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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Serbia to get new symbol, slogan, logo next year

Belgrade, 24 November 2006

Serbian Minister of Trade, Tourism and Services Bojan Dimitrijevic announced today that in the course of 2007 a new symbol, slogan and logo will be designed for Serbia which will not only be important for its tourism development, but also for the country's overall image.

At a board session of the Tourism and Services Association held at the Serbian Chamber of Commerce, Dimitrijevic said he expects that the tender for visual identity of Serbian tourism will be announced soon. The Minister invited representatives of Serbian tourism and hotel industries and chambers of commerce to propose services that will best represent Serbia in the international market.

Dimitrijevic specified that in the first eight months of 2006 there was a foreign currency influx of $258 million in Serbia, which is 30% higher than in the same period last year. He added that he expects this figure to reach $400 million by end-2006.

According to Dimitrijevic, tourism makes 2% of GDP, which means that tourism is worth over $700 million, whereas actual tourism revenue stands at around $600 million.

The Minister said that as of 2007, it will be possible to work out how much direct tourism revenue is because Serbia will start using satellite bills.

He also said he expects that a portion of funds from the National Investment Plan intended for tourism development this year, which stand at €18.5 million, may be transferred to 2007 since the deadline for their usage is end-2006.

Dimitrijevic explained that private entrepreneurs and rehabilitation centres which entered the privatisation programme according to the government's decision will be able to compete for the funds. He added that applications submitted by end-November will be considered in the first half of December 2006.

He also explained that hotels and tourism centres from Kosovo-Metohija which used to be state-owned may also apply for the funds, adding that only one project will be realised in the southern province and that is the construction of a ski centre on Mount Brezovica.

The Minister announced that as agreed with the economic coordinator, the Ministry of Trade, Tourism and Services will ask the government for RSD 30 million from the current budget reserves.

He said that the master plan for Stara Planina Mountain will be completed by the end of 2006 and will be publicly presented in January 2007.

According to Dimitrijevic, the plan should enable mechanisms for a commercial and sustainable tourism development on Stara Planina. He added that all elements of the master plan will be agreed on with representatives of the Environmental Protection Directorate at the Ministry of Science and Environmental Protection.

Spatial and construction plans should regulate the issue of sustainable development, whereas master plans must be in line with them, stressed the Minister and explained that this means that permits must be obtained from all competent institutions in order to prevent any illegal construction works on the site.

Speaking about privatisation of hotels in Serbia, Dimitrijevic said that if this process is not finished by mid-2007, they will have to be privatised through bankruptcy procedure.

He said that 15 new four and five-star hotels have been built so far, adding that this is not sufficient because Belgrade and Serbian spas need new accommodation capacities of high category hotels.