Skopje, 14 December 2023 (MIA) – In the first three quarters of 2023, tourism revenue grew by 25 percent, generating US$ 471.59 million for the country’s GDP in 2023. However, according to the head of the Agency for Promotion and Support of Tourism (APPT), Ljupcho Janevski, the budget proposed by the Government for 2024 is inadequate and much lower than the sum necessary for the promotion of the country’s tourism.

At a press conference on Thursday, Janevski stressed the need to prioritize the tourism sector as well as to establish a ministry of tourism and sport, considering the revenue from the sector and its potential for growth.

“We requested Mden 218 million, and we received Mden 100 million for 2024. When we take away the subsidies for the proper work of the institution this figure stands at 38 million, but when all those expenses are removed, we are left with Mden 8.3 million for promotion and support,” clarified Janevski, saying that in 2023 they had Mden 20 million to work with.

As a result of the budget reduction, he said the country would not be able to participate in the tourism fairs in Istanbul and Belgrade for the first time in 10 years.

“We don’t have investments, and we don’t have a structure because we don’t have a ministry that will look after one of the most profitable, fastest growing economic branches,” underlined Janevski.

According to data from the World Tourism Organization, the country’s tourism sector employs around 35.000 people, which, according to Janevski, amounts to 5 percent of jobs in the country. This, according to Janevski, is why the Government should rank tourism higher on its list of priorities by establishing a ministry, which would be equal to the other ministries. Janevski said he expects tourism to be one of the pillars of the country’s economy in the coming five to ten years.

In terms of the number of tourists and destinations, Janevski noted that the biggest growth can be seen among Turkish and Serbian tourists, with 176.059 Turkish tourists and 63.291 Serbian tourists visiting the country in the first 10 months of 2023. There’s also an increase in the number of tourists coming from Germany, Greece, Croatia and Romania. The most visited cities in the country were Skopje, with a 5 percent growth in tourists, and Ohrid, with a 7 percent growth in tourists compared to 2019.

Photo: MIA