SERDA mapped the potentials for the development of slow food tourism in Sarajevo Canton

The mapping was conducted through intensive fieldwork and analytical research, in cooperation with the Alterural association, and resulted in the following:

• 45 interviews were conducted with local producers, hospitality service providers, institutional representatives, tourism workers and other relevant local stakeholders.

• 13 authentic local products were identified as having potential to be included in the slow food offer – including Bjelašnica cheese, Đulbešećer rose juice, buckwheat, ašura, keške, various jams and fermented juices.

• 19 potential tourism products were recognized, which can be integrated into the slow food tourism concept.

• A total of 72 key stakeholders were identified – including public institutions, local communities, educational and professional institutions, cooperatives, NGOs, small-scale producers and providers of tourism and hospitality services.

The fieldwork covered numerous locations in the areas of Bjelašnica and the Nišići plateau, including villages such as Umoljani, Lukavac, Sinanovići, Kamenica, Bijambare and others.

The results showed that Bjelašnica and the Nišići plateau are areas with exceptionally rich potential for developing sustainable, locally rooted tourism that relies on biodiversity, tradition and authentic culinary heritage.

The mapping also served as a basis for defining the proposed pilot activity “Young Chefs with Disabilities in Slow Food Tourism”, which includes the development of a curriculum, organization of educational and practical training workshops for persons with disabilities to prepare slow food products and integrating them with the labour market and employers.

All findings and recommendations are compiled in the document “Mapping the Potentials for the Development of Slow Food Tourism in Sarajevo Canton”, which represents a significant contribution to the further implementation of the project and the development of local initiatives in the field of slow food tourism.

Through the SReST project, SERDA continues to support the empowerment of local communities and inclusive development models, with an emphasis on the valorisation of local products, knowledge and skills in the context of sustainable tourism and rural progress.