Our ‘golden mountain’ welcomes the 130th anniversary of its history of tourism with record attendance, the most comprehensive offering, the longest panoramic cable car, the richest cultural programmes, top-quality accommodation and beautiful nature
Among other things, our rise is the result of heavy investment by the Municipality of Čajetina, the state and private investors, the development of the centre and surroundings of Zlatibor, the construction of new facilities and tourist sites and constant adjustments – says Vladimir Živanović, noting that the number of tourists is approaching half a million each year.
This year is very important for you. How long has it been since the beginning of organised tourism on Zlatibor?
From the feast of the Transfiguration in 1893, when the young king Aleksandar Obrenović was welcomed by dance and song in Zlatiborac and gave the funds to build the King’s fountain, until today, a full 130 years have passed. This fountain is proof of the durability and stability of our tourist tradition. Such a long history of organised tourism, of which we are proud, shows a continuous upward path. It started with modest tourist steps at the beginning of the 20th century, when the first visitors discovered the beauty and value of this mountain, and reached the current golden age of Zlatibor, with records in the number of guests and the prestigious title of the most visited mountain in Serbia.
How did the ‘golden mountain’ reach the first place among mountain destinations in popularity and visitor numbers?
We can proudly point out that the rich past and tradition of Zlatibor tourism were patiently built by generations of tourism workers, without whose dedication the ‘golden mountain’ would not be at Serbia’s summit today. Such a rise is the result of constant investment by the municipality of Čajetina, the state and private investors, the development of the centre and surroundings of Zlatibor, the construction of new facilities and tourist sites and adaptation to different types of tourist.
That’s why the ‘golden mountain’ is now one of the favorite destinations for visitors who can enjoy not only natural beauty and clean air, but also many attractions, active vacations, theme parks, wellness and spa centers, modern flavours and traditional local specialities. Today there are many kinds of accommodation: from the most luxurious five-star hotels with a touch of glamour and an offer for particularly demanding guests, to homely accommodation in private apartments, boarding houses and rural households.
It is mostly families who stay and enjoy themselves with us. There are many families with a long tradition of holidaying on Zlatibor, often for generations. It is especially pleasing that more and more young people are coming to us, because it is fashionable to stay on the most visited mountain in Serbia. They enjoy having fun in clubs and parks, delicious meals, walks in nature. Photos of the fountain lake and impressive scenes from the gondola cabins are among the most frequently posted on social media.
Are we wrong when we say that today’s guests are looking for much more than natural beauty, decent accommodation, delicious food and prices to fit their budget?
Although we have never had a shortage of guests, a special contribution to the development of Zlatibor’s tourism in recent years has been made by the Gold Gondola, the longest panoramic cable car in the world, which connects the centre of Zlatibor with the highest peak, Tornik, via a nine-kilometre aerial route. For the past two years of operation, it has confirmed that it brings us a key step forward: from the first rides in January 2021 until now it has carried more than 500,000 passengers, who have seen that the view from the top of the mountain is the most beautiful. In this winter season, the Gold Gondola offers something new: Zlatibor Tourism Organization’s unique “brunch in the air” is available to passengers, as a light traditional Zlatibor meal in the cabins, then tubing at the intermediate station and other activities.
It is mostly families who stay and enjoy themselves with us. There are many families with a long tradition of holidaying on Zlatibor, often for generations
Besides the renovated King’s Square in Zlatibor centre there is a renovated lake and a multimedia fountain, which – with its sound, light and laser effects – is an attraction to be proud of. The play of its shining beams of light always delights our guests, and there were the most of them during the New Year’s concerts on the King’s Square, when Zlatibor saw a record 100,000 visitors.
The special value of Zlatibor’s diverse tourist offer is also enhanced by well-known attractions that are available to tourists all year round: the pride of speleology, Stopića Cave (the most visited in Serbia); the heart of Zlatibor’s tradition, the Staro Selo museum in Sirogojno; the pearl of water and nature, the waterfall at Gostilje; the adventure park and Dino park with lots of activities for children; the El Paso City theme park, and other attractions on the ‘golden mountain’. These enable our guests to complete their stay on Zlatibor with 10 organised day trips to surrounding areas.
It’s been a long time since you’ve had an off season. Does this mean that you have something to offer at every time of the year?
It’s not only summer and winter that bring prosperity to Zlatibor. It has become a destination that gathers a large number of local and foreign tourists throughout the year. First of all, Serbian guests have a large share in maintaining the high tourist traffic. There are, of course, tourists from the countries of the region, mostly from Republika Srpska and Montenegro, and we are pleased with the increase in the number of guests from Western countries. Thanks to the exceptionally equipped and located Zlatibor autocamp, we are regularly visited by campers from the Netherlands, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Slovenia and other countries. In recent seasons, a larger number of tourists from Romania has been noticed, and there are also some from Arab countries.
Event and sports tourism are booming in our country. Traditional events are organised, and sports competitions are increasingly numerous – thanks to our new fields, more and more sports teams are coming to us for training camps. We regularly hold the Zlatibor Cultural Summer with more than 50 quality events, and there is also our Zlatibor Cultural Centre, which contributes to the strong development of culture with all kinds of exhibitions, cinema screenings, theatre performances and international events.
How do you feel about the winter season now winding down?
We have many reasons to be happy because tourists from Serbia and the whole world have found their holiday and entertainment right here on Zlatibor. They have enjoyed a real winter idyll here, on the trails, cable cars, ski slopes, ice rink, promenades… Many skied at the Tornik Ski Centre, which has five ski trails covering a total length of about 10 kilometres, a six-seater cable car and a system for artificial snow. Besides skiing, Tornik also offered visitors adrenaline fun on bobsled tracks, an adventure park and a conveyor belt for training children and novice skiers.
This year, the Gold Gondola offers passengers a unique “brunch in the air”, a traditional Zlatibor meal in the cabin, then tubing at the intermediate station…
At the Obudovica ski resort in the centre of Zlatibor, a large number of children and recreational sportspeople had the opportunity to enjoy the snow, and the nearby Adventure Park offered them its winter facilities, enabling pleasant and safe skiing. Overall, it was a successful winter for ‘Golden Mountain’ tourism.
Would the results have been so impressive if there were no large investment and an inconsistent implementation of the development strategy?
The Municipality of Čajetina has contributed in a major way to the overall tourism success by investing record amounts in infrastructure and development. Year by year, this investment is increasing, and this year the construction of a sports complex with 20 open football fields is starting on the stretch from the Tornik hotel along the Golden Gondola route. The Zlatibor Tourism Organization proudly presents all of the novelties on offer and other valuable content with which the ‘golden mountain’ maintains its leadership position, at domestic and European fairs, in the media, publications, and on social networks.
And when such natural beauty, so much investment, work and commitment to tourism are combined, it is no surprise that in 2022 the number of tourists was 10 per cent higher than the previous year. That’s why Zlatibor is more organised, more visited and stronger than ever, with the highest attendance in history (close to half a million tourists per year), the most comprehensive offer, first-class accommodation, the best arranged centre of the tourist area, the longest panoramic cable car, the most visited cave, the richest cultural programmes, modern buildings, amusement parks, halls, swimming pools, ski centres – as it marks the 130th anniversary of organised tourism.