We will invest in capital projects to improve the tourist potentials of Vojvodina
The coronavirus pandemic has caused a social and economic crisis in a number of economic sectors. This unpredictable time requires wise and responsible thinking from people who make decisions and manage budgets. One of them is the new Provincial Secretary for Economy and Tourism, Nenad Ivanišević, who came to this position during the period of the greatest crisis that has especially affected the areas he is in charge of. We wanted to find out more about his plans and priorities related to the economy and tourism in the coming period.
What are your immediate goals in 2021, and what are your long-term plans?
The Provincial Government, led by President Igor Mirović, has recognized the important role that the Provincial Secretariat for Economy and Tourism has in this unpredictable time. Compared to the previous period, the Secretariat’s budget has been increased by almost 66 percent, which is a significant step forward in creating new concepts of incentive funds that will be focused on key, strategic projects, which, this time around, will include more local self-governments, and through them, local tourist boards, innovative, creative economy, women’s entrepreneurship, construction industry, production and export programmes and domestic production.
We are going to invest much more in new tourism and capital projects, while some projects will be revitalized, such as assigning the Best of Vojvodina label, which guarantees product quality and which we will extend to include the service sector. With these measures and investments in the procurement of machinery, equipment, software, raw materials, women’s and social entrepreneurship, creative, innovative and construction industries and, for the first time, in startups, as well as in capital tourism projects, I am confident that we will see the end of the pandemic and be ready for all future challenges.
The budget of the Provincial Secretariat for Economy has been significantly increased this year. Which projects will be the priority in terms of financing?
Our goal is for small tourist potentials to get funds and infrastructure, but also to be given the opportunity to apply for funds. Our goal is to invest in capital projects to improve the tourist potentials of the AP Vojvodina. One of the priorities was to establish and boost the network of social partners in order to help the economy in the best and most efficient way. Furthermore, the Secretariat wants to be more actively involved in the latest trends regarding the use of digital technologies. For example, the Secretariat has opened a free telephone line called Free Call via Telekom Srbija’s public telephone network. This phone line facilitates better two-way communication with businesses and individuals. In March, we are also going to present a mobile application for Android and IOS platforms that will make the Secretariat more accessible to the public.
Our idea is for local tourist boards to be the driving force behind local tourism
Will the Secretariat dare to implement new projects and undertake new endeavours, especially in tourism?
We will strive to enrich the tourist offer with innovative activities. We need to add digital marketing to marketing activities, considering its increasing presence, because we are living in a time of information and communication technologies. It is impossible to imagine a modern guest not getting their information about the quality of the tourist offer by not searching social networks and online reviews. Project documentation for the construction of a bicycle path from Novi Sad to Belgrade has been drafted and this is a capital project. This path is one segment of our vision because it could become a lifeline of a special type of tourism, given that it can be used to build the ancillary tourist infrastructure. Finally, it is important to support hunting tourism, which is a very significant tourist resource that could be much better organized through local tourism boards. The fact that not all local governments in Vojvodina have tourist boards is unacceptable. Our idea is to resolve that problem in the coming years.
You said that the Secretariat will revitalize the project of assigning the Best of Vojvodina quality product label, but that this time around, in addition to products, it will also include services.
By assigning this label, we identify top-notch products from Vojvodina. All products, that have been assigned this label, meet European product quality standards – they have a HACCP certificate and an ISO standard. The label is used to mark natural, agricultural, artisan, industrial and home-made products. The label confirms that the product is of top quality and that stringent quality control was carried out. Now, the label will be extended to include services. I believe that this would encourage tourism workers to raise the quality of their services to a higher level. The Secretariat has already taken certain steps in cooperation with the European Affairs Fund of the AP Vojvodina and Jugoinspekt. We will monitor the production chain, environmental protection, the employer’s attitude towards workers and gender equality.
Apart from funds, what else the Provincial Secretariat plans to do to encourage the development of the economy and tourism? Are you going to adopt new strategic documents or measures?
Each branch of tourism should have its own strategic document. The Law on Planning System, which is valid on the territory of the Republic of Serbia, implies the adoption of three-year-strategies. Together, we have promoted the Strategy for the Development of Viticulture and Enology, which covers a longer period, and clearly defines where we are today, and where we want to be after the end of the defined period that has been determined in the document. The plan is for the Secretariat to allocate significant funds intended for marketing activities of local tourism boards by the end of the current year.
The Secretariat’s budget has been increased by almost 66 percent
The coronavirus pandemic has hit micro and small businesses and producers the hardest, including women entrepreneurs. What do you plan to do in terms of female entrepreneurship in the coming period?
Generally speaking, we can see how underappreciated is women’s work in the Balkans. The Secretariat has a special focus on women’s entrepreneurship. Nothing would make me happier than seeing that gender equality is no longer an issue. However, there is so much work still to do to get to that point. The Secretariat has allocated funds for supporting companies owned by women, while companies, where women make the majority workforce, will also be considered. It is important that women have an income and earn money, both for themselves and for obtaining equal status.
Overall, how would you characterize the past year in terms of the economy and tourism?
The coronavirus pandemic certainly marked last year. This is evident especially in tourism, which recorded a significant decline in overnight stays of foreign tourists, who used to generate significant financial revenue. On the other hand, we have successfully developed domestic tourist destinations, so despite losing a significant part of the income, tourism still generated revenue from domestic tourists. That is why our idea is for local tourist boards to be the driving force behind local tourism, and in cooperation with the Tourist Board of Vojvodina, as an umbrella organization, and the line Secretariat, to invest in micro destination tourism, which, as an integral part of the tourism network in Vojvodina, will become a strong tool for attracting both foreign and domestic tourists. We are talking to both businesses and tourism workers, as well as with all relevant institutions and organizations, we listen to what is going on in the field and the real needs, all with the goal of finding the right answer.