UN World Tourism Organization chief visiting Serbia

UN World Tourism Organization chief visiting Serbia

Dacic "presented the activities that Serbia is taking on this plan, and stressed the country's commitment to further development of tourism."

He also outlined the modalities of further cooperation with this important international organization and expressed his gratitude to Rifai for "excellent cooperation over the past eight years of his mandate."

Rifai made concrete proposals for improving tourism in Serbia and conveyed the organization's willingness to help with this, the government said in a statement posted on its website.

The meeting was also attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Trade, Tourism and Telecommunications Rasim Ljajic and Permanent UN Team Coordinator Karla Robin Hershey.

Rifai was also received separately by President Aleksandar Vucic.

Vucic and Rifai spoke about the tourist potentials and promotion of Serbia as a tourist destination, Tanjug said.

Vucic "pointed out that the number of foreign tourists increased by 20 percent in the last year and that this is a new opportunity to promote Serbia as a new destination."

He "stressed that it is necessary to find new models for the promotion of the Serbian tourist offer and requested the assistance of the World Tourism Organization in creating a new tourist brand."

"Tourism is the future of this country. The point is not in what you have, but how you use what you have. It is important that the leadership of this country has recognized the potentials that lie in tourism," Rifai said, according to a statement issued by the president's office.

He "stressed that today the whole world, and not just the World Tourist Organization, observe with great attention, and Serbia must meet these expectations."

Rifai also congratulated Vucic on his efforts to promote Serbia as a new tourist destination and stressed that it was necessary to work on facilitating easier arrival of foreign tourists to Serbia, as well as better promotion of the country and the creation of a new brand.