Spa and special climate regions of Serbia represent one of the most valuable segments of the tourist offer of Serbia, with a great potential for further investments in accommodation, hotel, medical and recreational facilities. New investments in some of the 28 spas regions and 19 special climate areas will primarily enable the development of these locations and attract more foreign tourists, presenting them with authentic beauties and natural resources of our country and unique and dynamic content that characterizes Serbian spa regions, it is concluded at the III Serbia Investment Conference "Spa & Wellness Real Estate” held at the Serbian Pavilion at the World Expo 2020 Dubai.

As Mr. Nikola Janković from the Development Agency of Serbia said the opening of the 3rd Serbia Investment Conference at the World Exhibition Expo 2020 Dubai, Expo is an excellent platform for promoting the investment potentials to a wide group of investors.

"After significant results in attracting foreign direct investment in the manufacturing sector, employing large numbers of people, and gradually rising the life standard, the focus of the Republic of Serbia is now shifting to supporting the development of spa tourism. Today more than ever, foreign tourists show interest in authentic locations, natural resources, and places that offer healthy and active vacation time, which gives us an opportunity to enhance the offer of our spa and special climate regions and encourage their popularity among foreign guests," said Janković.

The conference presented the investment opportunities of Ovčar Spa, Slatinska, and Atomska Spa, located within the City of Čačak and Ovčarsko-kablarska gorge. The director of the Tourist Organization of the City of Čačak Vojin Jakovljević, said that this area is still completely untapped potential in the tourist and spa sense, considering the uniqueness of the location and the untouched nature that adorns it.

"As it is known, the revitalization of the Ovčar-Kablar gorge is a project of national importance and includes over 20 sub-projects that complete the systemic renewal of the Ovcarsko-kablarska gorge, with a focus on ecology and tourism. Investments in the infrastructure and revitalization of this area will continue, all with the aim of attracting investments", emphasized Jakovljević at the conference.

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Marko Čkonjević, brand manager of the National Platform Serbia Creates, says that they as a Platform are proud if they have managed to bring Ovčar Spa closer to investors through their work and communication.

“Engaging the National Platform Serbia Creates on the projects of Čačak Spas is only a logical continuation after working with the Tourist Organization of Serbia on creating a new tourist brand of Serbia, where the inspiration for the new brand of Serbia as a tourist destination was found in a dynamic experience that Serbia offers at the crossroads of modern and traditional. Ovčar Banja is one of the destinations that personifies that dynamic experience that tourists can understand, feel and share further ", concluded Čkonjević.

RAS presented to investors of spas throughout Serbia the reasons why investors should create their new success stories by implementing projects in Serbia. 

Moreover, the projects of A Hotels and Marriott International & Millennium Resorts - Alpha Hotel Management were presented to the investment conference "Spa&Wellness Real Estate" as some successful business stories in this sector. Milena Aleksić, a representative of the A-hotel, says that it is a pleasure to present the first Serbian chain of high-category hotels to an international audience.

Vranjska Banja Resort is the largest project in the Western Balkans Region of Marriott International and the largest investment in tourism by Millennium Resorts, and as such, it was presented at this investment event. According to Nikola Avram, CEO of the Alpha Hotel Management “in a few years Vranjska Banja will have its first guests and offer hotel facilities at the highest level that will be able to meet the needs of both domestic and foreign tourists.”

The next investment event of the Republic of Serbia at Expo 2020 Dubai will be a special business event - Serbia Country Business Briefing, as part of the National Day and the celebration of Statehood Day, February 15th. The industries and topics in focus will primarily be the Agri-Food sector and high technologies.

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