Tourism and tourist occupations are a useful and interesting part of the economy of every country and a very important branch for the survival and development of a local community. Most often, tourism is associated with traveling outside one’s country or city to see some other sights or get to know a new culture. However, recently tourism is also a conciliator of diversity, an affirmer of values, a unifier of various professions, for example crafts that can be used and promoted as part of a tourist offer. History, monuments, natural resources and craft occupations and their products make up the rich tourist offer of our country. The specific administrative arrangement of Bosnia and Herzegovina makes it somewhat difficult to reconcile all historical facts. However, it should not stagnate and stop development. New technologies, the Internet, social networks, video channels, blogs are part of this development. New technologies should not (nor can) replace travel or the direct encounter of a tourist with someone’s tourist offer, a visit to a museum, lunch in a restaurant, shopping for souvenirs, or a visit to a producer of wine, cheese, honey… They should be an improvement and addition to an offer. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, in Sarajevo, there is an organization with several enthusiasts who are trying to implement all this. Culture Map through its projects, but also strong promotion of tourism via the Internet, and above all via social networks, promotes tourist destinations in Bosnia and Herzegovina. We talked about the future of tourism in our country, how they survive, and what challenges they face.
“The idea of founding the association Mapa kulture arose from the desire to highlight the wealth of cultural heritage, tradition and tourist potential of Bosnia and Herzegovina. We thought about how digital platforms can serve as a bridge between different cultural expressions and people who want to explore. That’s how the idea of creating the Map of Culture association was born, which connects tradition, art and tourism in a simple and attractive way” – Dalila Šečić tells us.
The goal of this group of enthusiasts was to stimulate visitors’ interest in the diversity of our country, and to contribute to the preservation and promotion of cultural heritage.
“We recognized the need for a comprehensive platform that will connect people with diverse cultural experiences in our country. In fact, we wanted to create a space where information about cultural events, traditional customs and tourist destinations will be available in one place. Through various projects of the association, we try to encourage people to discover and appreciate the beauty of our country”.
Activism and volunteerism
From the perspective of the Culture Map, tourism in Bosnia and Herzegovina is more than just a destination. As Dalila explains, Bosnia and Herzegovina tourism for them represents the wealth of cultural heritage, tradition and natural beauty of our area.
” Actually, BiH tourism is a perfect opportunity to present the diversity of our cultural heritage, from traditional customs to works of art. In the process of collecting data, we rely first on field research and cooperation with colleagues throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina, then on archives, cultural and historical institutions, and we cooperate with local communities. Open cooperation with colleagues from different parts of the country is essential because it allows us to gain broader perspectives and better access the diversity of cultural and historical landmarks. We also try to encourage the active involvement of the local population in the promotion and preservation of cultural heritage, in order to create sustainable tourism practices that respect the authenticity of each area .
In our country, we meet with different interpretations of history, and thus the promotion of tourism. How do you try to reconcile that?
” We are aware of the different interpretations of history in our country, which can affect the promotion of tourism. Our approach involves careful research and presentation of different perspectives through cultural events, educational programs and tourist routes. Namely, through educational programs and tourist routes, we want to provide visitors with a broader picture of the past, respecting all cultural identities. Through cooperation with different communities, artists and experts, we strive to promote diversity and respect in the interpretation of the history of Bosnia and Herzegovina,” the association explains.
The Culture Map Association is currently focused on activities in several areas. They are actively working to expand their digital presence through the development of interactive guides, virtual tours and digital stories to reach a wider audience. They continuously work on training volunteers, providing them with additional knowledge about cultural heritage and communication skills in order to empower them to participate more effectively in projects. They organize history classes using modern technologies and creative approaches….
“We actively collaborate with local schools, institutions and cultural organizations to expand our reach and involve the wider community in our activities. We carefully monitor feedback from visitors and use it to continuously improve the quality of our activities. We are working on improving the user experience on the posjeti.ba portal , adding new articles, clearer information and stimulating stories about destinations. Our initiatives are aimed at creating an even more attractive environment for visitors, and enabling our volunteers to have a richer educational experience,” says Dalila Šečić.
The culture map, they say, survives thanks to the dedication of its volunteer members, who selflessly contribute their skills and enthusiasm. They receive financial support through donations from individuals, local business partners, and cooperation with cultural institutions.
“Even though we are not part of any big project, we establish cooperation with similar organizations in order to jointly contribute to the goals of promoting cultural heritage in the country. In addition, I would like to point out that we have established a self-sustaining pilot project tourist information portal ” posjeti.ba “. Through this portal, we actively promote different locations, accommodation options and catering facilities throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina. This portal represents our initiative in using digital resources to increase visibility and attract visitors, thereby contributing to the promotion of tourism in the country”.
Digital, informative, creative
You are quite present on social networks. Among other things, you are also well-versed and educated in IT and creativity. Is it one of the segments in which you want to be the first and most influential in the promotion of tourism?
” Social networks are a key part of our promotion! We actively use social networks as the main channel for sharing stories about the beauties of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Our team creates content that will attract attention and encourage people to explore different destinations. We aim to be a resource that shares inspiring stories and encourages adventure. In fact, our goal is to be pioneers in the use of digital platforms to spread awareness of the wealth of cultural heritage, tradition and tourist potential. And I think we are not far from that” – Dalila assessed.
New channels and models for the promotion of history and tourism, such as comics, cartoons, interactive documentaries (web documentaries) are present in many environments. The members of Mapa kulture do not lack ideas either…
“We are actively developing innovative approaches in the promotion of cultural heritage and tourism. We make video reports that we post on our YouTube channel in order to provide our visitors with a unique and visually rich experience. These visuals are becoming a key promotional tool, not only for their aesthetics, but also for their ability to convey emotion and encourage viewers to explore. Also, we plan to create documentary-film content that educates and spreads awareness about the cultural diversity of Bosnia and Herzegovina”.
How far or how close is Bosnia and Herzegovina to major tourist destinations? How to improve the quality of the tourist offer?
“Bosnia and Herzegovina has tourist destinations that range from historic cities to beautiful natural sites.
We travel through our beautiful cities like Sarajevo, where the combination of culture and history merges into a unique story. Then we move towards Mostar, where we find an incredible combination of tradition and modernity, especially told through the legend of the Old Bridge. But tourism in Bosnia and Herzegovina is not only about cities. We climb mountains, admire rivers and explore untouched natural beauty. National parks like Una and Sutjeska become stages where the story of our wealth of wild nature comes alive.
In order to improve the quality of the tourist offer, we face exciting challenges and opportunities. Through cooperation with local artists, craftsmen and restaurateurs, we revive tradition and create a space where visitors become participants in the story. We weave all these threads of the story – from cultural heritage to untouched nature, from local flavors to digital experiences – together to create a unique and high-quality tourist offer .
Written by: Darko Udovicic
This story was written thanks to the generous support of the American people through the “LOCAL WORKS” program of the American Agency for International Development in Bosnia and Herzegovina (USAID). The author and “Network for Peace Building” are solely responsible for the content of the story. The views expressed in the story do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government.
