Serbia has adopted a 2026–2030 national tourism strategy targeting between 5.6 million and 6.4 million tourist arrivals and 16.1 million to 18.5 million overnight stays by 2030. The government approved the strategy on September 3, with priorities including tourism infrastructure, digitalisation and the development of health, spa, mountain, rural, cultural and eco-tourism.
Expo 2027 in Belgrade is expected to provide an immediate boost to visitor numbers, hotel demand and transport activity, while infrastructure investments linked to the event are intended to support longer-term tourism growth.
Tourism Growth Remains Concentrated in Belgrade
Serbia recorded 2.591 million tourist arrivals in January–July 2026, up 6.2% year on year, while overnight stays increased 4.4% to 7.367 million.
Belgrade accounted for approximately 858,000 arrivals, highlighting the capital’s dominant position in the country’s tourism market. Reaching the upper end of the 6.4 million-arrival target will require stronger growth in other destinations. Mountain tourism is concentrated in Kopaonik and Zlatibor, while Serbia also has significant spa, wellness, rural, eco and cultural tourism potential.
Investment Focus Extends Beyond Expo
Expo-related investments include roads, railways, public transport, accommodation and redevelopment projects. The strategy seeks to use this infrastructure as a platform for broader tourism development after 2027.
Hotel investment could accelerate ahead of the Expo as developers respond to higher expected demand. However, projects will also need viable business models after the event to avoid excess capacity. Spa and health tourism could attract further investment, particularly where hotels, medical facilities and public infrastructure require upgrades. Mountain destinations face similar infrastructure pressures involving roads, utilities, water, waste management and local planning.
Aviation and Digitalisation Support Expansion
Air connectivity remains important to Serbia’s tourism ambitions. Air Serbia has been expanding its network and recently exceeded 600,000 passengers in a single month, while Belgrade Airport is handling record traffic. Additional links to the Middle East, North America and other long-haul markets could broaden Serbia’s visitor base, provided tourism products outside Belgrade can retain international visitors for longer stays. The strategy also prioritises digitalisation through reservation systems, digital visitor services, electronic payments, data analytics and destination-management platforms.
Post-2027 Demand Will Test the Strategy
The difference between arrivals and overnight stays will be an important measure of tourism performance. In the first seven months of 2026, arrivals grew faster than overnight stays, indicating that visitor numbers are increasing more rapidly than total accommodation demand. Infrastructure outside tourism projects will also influence growth, including roads, railways, airports, water, sewage and waste systems.
The government’s 2030 targets will ultimately depend on whether Expo 2027 generates sustained tourism demand, longer visitor stays and stronger activity outside Belgrade, alongside continued investment in accommodation and regional destinations.
