Budget for tourism twice as big as in 2009

- The budget for tourism for year 2010 amounts to about 4.4 billion RSD, which is nearly twice as much as in 2009 - said Goran Petković, the State Secretary of Tourism.

- That money will be, first of all, invested in the tourism infrastructure, continuation of works on the most important tourist building sites in the country, stimuli for development loans for tourism projects, as well as aid for local government organs to get the funds from European funds - Petković pointed out.

Petković also announced continuation of realization of the project for preservation of environment in association with the Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning, as well as the projects for classification, collecting and transporting solid waste.

He pointed to importance of exertion of "pressure" on the region and neighboring countries and even more intensive promotion for the sake of better positioning of Serbian tourist offer, and he explained that mild recovery of the economy would represent additional challenge for domestic tourism.

Petković said that, after liberalization of visa regime, the tourists from Serbia may decide to travel abroad, while the tourists from neighboring countries and the region may decide for remote destinations.

The budget for the next year includes about 2.5 billion RSD for subventions for public companies and organizations: "Skijališta Srbije" (about 901.8m RSD), the Tourist Organization of Serbia (220m RSD) and "Stara planina" (938.2m RSD).

Petković explained that certain activities would be transferred from the municipality to public company "Stara planina" and that aforementioned funds would be invested in construction of infrastructure on that mountin, power supply system and commencement of construction of accommodation capacities.

He pointed to the importance of commencement of construction of accommodation capacities, which should attract private investors, and expressed expectation that the first facility on Stara Planina mountain would be put in operation in 2012.

Total of 490m RSD is set aside for the tourism development projects in 2010, 80m RSD will be given to municipalities and associations of citizens, while 400m RSD will be invested in the loans for improvement of quality of catering services.

Total of 560m RSD will be invested in construction of accommodation capacities in the location of Jabučko Ravnište on Stara Planina mountain, while National Tourism Development Corporation and "Park Palić" will get 10m RSD each.