1. IIPT WORLD SYMPOSIUM
February 16-19, 2015, Johannesburg, RSA
Tourism and peace – towards
reconciliation after conflicts
Jovan Popesku
Professor, Singidunum University
President, Centre for Responsible and
Sustainable Tourism Development (CenORT)
Belgrade, Serbia

2. Tourism and Peace
• Tourism and peace are two mutually closely
linked concepts
• Tourism and peace are complementing each
other
• The broader context of striving to achieve peace
through tourism should be expressed through
activities aimed at sustainable tourism
development, poverty reduction, preservation of
cultural heritage and environmental protection.

3. Tourism and Peace
• Tourism is not strictly a contributor or a
beneficiary of peace, there is a symbiotic
relationship in which both benefit each other.
• Although it was possible to establish a connection
between positive peace and poverty alleviation,
environmental protection, and heritage
conservation, it is necessary to examine and
research the ways in which these three
dimensions work towards contributing to positive
peace with further formal research
(C. Jimenez, J. Kloeze, 2014)

4. Examples on interdependence and
intersection between tourism and peace
• Example of former Yugoslavia is multiply
significant
• Country located in Europe, the key tourist
region of the world, with the tourism industry
oriented towards foreign markets and with
significant volume of tourist traffic between its
federal republics

5. Reconciliation as a Foundation
of Culture of Peace
• Reconciliation involves the formation or
restoration of genuine peaceful relationships
between societies and this requires extensive
changes in the socio-psychological repertoire of
group members in all societies involved
• The essence of reconciliation involves socio-
psychological processes consisting of changes of
motivations, goals, beliefs, attitudes and
emotions by the majority of society members
(D. Bar-Tal, 2009)

6. Former Yugoslavia as an example
• The Mediterranean area of Yugoslavia was in
the 1980’s listed among five most visited
European destinations - the coasts of former
Yugoslav republics Slovenia, Croatia and
Montenegro have observed in the 1970’s and
1980’s growth similar to Spain
• Therefore, in the same period, Yugoslavia was
ranked among top 25 tourist destinations in
the world

7. Former Yugoslavia as an example
• The progress stopped with the disintegration
of Yugoslavia that started in 1991/1992, when
ethnic conflicts erupted and several federal
republics declared independence.
• The subsequent short and longer lasting
military confrontations minimized and/or
hindered international arrivals. The armed
conflicts ended in the second half of 1999.

8. Former Yugoslavia as an example
• Conflicts led to the regional disturbances
in the tourism development, the
destruction of tourism facilities and
infrastructure and long-term interruption
of tourist flows between the countries of
former Yugoslavia

9. International tourism
as provider of social contacts
• Increasing contact among individuals from
diverse groups creates an opportunity for
mutual acquaintances, enhances
understanding and acceptance among the
interacting group members, and consequently
reduces inter-group prejudice, tension, and
conflict. International tourism has been
recognized for the opportunities it provides
for social contact to occur (S. F. Sonmeza & Y.
Apostolopoulos, 2000)

10. Former Yugoslavia as an example
• The situation has begun to change since 2000,
through gradual but relatively constant and
stable increase in tourist traffic between the
countries in the region.

11. Former Yugoslavia as an example
• Progress is certainly there, but the questions
remain:
- to which extent tourism can contribute to the
better understanding and reconciliation between
formerly opposing sides?
- are there all possibilities in place for joint
activities in order to achieve economic and social
effects as an essential part of the road to creating
a sustainable future for tourism in the whole
region?

12. Former Yugoslavia as an example
Two main segments of tourism contribution to
reconciliation and further socio-economic
development in the region:
• Increase of the tourist flows among countries
of ex-Yugoslavia
• Creation, promotion and distribution of the
common regional tourism products for the
third markets

13. Former Yugoslavia as an example
Increase of the tourist flows among countries of ex-Yu
is driven by following factors:
• Proximity of markets
• Favorable traffic connections
• Similar language
• Common history and culture
• Relatively well-known tourism product
• Memories and recommendations from older
generations
• Family connections and friendships
• Curiosity

14. Former Yugoslavia as an example
• Through tourism, formerly warring parties are
getting to know each other better, prejudices
disappear, positive attitudes are created,
common denominators are in place in all
aspects such as culture and life style, new
friendships are made and better mutual
understanding is achieved, especially among
younger generations

15. Tourism figures - Serbia
• In 2014, tourists overnights from all former
Yugoslav republics were ranked among top ten
places in the number of foreign tourists to Serbia
(28,1% of total overnights):
- Bosnia and Herzegovina – 1st
- Montenegro – 3rd
- Croatia – 4th
- Slovenia – 6th
- FYRO Macedonia – 10th

16. Former Yugoslavia as an example
Creation, promotion and distribution of the
common regional tourism products for the third
markets:
-Various regional and cross border projects towards
the development of common regional products and
networking of service providers in tourism -
supported mainly by EU funds
- Sales of common tourism products / programs to
the third markets
- Joint promotion

17. Regional cooperation - examples
• Project "Regional Cooperation in the Development of Child and
Youth Educational Tourism for the development of the Adriatic -
Ionian region: current situation and examples of good practice from
Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia and Italy
• "The Roman Emperors Route and the Danube Wine Route" -
successful initiative of four countries from the region: Bulgaria,
Romania, Croatia and Serbia.
• The Union of Travel Agency Associations of South Eastern Europe
was set up, which brings together national associations of
Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Albania, Montenegro
and Serbia.
• Cooperation of spa and wellness centers from the Balkans,
developed with the aim of creating and promoting new tourism
product in Europe – Balkan Spas
• BAHA – Balkan Alliance of the Hospitality Associations from 6
Balkan countries

18. Cross-Border Cooperation (EU) -
examples
• Development and Promotion of Health
Tourism Spas in cross-border area (Bosnia and
Herzegovina and Serbia) – CROSS SPA Project
• Tradition for the future - rural tourism across
borders (Croatia and Serbia)
• Through culture and tourism to better
cooperation (Montenegro and Serbia)

19. Common Tourism Products - examples
A Journey Through the Balkans, Regent Holidays, UK
Tour Highlights:
Enjoy the cosmopolitan city of Zagreb
Explore Belgrade's stunning Old Town
Discover diverse religious buildings
Head to Jajce Castle in Sarajevo
Relax in a coffee shop in Mostar
Spend time in the Pearl of the Adriatic
Travel across historic Eastern Europe from Hungary to Croatia, Interpid
Travel, USA
Tour Highlights:
Cross the Chain Bridge in Budapest, Hungary
Spy curious wildlife in Kopacki Rit Nature Park, Croatia
Sip Serbian wine at a family-run vineyard
Experience Belgrade's famous nightlife, Serbia
Be humbled by ruins in Mostar city, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Visit Montenegro's Ostrog Monastery and mingle with pilgrims
Admire the Adriatic Sea from Dubrovnik's city walls, Croatia

20. Joint Promotion - examples
• PPP of national tourism boards and tourism
industry representatives
• Promotion on long haul markets (Japan, China,
etc.)
• Common stands at tourism exhibitions,
workshops and roadshows, stand alone
presentations
Achieving better economic effects through PPP,
creation of more diversified and appealing tourism
products, especially for long haul markets,
promotion cost savings, better image.

21. Photo by Nuuuuuuuuuuul

22. Photo by jas_gd

23. Photo by onkel_wart (thomas lieser)

24. Photo by mgrenner57

25. Photo by wili_hybrid

26. Photo by Cost3l

27. Photo by squelch41

28. Photo by csaavedra

29. Photo by Jack Amick

30. Photo by Nataraj Metz

31. Photo by Espino Family

32. Photo by nicointokio

33. Photo by Vienna Tourist Board

34. Photo by Cost3l

35. Photo by Filip Kneži

36. Photo by 350.org

37. Photo by Nick-K (Nikos Koutoulas)

38. Photo by whl.travel

39. Photo by whl.travel

40. Photo by Film Fledgling

41. Photo by whl.travel

42. Photo by Neal.

43. Photo by Aleksandr Zykov

44. References
• S. F. Sonmeza & Y. Apostolopoulos (2000), Conflict
Resolution through Tourism Cooperation? The
Case of the Partitioned Island-State of Cyprus,
Journal of Travel and Tourism Marketing. 9(3):35-
48
• Carmen Jimenez, Jan te Kloeze (2014), Analyzing
the Peace through Tourism Concept: The
Challenge for Educators, Sociology and
Anthropology 2(3): 63-70
http://www.hrpub.org/download/20140205/SA1
-19601223.pdf

45. References
• D. Bar-Tal (2009), Reconciliation as a
Foundation of Culture of Peace, in J. de Rivera,
ed. Handbook on Building Cultures of Peace,
Springer, pp. 363-377
• A. Gosar (2007), Development characteristics
and challenges of tourism in Southeastern
Europe: with special emphasis on Slovenia,
Acta turistica nova, Vol. 1, no. 2, pp. 127-154