muzeum serbski”1844.)...,...............,................1945.,......20....,...........................100....,.............. ..,........................................,...............,............,...............................(Guca)...........(Novi sad).EXIT........(Belgrade)....(Beer festival)....(Nis)......(Nisville jazz festival). .......,..........................................,......,.........................,......... ................................. ................................:....(Djerdap)......(Kopaonik)...(Tara)........(Fruska gora).......,.................................,. ..................,................................................1.500..........91....82...... ...............................................................................200......,........................................ ...140....,...20..... .......- ....... - ..15.16...17..........,............... ......................... ...24.......,..17.......... ............................,... (Davolja varos)....................220......... ................,............... ..................,................. ......................................,............. Danilo Bulatovic I FEEL SERBIA Serbia is a country of exceptional cultural heritage and richness, with remains of civilizations tens of centuries old and a great number of spiritual creations. Culture has always been an integral part of Serbian identity. People, whose monuments originate from ancient times and whose script dates back from the 9th century, have created an immense cultural heritage. You will find testimonies of this all across Serbia because each corner of the country, from the biggest city to a smallest village, has remarkable history. This is the country of outstanding cultural heritage that embraces archaeological remains of ancient civilizations. The monuments will leave you breathless, it is easy to fall in love with their uniqueness and beauty. Some of the most developed and most complex prehistoric cultures had lived on these river banks, above all on the Danube. The remains of the prehistoric culture from Lepenski Vir dating back to the 7th millennium B.C. and the Vinca culture near Belgrade, the world’s most advanced prehistoric culture, were found in archaeological sites around here. During difficult times the territory of Serbia has become the center of the world of antiquity. Seventeen Roman Emperors were born here, including Constantine the Great – the Roman Emperor who issued the Edict of Milan that had stopped the persecutions of Christians. Enthusiasts searching for something truly authentic simply have to visit the medieval monasteries and churches in Serbia. These holy places treasure some of the oldest and most beautiful treasures of Serbian art and architecture. The unique position on the crossroads between the East and the West has put Serbia in the center of a historical stage where different nations encountered, leaving behind authentic traces of spiritual culture. However, Serbia and Serbian orthodox church can be most proud of its monasteries – from Studenica and Sopocani to the Patriarchate of Pec; from the monasteries on Mt. Fruška Gora to Manasija, Ravanica and Žica. Built in the Middle Ages, these monasteries testify of rise and fall of the Serbian Empire and state. They were built by rulers to celebrate the glory of the saints, but also as their eternal resting places. Frescoes are more than just a representation of lives of saints; they are mementos of turbulent historic events. From the remains of prehistoric civilizations living on this land 40,000 years ago, rich Roman heritage, medieval castles and fortresses, to cultural attractions of modern time… Serbia is the right place for all history lovers! Within its walls Serbian museums preserve priceless historical and cultural treasures. First museums in Serbia were founded in the second half of the 19th century and are among the first cultural institutions established within the national program of a modern Serbian state. Shortly after founding the National Museum ( “Muzeum serbski” 1844) , first specialized museums in Belgrade, Vojvodina and across Serbia were founded. Until 1945 Serbia had 20 museums, and after the World War II, that number had increased considerably. There are around 100 museums in Serbia and most of them are located in the buildings that represent the cultural heritage and are themselves under the state protection. Also, Serbia is a country well-known for its numerous theatre, film, and music festivals, as well as specific traditional events that are held throughout the year, and that have made it a significant cultural centre. Serbia hosts some of the best, award-winning festivals that attract young people from all over the world, giving them the opportunity to see their favorite musicians at a relatively low cost, while providing the highest level of enjoyment. The most significant ones are: Dragacevo Trumpet Festival in Guca, EXIT Festival in Novi Sad, Beer Fest in Belgrade and Nišville Jazz Festival in Niš. When speaking about its natural resources, Serbia is a true jewel of Europe. As such, through its high mountains, vast plains, huge forests and beautiful caves, it offers various challenges to all real admirers of nature and wilderness. Serbia is a perfect place for all those who possess that extra adventurous spirit. Some of the already extinct animal and plant species, that used to exist in other parts of Europe, are still present in Serbian forests and its rich marshes. The true beauty and richness of Serbia is hidden in its exceptionally beautiful nature. National parks of Serbia: Djerdap, Kopaonik, Tara, Fruška Gora are among the most beautiful and richest national parks in the world. National park Đerdap have the oldest geological history in Europe, and the largest number of historical monuments from the Roman period. Also it is the oldest settlement from the Neolithic period of 8.000 years ago and the biggest natural and archeological museum in Europe. The flora of national park Kopaonik has over 1.500 plant species. In the national park there are 91 endemic and 82 subendemic plant species. The highest parts of Kopaonik are inhabited by eelpout which inhabits only the highest mountains of Europe, golden eagle, mountain lark, red crossbill and other animal species. Kopaonik is also the most famous ski center in Serbia. National park Fruška Gora is a home to 200 bird species such as imperial eagle, hawk, woodpecker and grey titmouse. Mammals such as wild cat, badger, pine marten and many kinds of bats occupy its territory as well. Its flora is very rich and numbers 1.400 species among which, there are over 20 species of Orchids. Fruška gora – Serbian Atos – encloses 17 Orthodox monasteries from the 15th and the 16th century. There are also great vineyards and the wine cellars of Fruska Gora. National park Tara is one of the richest and the most valuable forest regions in Europe both in diversity and preservation of the ecosystem. There are 24 species of mammals registered, of which 17 are protected as rare species. In the canyon of Tara there are many traces of prehistoric, antic, Roman and Byzantine cultures. Devil's town – Đavolja varoš is one of the most attractive natural phenomena in the world. It is a place of strange forms with a strange name, a complex of stone-capped, spindle-shaped pillars in science referred to as soil pyramids. It consists of 220 soil figures created by soil erosion. The process of erosion has been going on at this site for centuries, therefore making some figures disappear and forming new ones... These are just some of the most significant natural beauties of Serbia, but there is also a lot of beautiful lakes, rivers and mountains which are realy extraordinary beautiful. I can guarantee that anyone who visits Serbia and who wants to get closer to her culture and people or exploring her natural beauty will certainly not remain indifferent and will gladly visit Serbia again. Danilo Bulatovic ... MACEDONIA ........ .....................“..”............,.................,........................................................................: ....(Skopje) ...........................,......50................,...,......................1963.................,................. .........66..................................................6..,............... ....,...................,.................(.............).................,...........................................,..............,........12............. ...............,..............,...........,............. ....:...... .........................,...300............,..............Gorna Slatinska..........400..,................,.................,.................. ..... (Canyon Matka) .............16.....................,.................................,........,.....Vrelo......... .,.....................,...................,....................,............ .......................40.......................,................ ........ (Mavrovo National Park) ...............................,..2,760..................................129.................,.....................,.........................,......,........... ..... (Ohrid) .........................,......56,000...................., ....................,....“....”.“....”..........................,...,.............................. ., ....................... .... (Shar Mountains) ...............,..2,440.,...75..,........5...,.........................,....,...............! ............................,..............................................(Rakija)..........,.......................,........——....................................,...........,............,.................. ..:“.....”:..............,..................,....“...”..............,....,............... Frosina Ristovski WALKING THROUGH THE REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA We can say that the Republic of Macedonia is one of the most attractive and hidden beauties in the world. It is located in the Balkan, between Greece, Albania and Bulgaria. Originally it belonged to the former Yugoslav Republic. Due to its geographical location, we can find there the joint cultures of Persia, Greece, Rome, Turkey, Serbia and the former Soviet Union. There are also many beautiful places that attract a lot of tourists: SKOPJE Skopje is the capital city and the largest city of Republic of Macedonia. It is located in the northwest of the country, where approximately 500,000 people live. There we can encounter the intersection of the old and new. Besides that, the city is also the political, economic, cultural and transportation center of the country. A major earthquake in 1963 nearly destroyed Skopje, so the buildings that we can see today were mostly built afterwards. One of the most eye-catching things there is the 66-meter-high Millenium Cross. Tourists can take the cable car there for a leisurely sightseeing tour to get there. Also worth seeing is the Calle Castle, which was built in the 6th century AD. In addition, the Central Square in Skopje is also a major feature of the city where a lot of architectural styles are integrated. For example, you can see the mixture of carvings on the square (including the giant statue of Alexander the Great), baroque and neoclassical style buildings, the Arc of Triomphe etc. The fountains and colourful lights make the square even more beautiful. The Stone Bridge there is also particularly popular and from there you can easily walk to the old part of the city, where the narrow streets are full of commercial atmosphere already since the 12th century. Around the main square you can also visit a lot of museums or watch some free art performances during the summer. They even provide a high-grade seats, rather than the common plastic chairs, that can often be seen in other countries. THE UNDERWORLD: MACEDONIAN CAVES The limestone karst of the Republic of Macedonia is like the Swiss cheese, with more than 300 caves. After putting an expedition clothes, the tourists first pass through the small gap in the middle of the big rock and then enter the underground world of Gorna Slatinska. This labyrinth is about 400 meters long and can only be passed smoothly by sliding. The tourists also need to be careful about the stalactites that stretch over their heads. CANYON MATKA Canyon Matka is located 16 km from Skopje. There the tourists can see the Tresca River, which passes through the limestone cliffs and is injected into the clear green Marka Lake. There are also a lot of places, where tourists can enjoy the traditional Macedonian meal or they can simply rent a kayak and sail up to the Vrelo Cave. Following the lights, tourists can also go to the underground lake via wooden ladder. If your body is not in a very good shape, you can also go there by a motorboat, or simply walk around with spending no money. Canyon Matka is also a place where rock climbing enthusiasts like to go. From the caves you need to walk around 40 minutes and you are going to arrive to the popular rock climbing places. If you are not interested in rock climbing, you can also go to the observation deck on the cliff and enjoy the beautiful day there. MAVROVO NATIONAL PARK Located in the northwest of the country, Mavrovo National Park is the largest national park in the Republic of Macedonia. There is also located the highest Macedonian mountain Kolabi, which is 2,760 meters above sea level. In the park you can see bears, lynx, wolves, deer and about 129 species of birds. It is not only recommendable to go there in summer but also in winter, since there is located the most popular ski center in Macedonia. If you go in winter, you just need to pay more attention to safety and do not forget to bring your snowboards. OHRID Ohrid is located in the southwest of Macedonia. It is one of the cities that have the largest history of settlement in Europe and currently with about 56,000 people living there. The ancient city of Ohrid is a historically rich city. Up to this day, the well-perserved Roman theatre still stands there and because of it, Ohrid got a reputation of »Museum city« and »Century treasures place«. There is also located a lake with a splendid environment. Standing in front of this beautiful lake, you may suddenly think that you are standing in front of the Mediterranean sea. Ohrid Lake is one of the oldest lakes in the world, therefore the UNESCO has listed the entire lake area as a World Heritage Site. SHAR MOUNTAINS Located in the northwestern part of the Republic of Macedonia, the Shar Mountains reach 2,440 meters above sea level and stretch for about 75 kilometers. It takes around five hours to get to the top of the highest peak, so one day of climbing is more than enough. On the way up you can enjoy the beautiful scenery, admire the mountain flowers and get an even nicer view from the top. In Macedonia you never have to worry about getting hungry. There is no so-called dining time there, which means, that you can enjoy your meal almost at every moment. The Macedonian cuisine combines the characteristics of Turkey, the Mediterranean and the Balkan cuisine. When having a meal, you also need to try their national wine called Rakija. Plus, prices are quite low there – vegetables, fruits and fast food are the cheapest. You can also go shopping, which is particulary conviniend in the capital city, where you can find a large number of modern shopping centers and supermarkets. Interesting: »Let's go for coffee« in Macedonia has a lot of meanings. This sentence applies to drinking coffee, drinking beer, eating dinner and even »going out to party« etc. The Macedonians like to socialize a lot, so don't worry of not finding any friends there. Frosina Ristovski .. MONTENEGRO ...................——...................................... .......................... ..,..............,........——.....(Skadar Lake)....,......... .......... ..... ..........,........... .......1326.,......(Zeta),....(Moraca),.....(Ribnica),.....(Cijevna)..(Sitnica)......... ..................,......,......................................... ............,........9..,............ ......,........................(Skadar)——.................. .... ....(Skadar)....-.....(Zeta-Skadar)——.......,...................391....,............ ......Bojana......... ..............,...........,...........,..........4...,.1983........ ............,............... ............ .....,......30....... ...........(Radus),.....,....... ........................ ....... ......................,.............................,......................... .............................................. ..........,........ ........ .......,....(Durmitor)....................,........... ....................................,.......... ......................... ........................... ... ..........1200............... .......,............ ..............,........... ....7..,.........................,...........(.4.5..,.15.,.20.).......9... 18... ....1979............“........”. ...,......... ......,....... ............,.................. ................,................. ..........5......................... ...2013.5.6.............. Stefan Erakovic MONTENEGRO The pearl of the Mediterranean, unique in many ways, is situated in the south of the Adriatic and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast. Nowhere else can you find, so much natural wealth, beauty, mild beaches, clear lakes, fast rivers, and gorgeous mountains in such a compact area as in Montenegro. In the morning you can wake up along the beautiful Adriatic coast, have lunch on the banks of Skadar Lake, and enjoy an evening walk in the Montenegrin mountain. Montenegro cannot leave you indifferent. PODGORICA Podgorica Capital city of Montenegro is the official commercial and cultural center. The name originates in 1326 and it is built amongst five rivers, the Zeta, Moraca, Ribnica, Cijevna and Sitnica. Most of the city was destroyed during WW II, so Podgorica is relatively new, with modern buildings at every step of the way and green spaces as well as parks. Podgorica has excellent transit connections with other centers. At nine kilometers from the city is the International Airport, with railway and bus stations close to one another. But for tourist, most interesting part of Podgorica municipality is National Park Skardarsko or Skadar Lake, biggest lake in Balkan, with amazing number of birds and plants (some of them are very rare). SKADAR LAKE Skadar Lake is located in the so called Zeta-Skadar valley. Indescribable and in many ways unique, with the size of 391km2, it is the largest lake on the Balkan Peninsula. The river Bojana creates a connection between Skadar Lake and the Adriatic Sea though a large mountain massive that separates the two. Two thirds of the lake belongs to Montenegro, while one third belongs to the Republic of Albania. The Montenegrin part of the lake, at a size of 40000 hectares, was declared a National Park in 1983. The lake is a crypto depression, which means that in some parts the bottom of the lake is below sea level. Those places are named sublacustrine springs or eyes. In this lake about 30 such eyes have been found. The deepest eye is called Radus, about 60 meters deep and is an exceptionally rich with fish. It is an incredibly significant hydrological area and an important physical-geographic phenomenon. MONASTERY OSTROG Ostrog Monastery, a miracle built by nature and human interaction, carved almost in its entirety in a vertically positioned mountain cliff, is today the pearl of Montenegrin spirituality which is visited by more than a hundred thousand pilgrims from around the world and of travelers of all religions every year. It is one of three most visited Christian destinations on the planet. All of Montenegrin sprituality, belief s and cultural treasures found their home high up in the Ostrog cliffs. This breathtaking destination will fill your soul with high elevated feelings of devotion and reverence to God. DURMITOR NATIONAL PARK Montenegro’s largest protected area, Durmitor National Park is an oasis of unparalleled natural beauty. Shaped by glaciers over thousands of years, this UNESCO-listed site is popular with adventure-seekers of all abilities. Hike through forests and alpine meadows, take to the water and explore the park’s many pristine lakes by canoe, or tackle one of Durmitor’s famed mountain peaks for truly awe-inspiring views. Recreation has important place among activities at National Park Durmitor. Tracking, mountaineering, Alpine and Nordic skiing, rafting on Tara river, fishing, camping and visits by bus or car are ways of recreation that are done in the Park. KOTOR Kotor City of Montenegro is an ancient city with over 1,200 year history of profound culture. Kotor is a coastal city as well as a famous tourist destination in the country. The unique Kotor is the deepest sea harbor in Southern Europe and boasts spectacular scenery enclosed by city walls. It was first built in the 7th century as a coastal city for trade and shipping. In the city there are well-preserved buildings from the Middle Ages in the Mediterranian Region, of which the most famous is the ancient wall (which is 4.5 kilometers long, 15 meters wide and 20 meters high) continuously built up from the 9th century to the 18th century. Kotor was listed as “world natural cultural heritage” in 1979 by UNESCO. In recent years, the tourist number is increasing rapidly. For the tourists, what attracts them most is not only the natural scenery of the Kotor Bay but also the long history and profound culture of Kotor. Kotor is connected to the Adriatic Sea Expressway, along which you can enjoy the spectacular scenes of the Kotor Bay. Tivat Airport is 5 kilometers from Kotor with regular airlines to Belgrade, Moscow and Paris. Kotor established sister-city relationship with Xi’an on May 6th, 2013. Stefan Erakovic ... TRAVEL JOURNAL ... .....,.................,.......................,.........,...............,.......... ..............,................,......(.....).......,.............,.................,.......,..................,........,....,.....! ...........,.........................,......................................,......................,.........,..................../.................,........,.........,......................... .............Podgaric.,.............. ..........,......... DAY 1 A couple of weeks ago, my friend asked me to join him on a trip to Bosnia, since he has never been there before. When asked to go to Balkans, I immediately get wild ideas on where to go, what places I do not want to miss this time. According to those ideas, I started planning our trip. Since Bosnia is not far away from Ljubljana, you don't need that much planning ahead. In the summer though, I would suggest booking hostels in bigger (or more visited) cities, such as Sarajevo and Mostar. And don’t forget to book a bed on Dalmatian coast, since during peak season, it is sometimes quite difficult to find a decent place to stay. Other than that, brush the dust off your passport, fill your tank and get on the highway. Which is exactly what we did. In just under two hours, you should be able to reach Bosnian border. But before that, I would like to mention we were looking at the photos of Yugoslav monuments on the internet and books for quite some time now and opportunity finally came to visit them in real life. What are these monuments and what do they represent? Usually, they commemorate fallen soldiers and/or civilian victims during World War 2. More or less still intact, it is always a pleasure to visit some of them, even if it’s couple of kilometers away, since they take you to harsher times with their sometimes almost brutalist architecture. First sightseeing on our journey took place in village of Podgaric, where one of the most stunning monuments lies. It takes a bit of time to get there, but it is rewarding in the end. ...,..................................,.................. ......Jasenovac...... .NDH(Nezavisna Država Hrvatska,.......)..,............... ................... ....... ...,......... ......................,.......... .........,......,............; ........,.............. ......Jajce,.........Vrbas.... https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_MScG8-Egnf6ZAkANoM6bQbCXpyUY9WHsjPfJIi3iQD4OSMKIqXrCUsZx1gG8Z2LAusA0QMy7huu2z_rTUgTVYZqA4_tNRLizjbr2XQPxvtSuHYloSs5wGdNrifH7aLMfQiua0VzR8PEFDVk-A Next, we went straight to the border with Bosnia. There are many border crossings into Bosnia and Herzegovina from western Croatia, so why not take the one with historical significance? We decided to take a look at Jasenovac concentration camp site, which is just next to the border. Operating in the times of NDH (Nezavisna Država Hrvatska; Independent State of Croatia), this was one of the most brutal concentration camps in the area. Now it is a sort of open-air museum and a peace park. With its memorial plates, sculptures and surrounding lakes, it is well worth the visit. As we travel on, we cross the border quite shortly. Usually it takes some more time than one’s used to in EU Schengen area, but it always goes without problems nevertheless. We passed Banja Luka and on our way through we supplied ourselves with some food and drinks; one thing to bear in mind is that Bosnian summers can get rather hot. Then we’re headed to Jajce, and the road will take us through Vrbas river canyon. ....,.....................;.........,.......... ......,.....20..........................,............. .......Prozor........,.. .....,.1943................,............... These photos truly represent what this country is mostly comprised of – some villages here and there, but mostly hills and valleys. Driving through this landscape one can only imagine what fighting was like in this land in so many wars, in 20th century in World War 2 and most recently after the breakup of Yugoslavia. This next photograph is from above the village of Prozor, where under Tito’s command one of the most significant battles against occupiers was fought in 1943, the infamous battle of Neretva. _7101043 .....,.......... .............700........................,.......................... ................; ................. .................. .......,...................... ........................... After a while, we finally arrived to Jajce. Fortress on the top of the hill speaks about town’s 700 years of history. As with the entire land that used to be under Ottoman Empire, Bosnia and Herzegovina is still full of old Ottoman architecture. And I’m not only talking about the ruins or defunct buildings; there are also many structures built recently in Ottoman style. What stands out in particular are upper floors that are pulled out from the main walls of the object. Esthetically speaking, I can see the reason why people still tend to build in this style. It is this and other combinations of many cultures that make Bosnia so wonderful to visit. .......,........Tito........ ...........,....(...............)......1943.11.29...,............... .............. ....,...............,..........,............... ..,.............. ....,.....,................. In recent history though, Jajce was mostly known as the cradle of Tito’s Yugoslavia. In this very house on the photo below, second meeting of AVNOJ took place on 29th of November 1943, which is now known as the meeting where Yugoslavia was established. This date was later on celebrated as day of the Republic. Admittedly, none of these sights can be regarded as major drawcards, but if you pull them together, they can be combined into a nice afternoon. Later on, we were lured back to our little apartment in the old town. As mentioned above, it is fairly easy to find a place to stay in smaller towns such as Jajce, even in the peak season. https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/Bk9cTVxTPFaTsLZGgPPoBa4gDM8Lg9m0ItypQUsQ8wEn0wbKCJr3OK7cWjx8-eD5KGM8TdyMh1qd6t5dUNkgVZ98yVMavowWOEN0LR4ls8-CYMmVvUvSn1S6LDUnH6-Kt5wukjIyGwCoimKxOA ... ....,................,..................,...Bjelašnica..... .........1984................ ............................. ............,........... ...,.....,Bjelašnica.............(....!)...... .........,................. ... .,......... ..,......,......,..................... DAY 2 Further on, we decided to take southern route to Sarajevo, for we wanted to visit another ex-Yugoslavian gem, which is Bjelašnica ski resort. This is where most of the Olympic events were held in 1984 Sarajevo winter Olympics. The single highest level of sports event that ever took place in Yugoslavia needed some equipment to be built as well. As is the case with many of the Olympic venues, facilities tend to be neglected over the years later on. Here, not completely forgotten, Bjelašnica ski resort is still one of the better (and cheaper!) options for skiing in Europe. Facilities were undergoing a major repair on one of their lifts just as we passed through. Works were apparently to be completed by the first snow. Therefore, it is safe to say that things are finally looking a bit brighter for Bosnian tourism after all these years. ..,.............,......,.......... .Bjelašnica.........,...............,............ ..... IMG_6584 ..................,....................... ..,......,.............,.................. After that, we drove straight to Sarajevo city centre, left our car at the hostel and moved to the lively streets. Walking around Bjelašnica and enjoying the views meant that it was already late when we got there and city summer vibes were in full swing. From delicious tonsil-inviting pastry to sounds of calling to prayer from the tallest minaret, Sarajevo will make you want to go and discover rest of the Balkan peninsula more than ever. In the end, we only took a stroll, albeit admittedly due to dozens of pastry shops and tea houses it took us hours longer than originally planned. Nothing wrong with that. ... ..................... ....,.......1984......,.................. ..,........,................. ........,............................ .............(..“.”......),................ .....,.......,........(............),...... ..,.........................,...2018...,.......,.......... DAY 3 On our second day in Sarajevo we had some more exploring on our list. As mentioned above, Sarajevo hosted the 1984 winter Olympics, and another venue was Trebevic hill just south of the city. However, what we came for was the view, since one can see the entire basin from the top of the hill. Weather was on our side as well and good visibility helped us see every major object in the city and its outskirts. Sarajevo’s urban area is relatively huge (perhaps “long” would be a better word for it), especially when you see it from the surrounding hills. To get here, it can be rather tricky, even more if you are not local (or semi-local, like us). However, you don’t need a car and special navigation skills to find Trebevic hill anymore, because from 2018 on, you can hop on a cable car that takes you all the way up while you enjoy the views behind. https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/ghfIUArbR1iE8N1h-5WsHfF1Ko3EpBIqA5cpZqBdzQZyY8ORYmCaeiRthEEPN59i8WJs7OAvpmDyt_zJCnXyFO5Vn9HI7iirPwwVl2pWPXmYMxPu-ciNYG-gF7oejDigZJ2ax0FrEJpQeEc1nA _7134041 .......,...............,.............,...................Gallery 11/07/95..........1995............................,..............................,..........................,........Gazi-Husrevbeg...,.......,....................................................,................................,.........,....Gavrilo Princip...........,.............. For the rest of the day, we wandered streets just like the day before, only this time around we would actually go into galleries, museums and other sights. What struck me the most was certainly Gallery 11/07/95. Name of this place comes from a date when Srebrenica genocide happened in 1995. It is something of a must-see, and I would especially recommend visit to those unfamiliar with the topic. On a somehow related note, it is always amazing to see three different places of worship on the same street. First, the biggest and widely known Gazi Husrev-beg mosque, orthodox church right next to it, and catholic church couple dozens of meters down the street. You would have to think hard to come up with another city in Europe with similar religious structure. No wonder in Yugoslav times Sarajevo was known as the city where all three religions could live in peace with each other. To top it up with historical value, Latin bridge is something of a must-see as well, since this was the place where Gavrilo Princip shot Archduke of Austro-Hungary, effectively beginning World War I. ... ..........,...........,................ .....................:..,...... ...................Jablanica..........................“......”,......................................,.......... .Jablanica,......................,............................,.............,..... - ..,.......................,..................,..........,............,....16...,...................7...... - ....! ....,..........,.........,....................,...........,........,.....,...................DAY 4 Fourth day was more easy-going than days before, since we only wanted to get to Mostar, of course with some mandatory stops on the way there. Some of these photos pretty much summarize central and southern part of Bosnia: mountains, hills and minarets. First and only major stop on our trip today was destroyed bridge in Jablanica. Bridge itself was built and destroyed solely for the purpose of filming the movie Battle of Neretva, making it together with other equipment one of the most expensive World War II film productions in Yugoslavia. As you see from the photo, a train replica is also in place. From Jablanica, we had another hour or so to Mostar. Even in a car, you find out how relatively quickly the air goes from continental to Mediterranean feel. Once you’re there, you’ll know what I’m talking about. It’s not a surprise, though – after all, Mostar was once known as the hottest city in whole of Yugoslavia. Normally, this is where you can acclimatize to summer heat. This time around, we had a terrible luck and the only night we were here it turned to 16 degrees Celsius, which is staggeringly cold for Mostar. I even caught a cold in the middle of July – imagine that! Anyhow, as usual in Bosnia, major towns are built in the valleys, roads to which are zig-zagging through the canyons. And it is even more spectacular if there are summer storms around. Short enough not to ruin the trip, yet strong to make most of the mountains surrounding you. https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/vu9EGNkBJUP_TH2u5OqLfPQd8saoJOr3fu_ePSHQsTdejid-b_SsUiAKf7bDIkXpJ3rluKFtC2BhLRHaGlOc6YO0rIjHMPOJloaJ6vTGlTMDoA9goe9pxmCaJ9uzfq_edQu21I6EoFbtFfwT5w .............,.....................,....45...........,...........................,..............................,....,..............................,..................,....................................,.............. ..,...............,....................................,..........,.........................,............,......................................,............. - .............,................,........... For a world-famous tourist site, there is not particularly lot to wander about. Old bridge and its surrounding area is relatively small and you can easily do it in 45 min. Question is, why would you? I suggest you take some time to feel the vibe and try to realize how much energy it took to hold these two brinks of Neretva river together. After all, this was one of the very few bridges across Neretva until modern times. Now it kind of seems it tries to hold together different opinions, religions and ethnic groups. Old street is, as you can imagine, vigorous with all the tiny shops and souvenir stands. Try to find a way under the bridge to the river, since this view is rarely seen in guidebooks. Afterwards, we walked back to our apartment over the other bridge just to see cityscape of Mostar once again in the nighttime. Due to Mostar’s proximity to Dalmatian coast and particularly city of Dubrovnik, I was never in position to have a sleepover here. Since I come from northeastern part of Slovenia, it makes sense to stop two or three times along the way, but not to sleep in another town by the road. That way you can get to the southernmost tip of Croatian coast relatively quickly, but you miss some of the highlights along the way – and this is what we wanted to avoid this time. Therefore I recommend everyone not to rush yourself through the Balkans, because it is definitely not the way to do it. ... ................,................ ..,.................,........... ........,.......... ..,...........,........Blagaj...........(tekija),........... Tekija.....Sufi...........,............... - ............. ............... ............,................ DAY 5 If you look at the route we took on our fifth day, it would seem like a lot of driving time with not much to see out of the car window. However, anyone who has been in this region can assure you this is definitely not the case on this route. There is a lot to see, yet it does not take a lot of time to get around. First, just couple of kilometers south of Mostar, hidden in the rocks is a traditionally built Muslim tekke (tekija) in Blagaj, which we were told is a must-see. Tekija is a building specifically designed for gatherings of Sufi brotherhood, a place for spiritual retreat and character reformation – quite similar to temples in other religions. They are usually, but not necessarily adjoined to mosques. Town itself is located at the spring of the Buna river and is a well-preserved document of medieval architecture. https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/K-bkU3UchksS0dDb5kgNoUN9H1w3UmVftj6l0QADVdX8zl3cALyURVKGU8wrjXXjiWcJezH1JzM7bBwngdng0Iafc0VUvOhkG6B6ZlEOvklmFHET4OcA3b7xjJZnapZnkWMIUch4cIb33rznjQ ...............,.....Pocitelj.,.........15.... .............,......... ................,............ ..............,.........,............... ........350....,........... ...................... ...............,.....,.................. Next thing on our menu was historic, picture-perfect town of Pocitelj some 15 km south from where we were standing. It is situated in a natural amphitheatre, built inside of steep rocks. While it has been largely destroyed in the recent war, most of it has been fully restored. For the possibly most breathtaking photos, do climb to the uppermost parts of the fort, from where a scenic panorama will uncover before you. Since it is a village of merely 350 people, there are almost no facilities here. You might want to check your navigation before going there to avoid missing it. Not a lot of parking spaces are here for this magnificent sight, so bear in mind you might also have to walk couple of minutes to get there. https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/X5nI3rqIs-7q64BJrNlNwzBQdsY2rT9P2SuIDO-RBHpYXVV40SdXvW2Wx6rdJStFI4P7fgVHNx3wWpOsxN-Am8dgWxsr0i38piskz4lgu3vrbSWRJ0eUoPN1wT6j7iPiBhuUnzBV8W1BKIHTtQ ...............................,Kravica............ Kravica....................,............................!.........,...........,..............,......,.................... Middle of the summer heat around noon in southern Bosnia clearly calls for some refreshment. Thankfully, Kravica waterfalls are just a stone-throw away. Kravica waterfalls are for those who don’t like the summer crowds at Plitvice lakes, yet they still want to visit something water-related to cool down. And guess what – here you can also dip in! We only dipped our feet in the water, since we had to move on, but it was refreshing nevertheless. After cooling down, we moved on, since we still had couple of hours’ drive to Split from here. ....................................,..............,..........,...............................,.........,...............,..................................,..Biokovo....,......,..,............... ...............,.................,.............(........),........................................,...................,......................,.............. Road from Mostar to Dalmatian coast always seemed to me like a logical one. I mean, if you’re already in this Mediterranean climate, why go back up, if you can go all the way to the coast? You can even feel sea is just around the corner. From the waterfalls, you get to the border in no time, and after that, main road connects to Croatian highway, which leads all the way to Split. Barren terrain on both sides of the highway makes it seem like there’s no civilization anywhere near, but just over the Biokovo mountain range, there are hundreds of beaches, hotels, apartments and other tourist facilities for us to enjoy. Split being by far the biggest city on our trip, after all these years I still don’t know all of the roads, so I suggest bringing some kind of navigation system (or a map, of course) with you to make things easier. One geographical feature you will certainly notice before arriving is how city is backed by mountains, making it naturally difficult to get to. In Yugoslav war, it was mostly left out of bigger destruction. Arriving to Split, we had just enough time to go for a late afternoon stroll by the seaside. ... ......,............................,...........(Diocletian palace)..............,..............,...........,.................................,..................... Diocletian.......,..,.......,........................,........ - .................,.................,....... ........,...........,........................,.........................,.......,........................,......... ..........,..............,.............,............ Opatija....Kvarner..,........,...........................,..........Ucka....................,....................................... DAY 6 In the morning after breakfast, it was time to check out last of the cities we had planned to see. To avoid crowds, we headed straight to Diocletian palace, or what’s left of it anyway. But it doesn’t matter, even if the palace is not intact in the general sense, it is alive as ever. Most of the events, daily life in the city center forms in and closely around it. Due to Split being capital of Dalmatia, you will find everything this region is famous for and more right here in this city. Filled with bars, shops, ancient Roman architecture and so much more, Diocletian palace is where it all happens. If you’re looking for some of the best cuisine in southern Europe, look no further – this is a place to be. With a tighter budget, one can still go to a market place in the morning to buy some of the tastiest, juiciest fruit around. In the early afternoon, we were already heading out of Split, because sadly we did not have enough time. If you do, there are enough things to do or see in Split to stay for at least a week. Island hopping, hiking Dinaric ridge, swimming in crystal clear waters or dinning like a true Dalmatian, Split has it all. On the way back up to Istria, we passed many cities worth seeing, but if you really want to take a close look of them, you can stay here for at least a year. Opatija being located in the Kvarner bay, it is perfect for day trips to the islands, hills or simply to the beaches nearby. Since we’ve been near the sea for the last few days we decided on hiking Ucka mountain the following day. From what we heard and read, it is a short and easy hike which every healthy person would be able to do. So certainly something to look forward before going to bed on the last night. ... .............,............... ........,.............. - ..,...,Ucka.. ........,.......... ......,........,.......,.............,............ ..Ucka........ ...........,...................,...........400..... ...............,............ .......,.......,.............,.................... .........,..........! .....,.........,...........,.................. ..................:“..............”..... - ......,...........,................ DAY 7 When someone expects me to plan a trip, I usually plan it that I see something new every time. I did not want things to go wrong, so I decided to put in only one new sight – well, this was it, Ucka mountain. You can imagine my excitement when I looked at the mountain from down below. And then naturally, excitement grows and grows until you reach the top, where the views are simply breathtaking, especially comparing to the ones from below. This was exactly the case with Ucka. One can reach the top with a car, but figuring we need to do at least some work to feel rewarded, we left our car at the restaurant some 400m below the summit. Road signs and road itself are in mint condition, so you won’t have any troubles finding it. To all readers I might add that this one is also completely safe to hike, since there are no cliffs or anything such for hikers to be afraid of. Be sure to take your camera with you, I can assure you won’t regret it! After coming back to the car, it was already late afternoon, which again meant we were on the move, this time back to where we started, in Ljubljana. Almost every day you could hear us complain only one thing: “why cannot we stay longer?” And there lies the truth – if you can, do not rush through Balkans, it is meant to be seen and enjoyed in a relaxed way. .................... EMERGENCE AND FUTURE FLOWS OF CHINESE TOURISTS IN SELECTED COUNTRIES OF BALKAN REGION dr. Andrej Raspor, dr. Darko Lacmanovic ...:..,..,..,... Keywords: tourists, forecast, China, Balkan .. - ..,..........,.........................,....................... ......,......... .......GDP.10.2%,......7%,........... 9.7%..... (WTTC, 2017)..WTTC..2010..2030..........3.3% (UNWTO, 2016). .2012..2016................ (..3.3%.3%)..............,.......................(United Nations World Economic Situation Prospects, 2017)..2012.......,...............2008...........2..,..2016...........1.351...2015........5.7%..................... - 2016......2611........,............1396...,.....11.7%(....)..........1/5(21.4%)...(UNWTO,2017). ..................................,................ (Raspor, Lacmanovic, Stranjancevic, & Bulatovic, 2016a),............. (Stranjancevic, Bulatovic, Lacmanovic, & Raspor, 2016) ................ (Bofulin, Raspor, Stranjancevic, Bulatovic, & Lacmanovic, 2016) ,....... (Bulatovic, Stranjancevic, Lacmanovic, & Raspor, 2016),.............. (Raspor, Lacmanovic, Stranjancevic, & Bulatovic, 2016b) ............. (Raspor, Stranjancevic, Bulatovic, & Lacmanovic, 2017). ..........(.....,..........,....,...,..,.....,........)................,.............................................. ........: .................. ...........2000..2016............UNWTO...,...........,...............................,.........Tableau 10.4,................(Tableau,2014)..........2005 .2727............................... .. – .2016.,...............21,154,710...(UNWTO,2017).........,.......17,994,547..........94,358,164... (Republika Slovenija Statisticni Urad RS, 2017; Republic of Kosovo Kosovo Agency of Statistics, 2017; Republic of Macedonia State Statistical Office, 2017; Republika Hrvatska Državni zavod za statistiku, 2017; Agencija za statistiku Bosne i Hercegovine, 2017; Zavod za statistiku Crne Gore Monstat, 2017; Republika Srbija Republicki zavod za statistiku, 2017). .....,............(........)...........................2016.......21..,......29........................, .............,.......,.........., .., ...,.................,....................2010..........................,...2014..................70%...............,................(14%),....(6%),..........(4.3%) ,..(3.9%),...(2.1%),.....(1.5%)....(0.04%).....,......,........................(..1)....................................,.............................,............................,..............(..1).................................1.............................(...)..................,....................................................2030.............4.5..(UNWTO,2017a),...90%..2027.......1.88.........,..................,.....(...........)...3.5.....(..2).2017 . 2027.........(GGR).5.9%,..........2.36%(.......),UNWTO.....2.9%(UNWTO,2017a). ...,.2027...................995,900.....(....,......),.....90%,.....(GGR).10.5% (..3)........................,2020................2027.............60.,......7460.....,.....90%. 2017 . 2027.........(GGR)...20%(.........4.). ...90%.......2027..............2.450...,.......20%(..5).............................171..(Raspor,2018)...........- .................................. .. -....: ..................................... ..,.....(.....,....,.......)................................................................ ..,..............................................,....................... ..,........................................(IPA.....).................................................,........................... ...................,..........................................................................................,............................ (../Translation: Xiaoli Ye) INTRODUCTION As the world most emerging source market, China has established the new margin in tourism growth. Tourism industry has become one of the most important and fastest-growing economic sectors in the world, according to the fact it makes up: 10.2 % of total world GDP, 9.7% of total world employment (direct, indirect and induced impact) (WTTC, 2017), and 7% of world exports with average growth rate at 3.3 % a year between 2010 and 2030 (UNWTO, 2016). The growth rate of tourism is higher than international trade in the 2012 – 2016 period (3.3 % compared to 3 %). Tourism as an export category is in the third place after fuels and chemicals and ahead of food and automotive products (United Nations World Economic Situation Prospects, 2017) The world most emerging source market, in this regard, is China1as world top tourism spender, since 2012. If the number of outbound Chinese tourists in 2008 was just over 20 millions, in 2016 it increased to 135.1 million in 2016, which is increase of 5.7% compared with the same period in 2015. There has been also exceptional increase in how much Chinese tourists spend abroad – in 2016 they’ve spent USD 261.1billion which is a greater consumption than USD 139.6 billion the USA citizens spend traveling abroad and stands at a 11.7% growth rate (in local currency) in comparison to 1 Different Chinese sources are treated differently. According to one methodology, it is only the region of the LR of China, others include Macao and Hong Kong. In particular, Taiwan may be considered. This is due to the fact that statistics on arrivals, overnight stays and consumption of Chinese tourists and from these countries are then mixed. previous year. China has also got an over 1/5 market share (21.4 %) in the world source market (UNWTO, 2017). A few publications have discussed some characteristics of Chinese travellers in particular countries in the West Balkan region such as preferences, characteristics and trip motivation (Raspor, Lacmanovic, Stranjancevic, & Bulatovic, 2016a), tourist destination strength and opportunities (Stranjancevic, Bulatovic, Lacmanovic, & Raspor, 2016), position of small destinations at the large source tourist market (Bofulin, Raspor, Stranjancevic, Bulatovic, & Lacmanovic, 2016), factors of satisfaction (Bulatovic, Stranjancevic, Lacmanovic, & Raspor, 2016), using web applications for travel planning (Raspor, Lacmanovic, Stranjancevic, & Bulatovic, 2016b), economic impact (Lacmanovic & Raspor, 2016) and tourism as invisible part of export (Raspor, Stranjancevic, Bulatovic, & Lacmanovic, 2017). In the selected countries of the Balkan region (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Slovenia, Serbia and Kosovo) there is a need for find out the direction and intensity of Chinese outbound tourism flows in the future period in this region. The main aim of this paper is to offer some insights of importance for the decision-makers in the tourism industry of this region in the area of destination marketing planning. METHOD The main research question is: What are perspective flows of Chinese tourists in the selected countries of Balkan region? To help answer that question a statistical database for the 2000-2016 period was formed as the starting point for projections. Data has been systematically collected and researched using the UNWTO, World Banka and Chinese National Tourism Administration data as well as all the National Statistical Offices data in the mentioned countries. For the purpose of exploration and visualization of the datasets the statistical software Tableau 10.4 was used due to its very good graphics and forecasting options (Tableau, 2014). By using this statistical tool the actual trend and forecast of Chinese arrivals and tourism expenditure in the selected countries of Balkan region for the 2005-2027 period was presented. RESULTS In 2016, all countries of the former Yugoslavia together2 recorded 21,154,710 international arrivals (UNWTO, 2017), but if the mutual visitation is excluded the numbers are lower at 17,994,547 arrivals and 94,358,164 overnights (Republika Slovenija Statisticni Urad RS, 2017; Republic of Kosovo Kosovo Agency of Statistics, 2017; Republic of Macedonia State Statistical Office, 2017; Republika 2 Slovenia, Croatia, B&H, Serbia, Kosovo, Montenegro, Macedonia. Hrvatska Državni zavod za statistiku, 2017; Agencija za statistiku Bosne i Hercegovine, 2017; Zavod za statistiku Crne Gore Monstat, 2017; Republika Srbija Republicki zavod za statistiku, 2017). Generally for all the countries of former Yugoslavia + Albania (the selected countries of Balkan region) it could be stated that there’s a positive tourism flow. With regard to the Chinese tourist flow in the region by far the most visited country is Croatia with 209,603 arrivals and 285,781 overnight stays in 2016. According to previously presented data the countries that follow are Slovenia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Macedonia, Albania and Kosovo. Taking the absolute numbers into account all these countries are far behind Croatia. Interestingly, Slovenia and Croatia had a comparable number of arrivals of Chinese tourists until 2010 where there is a sharp rise in Chinese tourists traveling to Croatia. On the other hand, Serbia had a relatively small number of Chinese tourists until very recently and has exhibited high growth in the year 2014. Concerning the relative numbers there is a dominance by Croatia in this segment of the market as this country accounts for almost 70% of all Chinese arrivals, followed by Slovenia (14%), Serbia (6%), Bosnia and Herzegovina (4.3%), Montenegro (3.9%), Macedonia (2.1%), Albania (1.5%) and Kosovo (0.04%). In recent years, the share of Chinese tourists among all foreign tourists has increased in all the selected countries except Montenegro (see table 1). The growth was the highest in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. This rise in the last two countries is somewhat unexpected. Further research would be needed to establish whether this is an effect of the proximity of Croatia and a spill over effect or there are any other reasons for this increase. In any case, this increase points to a trend in the tourism sector that the tourism stakeholders should be attentive to. The share of Chinese tourists in the region among all Chinese is also increasing in all the countries (see table 1). This could mean that the destination brand recognition is improving in the PRC. Index of growth of Chinese arrivals in the observed countries excluding Albania is presented in figure 1 (see the appendix). Based on the data presented and the information gathered we could forecast the future trend of Chinese tourists’ arrivals and tourism expenditure in the world and in the selected countries of Balkan region. According to the UNWTO, the predictions about the total number of Chinese outbound tourists go as high as 450 million Chinese traveling in 2030 (UNWTO, 2017a). With a 90 % probability, it could be expected that by 2027, 188 million of Chinese tourists will travel and thus the border crossings numbers would be greater. It is expected that from Mainland China to Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan (including their daily migration flow) there would be 350 million border crossings (see figure 2). Average growth rate (GGR) in the 2017-2027 period will be 5.9 % in comparison to the total world tourism growth rate at 2.36 % (our calculation) and UNWTO rate at 2.9 % (UNWTO, 2017a). It was forecasted with 90 % probability that in 2027 995,900 Chinese arrivals (including Hong Kong SAR, Macao SAR and Taiwan) will be realized in the selected countries of Balkan region, with the average growth rate (geometric growth rate/GGR) of 10.5 % (see figure 3). However, we believe that these numbers may be too ambitious and that the growth will slow down after 2020. Thus, we estimate that the number of Chinese tourists in the region will not exceed 600,000 tourists in 2027. Concerning the Chinese tourism expenditure it could be assumed, with 90 % of probability that in 2027 Chinese tourism expenditure will be 746 billion USD. Average growth rate (GGR) in period 2017-2027 would be more than 20 % (which had been calculated and presented in figure 4). With the probability of 90 %, it was forecasted that the Chinese tourism outbound expenditure in this region in 2027 will be 240.5 million EURO, with an average growth rate more than 20 % (see figure 5). In these forecasts we rely on the obtained research result concerning expenditure of Chinese tourists in Slovenia of 171 EURO per day (Raspor, 2018). From this expenditure figure, we have calculated the average consumption in each of the selected countries which vary - the highest in Slovenia and the lowest in Macedonia. From these findings we have predicted future expenditure. CONCLUSION The main question to be asked is: What are the chief obstacles which could prevent the main outcome of the forecasted growth of Chinese outbound tourism in the selected countries of Balkan region and what are the future directions in that growth? Firstly, there is a limited cooperation among all the selected countries of Balkan region (Slovenia and Croatia, Serbia and Montenegro) in dealing with Chinese tourists. The opportunities for networking of the main tourism subjects in most of these countries should be discussed in order to use synergy effects in joint promotional and sales activities. Joint vs. individual approach could be a solution to prevent lower effects of the expected growth of Chinese tourists. Secondly, the knowledge of the Chinese outbound tourism market is still poor. In the context of the observed actual and future importance of the Chinese market segment in the total international tourism flow, there is a need to take active measures in marketing research and planning concerning the main Chinese tourism market figures and trends. Thirdly, there is low mutual familiarity and understanding about strengths and weaknesses concerning joint tourism products which could be offered at the Chinese outbound tourism market. Through international initiatives and projects funded by European Commission (IPA or structured funds for example) there are very good possibilities to upgrade this knowledge gap and to create the new joint tourism product for Chinese tourism market. In general, there are great possibilities for all of the observed countries to improve their marketing approach at Chinese outbound tourism market. RELEVANCE TO INDUSTRY The findings of this survey could be a useful tool in the better understanding of the future trends in the Chinese outbound tourism in terms of the Balkan region. It would offer one of the platforms for considering the possibilities for networking of the main tourism subjects in the selected countries of the Balkan region and to use synergy effects in joint promotional and sales activities. Concerning the actual and future importance of the Chinese market segment in the total international tourism flow, it is necessary for all observed countries, to perform active measures in marketing research and planning. ....... / LITERATURE Agencija za statistiku Bosne i Hercegovine. (2017). Statistika turizma, Kumulativni podaci, januar-decembar 2016. Retrieved August 15, 2017, from http://www.bhas.ba/index.php?option=com_publikacija&view=publikacija_pregled&ids=3&id=16&n=Turizam Arlt, W. G., & Deng-Westphal, M. (2017). 2018 EU-China Tourism Year Getting Ready For China 2018. Hamburg, Germany. Retrieved from http://china-outbound.com/wbt/ Bofulin, M., Raspor, A., Stranjancevic, A., Bulatovic, I., & Lacmanovic, D. (2016). Small Destinations In Large Tourism Market: The analysis of Western Balkan countries and the Chinese outbound tourism. In The VIII International Scientific Conference “The role and effectiveness of investments in the integration process of the Balkan societies after Stabilisation Association Agreement (pp. 130–143). Ulcinj: Institut for scientific research and development. Bulatovic, I., Stranjancevic, A., Lacmanovic, D., & Raspor, A. (2016). The factors of satisfaction among Chinese tourists in Montenegro and Slovenia. Research in Social Change (RSC), 8(2), 94–114. China National Tourism Administration. (2016). Travel China Guide: China Outbound Tourism in 2015. Bejing. Retrieved from http://www.travelchinaguide.com/tourism/2015statistics Lacmanovic, D., & Raspor, A. (2016). Economic impact of Chinese outbound tourism in Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia and Montenegro. In HOTEL PLAN 2016, The Sixth International Biennial Congres.»Hospitality and tourism – interdisciplinary approach« (pp. 100–111). Belgrade, Serbia: The College of Hotel Management. Raspor, A. (2018). Survey about Chinese tourists in Slovenia 2017. Dolga Poljana, Slovenia. Raspor, A., & Lacmanovic, D. (2017). Vpliv kitajskega izhodnega turzma na države nekdanje Jugoslavije, The impact of the Chinese outbound tourism on the states of the former Yugoslavia. In R. Ovin (Ed.), Dajmo prostor novemu znanju: monografija Doba fakultete (Spoznanja iz ekonomskih ter uporabnih poslovnih in družbenih študij (pp. 107–119). Maribor, Slovenia: Doba Fakulteta za uporabne poslovne in družbene študije. Raspor, A., Lacmanovic, D., Stranjancevic, A., & Bulatovic, I. (2016a). Chinese tourists in Slovenia and Montenegro: Preferences, characteristics and trip motivation (1st ed.). London: Vega Press LTD. Raspor, A., Lacmanovic, D., Stranjancevic, A., & Bulatovic, I. (2016b). Using Web applications for travel planning: Case study of Chinese tourists in Slovenia and Montenegro. Research in Social Change (RSC), 8(2), 4–29. Raspor, A., Stranjancevic, A., Bulatovic, I., & Lacmanovic, D. (2017). Tourism invisible part of exports: the analysis of Slovenia and Montenegro on the Chinese outbound tourism. In A. Macek (Ed.), International Trade-On the Brink of Change (pp. 95–121). Rijeka: InTech. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/66628 Republic of Albania Instat The Institute of Statistics. (2017). Arrivals of foreign citizens according to regions, (2012-2016). Retrieved January 18, 2018, from http://www.instat.gov.al/en/themes/industry-trade-and-services/tourism/#tab2 Republic of Kosovo Kosovo Agency of Statistics. (2017). Series 3.: Economic Statistics Hotel Statistics Q4 2016. Retrieved August 15, 2017, from http://ask.rks-gov.net/media/3145/hotel-statistics-q4-2016.pdf Republic of Macedonia State Statistical Office. (2017). Statistical Yearbook of the Republic of Macedonia, 2017. Retrieved August 15, 2017, from http://www.stat.gov.mk/PrikaziPublikacija_1_en.aspx?rbr=674 Republika Hrvatska Državni zavod za statistiku. (2017). Dolasci i nocenja turista u 2016. Retrieved August 15, 2017, from https://www.dzs.hr/ Republika Slovenija Statisticni Urad RS. (2017). Prihodi in prenocitve turistov po vrstah obcin, po vrstah nastanitvenih objektov in po državah, Slovenija, letno, 2016. Retrieved August 15, 2017, from http://pxweb.stat.si/pxweb/Dialog/varval.asp?ma=2164505S&ti=&path=../Database/Ekonomsko/21_gostinstvo_turizem/02_21645_nastanitev_letno/&lang=2 Republika Srbija Republicki zavod za statistiku. (2017). Turisticki promet u Republici Srbiji, decembar 2016. Retrieved August 15, 2017, from http://pod2.stat.gov.rs/ObjavljenePublikacije/G2017/pdf/G20171018.pdf Stranjancevic, A., Bulatovic, I., Lacmanovic, D., & Raspor, A. (2016). Tourist destination strenghts and opportunitites: Is Montenegro ready for Chinese tourists? Economics, 4(1), 151–164. http://doi.org/1515/eoik-2015-0027 Tableau. (2014). Visual Analysis Best Practices. Tableau Software, 41. The World Bank. (2017). International tourism, number of arrivals. Retrieved August 12, 2017, from http://databank.worldbank.org/data/reports.aspx?source=world-development-indicators&preview=on# United Nations World Economic Situation Prospects. (2017). World Economic Situation Prospects 2017. Retrieved from http://www.un.org/en/development/desa/policy/wesp/wesp_current/wesp2014.pdf UNWTO. (2016). UNWTO Tourism Highlights 2016 Edition. Madrid, Spain. http://doi.org/10.18111/9789284418145 UNWTO. (2017). UNWTO Tourism Highlights 2017 Edition. Madrid, Spain. Retrieved from http://www.e-unwto.org/doi/book/10.18111/9789284419029 World Development Indicators | DataBank. (2017). WTTC. (2017). Travel & Tourism Economic Impact 2017 World. Retrieved from https://www.wttc.org/-/media/files/reports/economic-impact-research/regions-2017/world2017.pdf Zavod za statistiku Crne Gore Monstat. (2017). Dolasci i nocenja turista 2016. Retrieved August 15, 2017, from http://www.monstat.org/cg/page.php?id=1457&pageid=44 .. / APPENDIX ..1:2010..2016...................... Table 1: The trend of Chinese share among foreigners in selected countries of Balkan in period 2010-2016 Base year 2016 Increase Albania (2010) Share of Chinese among foreigners 0,07107% 0,10136% 142,6% Share of Chinese among the Chinese 0,00299% 0,00318% 106,2% BiH (2010) Share of Chinese among foreigners 0,21070% 1,70758% 810,4% Share of Chinese among the Chinese 0,00134% 0,00879% 654,9% Croatia (2010) Share of Chinese among foreigners 0,16990% 1,51792% 893,4% Share of Chinese among the Chinese 0,02697% 0,13881% 514,7% Kosovo (2010) Share of Chinese among foreigners 0,05817% 0,13141% 225,9% Share of Chinese among the Chinese 0,00003% 0,00007% 209,1% Macedonia (2010) Share of Chinese among foreigners 0,26901% 1,28603% 478,1% Share of Chinese among the Chinese 0,00123% 0,00435% 354,5% Montenegro (2010) Share of Chinese among foreigners 0,09193% 0,71559% 778,4% Share of Chinese among the Chinese 0,00174% 0,00788% 452,1% Serbia (2010) Share of Chinese among foreigners 0,43970% 1,43660% 326,7% Share of Chinese among the Chinese 0,00523% 0,01219% 233,3% Slovenia (2010) Share of Chinese among foreigners 0,43898% 1,52356% 347,1% Share of Chinese among the Chinese 0,01429% 0,02945% 206,0% Average Share of Chinese among foreigners 0,19519% 1,19917% 614,4% Share of Chinese among the Chinese 0,05383% 0,20471% 380,3% Source: Republika Slovenija Statisticni Urad RS, 2017; Republic of Kosovo Kosovo Agency of Statistics, 2017; Republic of Macedonia State Statistical Office, 2017; Republika Hrvatska Državni zavod za statistiku, 2017; Agencija za statistiku Bosne i Hercegovine, 2017; Zavod za statistiku Crne Gore Monstat, 2017; Republika Srbija Republicki zavod za statistiku, 2017; Republic of Albania Instat The Institute of Statistics, 2017 .1:.....2010..2016.......... Figure 1: Index of growth of Chinese outbound tourism in countries of ex Yugoslavia in period 2010-2016 C:\Users\Andrej\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\INetCache\Content.Outlook\BF22ZP01\kolicnik prihodi balkan 2010-2016.jpg Source: Republika Slovenija Statisticni Urad RS, 2017; Republic of Kosovo Kosovo Agency of Statistics, 2017; Republic of Macedonia State Statistical Office, 2017; Republika Hrvatska Državni zavod za statistiku, 2017; Agencija za statistiku Bosne i Hercegovine, 2017; Zavod za statistiku Crne Gore Monstat, 2017; Republika Srbija Republicki zavod za statistiku, 2017; in:Raspor & Lacmanovic, 2017 .2:1995..2027..........,....... Figure 2: Actual trend and forecast of Chinese outbound arrivals in world in period 1995–2027 ^D5A1A1B464C287A9A352F4E602BB2D2CC80A4A921E239FA494^pimgpsh_fullsize_distr Source: World Bank, 2017; UNWTO, 2017a; China National Tourism Administration, 2016; Arlt & Deng-Westphal, 2017;Own processing .3:.....2005..2027..........,....... Figure 3: Actual trend and forecast of Chinese outbound arrivals in selected countries of Balkan region in period 2005–2027 ^4D73D5F782C85C22DD6242C79633C81852C51ED32D286D60E5^pimgpsh_fullsize_distr Estimations by the authors based on: Republika Slovenija Statisticni Urad RS, 2017; Republic of Kosovo Kosovo Agency of Statistics, 2017; Republic of Macedonia State Statistical Office, 2017; Republika Hrvatska Državni zavod za statistiku, 2017; Agencija za statistiku Bosne i Hercegovine, 2017; Zavod za statistiku Crne Gore Monstat, 2017; Republika Srbija Republicki zavod za statistiku, 2017; Republic of Albania Instat The Institute of Statistics, 2017 .4:1995..2027.................. Figure 4: Actual trend and forecast of Chinese tourism expenditure in world in period 1995–2027 C:\Users\Andrej\Dropbox\PKP - FDV\6 Matej Krmelj\Rezultati Tableu\Poraba kitajcev dve metodologiji.jpg Source: Estimations by the authors based on: World Bank, 2017; UNWTO, 2017a; .5:.....2005..2027.................. Figure 5: Actual trend and forecast of Chinese tourism expenditure in selected countries of Balkan region in period 2005–2027 Estimations by the authors based on: Republika Slovenija Statisticni Urad RS, 2017; Republic of Kosovo Kosovo Agency of Statistics, 2017; Republic of Macedonia State Statistical Office, 2017; Republika Hrvatska Državni zavod za statistiku, 2017; Agencija za statistiku Bosne i Hercegovine, 2017; Zavod za statistiku Crne Gore Monstat, 2017; Republika Srbija Republicki zavod za statistiku, 2017; Republic of Albania Instat The Institute of Statistics, 2017 ..... AUTHOR’S INFORMATION ANDREJ RASPOR Doctorate in Social Sciences – Management. He has more than 30 years of experience in leading positions: Head of General Affairs and Cost Control Commission, Director of Personnel Development and Strategic Projects, entrepreneur, founder of several start-ups, business consultant. He is a firm believer that the academic work should be constantly tested in practice. Author of several scientific, professional monographs and useful handbooks. Editor-in-chief of Balkan Traveller magazine. ......——.... ..........30.....:............. ................................ .................... .................... «Balkan Traveler » ...... DARKO LACMANOVIC He is Full Professor at the University »Mediterranean, Faculty for tourism MTS - »Montenegro Tourism School«, Podgorica, Montenegro. In his work experience he was sales manager and hotel manager in hospitality industry in Montenegro over 13 years. He is teaching at the University »Mediterranean, Faculty for tourism MTS - »Montenegro Tourism School« and Faculty for business study MBS - »Montenegro Business School« on the undergraduated, postgraduated, master and doctoral studies, since 2005. Author of several books and journal articles with research interests in Tourism Marketing and Sales Management in Hospitality industry. .......,...»...,....MTS - ......«..................13.,.................2005...,..».....,....MTS - ......«.....MBS - ».....«....,...,......................,..................... SANELA KŠELA C:\Users\Sanela.ksela\Desktop\Slike\3rd issue\..\0 .... From the Editor\mmexport1447258083343.jpg She graduated from Sinology on Faculty of Arts in Ljubljana and currently attends the second year of the Master's degree also from Sinology. She studied and lived in China for two and half years and also worked on the fields of traditional chinese medicine, translation and editing of magazines. .........,.....................,.................................................. DANILO BULATOVIC C:\Users\Sanela.ksela\Desktop\Opisi CEATM\Slika Danilo.jpg Danilo Bulatovic, next year will graduate from the University of Belgrade, Chinese language, culture and literature departure. This year he's going to China on one semester for improving Chinese language at Shanghai University. In the past, he attended many educations about personal growth and future plans and developing cooperation between China and Serbia and working on many projects in fields of culture, sport, art, Chinese language, healthy food and personal development. ..............——............... ....................,... .....................,.................................... FROSINA RISTOVSKI Encountered with Chinese culture when she first went to eat to Chinese restaurant in her hometown. From then on she knew she wanted to go to China. Next year she will complete her bachelor degree in Shanghai and then continue with her great job of building a strong bridge of friendship between Macedonia and China. C:\Users\Sanela.ksela\Desktop\6.8\Opisi CEATM\Frosina Slika.jpg ..............,......... ....,......... ..,...........,........................... STEFAN ERAKOVIC C:\Users\Sanela.ksela\Desktop\6.8\Opisi CEATM\Slika Stefan.jpg Has always been interested in Chinese culture, but started to learn Chinese just one year and a half ago on the Confucius institute in Montenegro. Last year he got the first prize on the Chinese bridge competition and went to China to represent Montenegro. He's shortly planning his new trip to China. ..........,...................... ......“...“...........,..................... MARTINA KOLAK Mag. Anthrop. and mag. philol. ind. A participant of Japanese-Language Program for Sakura Network Member Institutions 2018 by Japan Foundation. She is also a scholar of Korean Government Organisation NIIED for the graduate studies at East Asian Studies at Sungkyunkwan University. Tourist guide of Zagreb, the capital city of Croatia in Japanese, English and Korean. C:\Users\Sanela.ksela\Desktop\6.8\Opisi CEATM\Slika Martina.jpg ....2018................................NIIED..,................................,............ MELISA NIKIC Is a student of English language and literature and is at the same time studying Chinese language at the Confucius institute. Last year she won the first place on the »Chinese bridge« competition and represented Bosnia and Herzegovina in China. Her dream is to teach English and to learn Chinese to the level, where she can also start to teach. .............,............ ..,.......“...”........,.......,..................... .............. LUKA FURJAN Luka Furjan, sinology BA, is interested in China and Taiwan studies, and everything related. During his studies he lived on both sides. During his prolonged year in Taiwan, he found his true passion in cycling tourism. Upon coming back to Europe, he specialized in Balkan region, on or off bike saddle. Besides his work in tourism, he spends his time interpreting or translating on various occasions. Luka Furjan,......,............,........ .......,........... ...........,................ .....,........,............ ...........,.................. XIAOLI YE Xiaoli Ye comes from China. She has been living in Slovenia since 2004. She can speak fluently Chinese and Slovenian, some English and a little bit of Deutsch. She finished elementary school and high school in Velenje, but currently she is studying Chinese and Economics in Ljubljana, which is also the capital city of Slovenia. In her free time she practices in her own family business, she also has a lot of experience with translation Chinese-Slovene. ............2004..............................................,......................................,............... SETH VID PETERSON Has a BA in Sinology and is currently writing his Master’s Thesis at the Faculty of Arts of the University of Ljubljana. He is interested in languages, intercultural relations, technology, and entrepreneurship. He believes in lifelong learning and the positive power of human relations. ........................................................... TINA ŽUBER She has a bachelor's degree in Sinology at the Faculty of Arts in Ljubljana. In the field of Sinology she is mostly interested in China's economy. That is why she is going to continue her master studies on the Faculty of Economics in Ljubljana. ...........................................,....................... TJAŠA CRV She has a Bachelor in Marketing Communications and Public Relations from Faculty of Social Sciences (University of Ljubljana), where she now continues her studies in Social Informatics Master's programme. Her work is mostly related to event management, marketing and content creation and editing, usually tightly connected with culture and tourism. Lately she is interested into the world of information science, ICT and user experience (design). .........(.......)..............,.......,............. ............,....,.......,... ..... ....... ..,..... ....,....(..)............ MATEJ KRMELJ He recently graduated from Social Informatics at the faculty of Social Sciences in Ljubljana. He mostly works as a data analyst in different fields such as business intelligence, social sciences, marketing and public sector. His tasks include different types of data collection, data analysis including big data using a variety of software, interpretation and visualization of results. In the past he also spent some time working as a translator and content writer. ..... ....... ................. ....,....,................... ......... ...........,....,... .........,..............,.... ............. MAŠA EGART She is an aspiring photographer and videographer, who loves capturing the moment and the people in it. ...............,.................. . NIKA CRNE She is currently attending the third year of Multimedia on Faculty of electrical engineering and Faculty of computer and information science in Ljubljana. She has worked on many projects that include recording and post production of media. ..................................... .........,............ TIM JERŠIC Currently in his last year of study for a bachelor's degree in multimedia and is active in projects concerning production, live streaming and post-production. Also worked in programming and design and is currently working in technical support for a telecommunications company. ..................,..........,..........,..,............................ .. / Distribution: Ceatm d.o.o., Dolga poljana 57, 5271 Vipava Slovenia . . . . / Contact us: www.ceatm.org, info@ceatm.org, sales@ceatm.org SKYPE: CEATM d.o.o. QQ: 1712245775 .....CEATM d.o.o... All copyrights are reserved by CEATM d.o.o.