The article begins with paragraph ‘If you plan to stay at home all summer, you don’t need to read this. But if you think some sort of holiday might be an idea, you do. Because laid out below are 100 of the best trips that 2008 has to offer’

Under the ‘Walking and riding’ section, at the 90th place, Bosnia is featured for ‘one of Europe’s finest high country’:

‘In all the coverage of the Balkan conflict, the reporters forgot to tell us how beautiful Bosnia is. Understandable, perhaps, but after 12 years of peace, we’re only just discovering some of Europe’s finest high country. Enter Walks Worldwide (01524 242000, www.walksworldwide.com), which is stepping out through the primeval forest and traditional mountain villages, up the 7,828ft peak of Maglic, then down past ancient mosques and churches to the cities of Mostar and Sarajevo. The 10-day hikes, departing on June 15 and September 14, cost £1,095, including most meals. ‘

Following recent The Independent’s article which listed Bosnia among the best of 2008 emerging European destinations , this is another good news about travelling to Bosnia.

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Here is an extract from the article:

Emerging European destinations: Serbia and Bosnia are making rapid strides in attracting tourists. For the first time, some of their traditional winter resorts are being featured as summer destinations for walkers, mountaineers and cyclists. Holiday Options (0844 477 0452; www.holidayoptions.co.uk) is now offering Kapaonik in Serbia, and Jahorina and Bjelasnica in Bosnia all year round, with itineraries that can be tailor-made to include excursions or longer stays in the two capitals, Belgrade and Sarajevo.

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The restoration of infrastructure, the modernization of large hotels and the opening of many smaller hotels and pensions means that Bosnia is ready to receive larger numbers of tourists.

Eastern Europe specialists Regent Holidays led the way in 2005, introducing Sarajevo as a city-break destination. This year the company is running two more holidays to Bosnia: a long week-end in Sarajevo and Mostar and a seven day tour visiting in addition such places as Travnik, Kraljevska Sutjeska, Blagaj and Pocitelj.

Adventure travel operator Exodus is introducing a walking holiday through Sutjeska National Park, trekking through the Durmitor Mountains, with visits to Sarajevo, Bjelasnica, Mostar and Dubrovnik, while Bosnia is included in the Balkans Adventure tour offered by train holiday specialists Festtravel.

Eastern Trekker operate a Bosnian Trek aimed at independent travellers. Even massmarket operator Cosmos Tourama is including Bosnia in a three-country tour of the region along with Slovenia and Croatia. For those looking for self-catering accommodation, both Croatian Villas and Owners Direct are featuring holiday homes in Herzegovina on their web sites.

Bosnia is keen to develop its winter sports profile and the Olympic ski resorts at Bjelasnica, Jahorina and Igman have seen a substantial increase in visitors from countries across the region over the past season, helped by record snowfalls in March and increased marketing. World-class alpine trails combined with reasonable costs have attracted skiers from Slovenia, Croatia and Serbia and Montenegro.

The resorts are helped by their proximity to the cafes and cultural attractions of Sarajevo with its fascinating East-West ambiance, mixing Turkish bazaars and Austro-Hungarian grandeur, and just 30 minutes’ drive from the ski slopes.

At a conference for the travel industry held in late March at the Bosnian Embassy in London, Bosnian government ministers, speaking alongside representatives from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and foreign investors, encouraged investment in tourism and tourist infrastructure.

They emphasized that perceptions of Bosnia-Herzegovina needed to change: the country is a safe destination for visitors with a stable currency, beautiful untouched landscapes and a unique culture.

source: Bosnian Institute