From a Gondola, Though Not the Zlatibor One, to Hotel Zlatiborski Car – 2023 Retrospective, Investments in TOURISM, ENTERTAINMENT AND RECREATION

Gold Gondola Zlatibor has showed how attractive this investment is, so it’s no wonder that the most read story on our portal in 2023 in the field of tourism, entertainment and recreation is the announcement of the construction of another gondola – from Vrnjacka Banja to Goc.

A nice view will be enjoyed not just by the visitors to the spa, but also the visitors to the Ovcar-Kablar Gorge, where according to a project by Energoprojekt, a lookout on Kablar will be built, which placed second on our list.

The year was also marked by the opening of the reconstructed Sava Centar, as well as a range of hotels, but even more so the announcement of the construction of new ones, in Belgrade, Novi Sad, on Zlatibor, Kopaonik, where the first Swissotel in Serbia is to arrive, but also in the village of Dobra Voda near Bojnik.

We present the list of investments in the sector of tourism, entertainment and recreation which drew the most attention from eKapija’s readers in 2023.

1. Gondola Vrnjacka Banja Goc

The gondola with 6,830 meters in length is being built with the aim of connecting two famous tourist locations – Vrnjacka Banja and Goc. The entry station is in the city core of Vrnjacka Banja, in a location next to the park and “Slatina” spring, the interstation is in the Lipova location (at around two thirds of the planned route), and the exit station is planned on the peak of the Goc mountain center. The gondola traverses an altitude difference of around 780 meters between the two terminals, according to the Detailed Regulation Plan (DRP) of the construction of the gondola, which the Municipality of Vrnjacka Banja put up for early public inspection in July 2023.

In March, the tender for the preparation of the preliminary design was published and, as announced earlier, the gondola from Vrnjacka Banja to Goc will be called “Novak Djokovic” and built in partnership with the Djokovic family. At the interstation and the exit station, restaurants, gift shops, summer toboggans and ziplines are planned.

2. Lookout on Kablar Mountain

The lookout on Kablar will be a true regional tourism attraction, which will give a new chance to the villages in the Ovcar-Kablar Gorge and the entire gorge to develop, the Tourism Organization of Cacak pointed out at the beginning of 2023 while presenting the future design of the lookout.

According the project which was prepared by Energoprojekt, the multi-layer glass platform will have a surface of 200 square meters, platforms and a wooden staircase of 92 square meters, a roof with solar panels of slightly under 48 square meters and a tourism station with an electrical block of 37 square meters.

The entry flat area will be located down the cliff, at an altitude of 879 meters.

The facility is financed with the funds of the Ministry of Tourism and Youth and the Government of the Republic of Serbia, and the building permit was issued in February.

3. Trinity Park Novi Sad – Hyatt Regency Novi Sad

In the location of the existing Hotel Park, one of the biggest world hotel brands, Hyatt Regency, is to be built, and its official name will be Hyatt Regency Novi Sad. The opening is planned for 2026.

The hotel will have 235 rooms, a congress center on 1,900 m2 for 925 people, nine meeting rooms, a ceremonial hall on 800 m2 for 300 people, a spa center with a view to the Futog Park of 1,500 m2 with one indoor pool and two outdoor ones, an outdoor gym and an underground garage on two levels for 300 vehicles, and it will also use medicinal water.

With the arrival of one of the biggest hotel giants in the world, Novi Sad could likely become the center of congress tourism of international character in the territory of Vojvodina, announced Inobacka, which is the investor, whereas Hyatt International Group will be in charge of management.

4. Swissotel Kopaonik

In the winter season 2024/2025, Kopaonik will have another hotel – Swissotel. The newly built facility will offer 175 rooms and apartments, restaurants, a cigar bar, a spa and wellness zone, conference space and a ski rental shop.

The facility will be located in the very center of Kopaonik, next to the ski center, in close proximity to the ski lifts.

Accor Group is opening the first Swissotel in Serbia in partnership with KOP2020 doo, a company for the development of hotel investments in Kopaonik.

5. Reconstructed Sava Centar New Belgrade

In November, one of the symbols of Belgrade, the reconstructed Sava Centar, opened. The reconstruction took slightly under two years and cost Delta Holding EUR 118 million. Thanks to the reconstruction, Belgrade can now host gatherings with more than 5,000 participants.

As announced, the original project of the architect Stojan Maksimovic was strictly adhered to, so the protected parts of the interior of Sava Centar are fully preserved. Sava Centar also got an “immersive hall”, the first of its kind in this part of Europe and one of the biggest ones in the world, in which the use of the most modern technologies enables the projection of digital content on the interior of the hall, where the image and the sound are emitted from all the walls, reflecting against the floor.

After the opening of the congress-business part, the reconstruction of the Blue Hall, known for the numerous concerts held there, continues, and it will welcome its first guests in the summer of 2024, the company announced.

6. Hotel Bristol Belgrade

The minister of finance of Serbia, Sinisa Mali, announced in July on Instagram what Hotel Bristol in Belgrade would look like after the reconstruction. The hotel is now located within the Belgrade Waterfront complex. As he pointed out, the works that are being done will preserve the authenticity of that facility of invaluable cultural and historical importance.

Hotel Bristol is a masterpiece of the prominent Serbian architect Nikola Nestorovic and an inevitable part of the rich architectural heritage of Belgrade. The main task of the restorers is to preserve the original façade architecture and, however much possible, bring it back to its original state.

The project was prepared by the studio Bureaucube.

7. Matis Zetagradnja Apartment Hotel Kopaonik

Matis Zetagradnja Belgrade will build a complex with a spa center, 342 apartments and 227 parking spaces on Kopaonik. The facility is to be built in close proximity to Hotel Srebrna Lisica and Zupa, on a parcel with an area of 6,257 m2, according to the urban project for the construction of the apartment hotel on Kopaonik.

The design envisages for the facility to feature a spa center and 10 outlets, 342 apartments on the ground floor, two upper floors and three loft tiers, as well as an underground garage on three levels with 227 parking spaces.

8. Lux Condo Hotel Zlatiborski Car

The most visited Serbian mountain is represented by the lux condo Hotel Zlatiborski Car, whose construction was announced last year. The residential part of the complex consists of studio apartments, two-room apartments, a duplex penthouse and a royal suite.

The hotel also has a multifunctional conference hall with 120 seats, smaller meeting rooms, as well as a restaurant on the top with over 125 seats, a balcony and a lookout. The guests can escape the bustle of everyday life in the luxury spa and wellness center which spreads on 700 m2.

A mini solar power plant is planned on the roof.

9. Hotel Planinka Kursumlijska Banja

Hotel Planinka, in whose reconstruction EUR 15 million was invested and the works lasted three years, opened in Kursumlijska Banja in February 2023.

The investment was financed by the company Planinka with EUR 12.5 million, and the state provided a subsidy of EUR 2.5 million.

There are 100 employees in Hotel Planinka, which has four stars.

At the opening of the hotel, the president of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, announced that over EUR 6 million would be invested in the traffic route to Kursumlijska Banja.

10. Tourism Complex Dobra Voda near Bojnik

At the end of last year, the Municipality of Bojnik published the tender for the preparation of the project-technical documentation for the construction of the tourism center Dobra Voda in the eponymous village. A hotel with a spa center, bungalows, a summer vacation resort, a sports court and a playground for children are planned.

The basement of the facility features a pool, saunas and a spa center.

The facilities for a short-term stay – bungalows, consist of a living space, a mini kitchen, a bathroom and a bedroom.

We presented the 10 investment which drew the most attention from our readers when it comes to tourism, entertainment and recreation. Make sure to take a look at the full list HERE.

We also invite you to see which investments marked the year 2023 in the fields of TRANSPORTATION, INDUSTRY, PUBLIC UTILITY INFRASTRUCTURE AND ENERGY and REAL ESTATE.

Turistička organizacija Čačak

Ministarstvo turizma i omladine Republike Srbije

Energoprojekt Holding a.d. Beograd

Hyatt Regency Belgrade Hotel a.d. Beograd

Inobačka d.o.o. Novi Sad

Delta Holding d.o.o. Beograd

Bureau Cube Partners d.o.o. Beograd

Matis - Zetagradnja doo Beograd

Zlatiborski Car

KOP2020 doo Novi Beograd

Hyatt Regency

Hyatt International Group

Accor

Stojan Maksimović

Siniša Mali

Nikola Nestorović

gondola Vrnjačka banja Goč

gondola Novak Đoković

lookout on Kablar

Hyatt Regency Novi Sad

congress tourism

Swissotel Kopaonik

Sava centar

Imerssive hall

hotel Bristol

Zlatiborski Car

hotel Planinka

tourism complex Dobra voda

investments in tourism