City of Mostar- A Short Economic Introduction

Mostar is the city at the crossroad of the world and time, harmonic civilisational symbiosis of the East and the West, which can be seen and felt on each step, especially in architecture and unique cultural-historical monuments. Mostar is a great civilizational phenomena that attracts tourist from all over the world.

It owns specific Mediterranean climate with marvellous springs, long summers and very mild winters, it is perfect for all kinds of tourism and recreation.
One of the countries main road connection (Budimpešta – Osijek – Sarajevo – Mostar – Ploče) and railway pass through Mostar (Sarajevo – Mostar – Ploče, connected with Belgrade and Zagreb). Mostar`s Airport “Ortješ” is situated only 8 km from the City centre. Distance from the capital—Sarajevo—is 137 km and the distance till the next border crossing with neighbouring Croatia is 50 km. The planned highway Corridor Vc, which will connect Northern East Europe with South East Europe pass through Mostar. Ploče, one of the main seaports is 75 km away.

Mostar`s economy is leaned on the traditional branches of production of Aluminium and metal industry, agricultural production, stone manufacturing and tourism. During last 5 years the private sector remarkable grow rates and lot of enterprises. of small and medium enterprises, mostly small and medium, contributing to the positive business climate. All major and the most important international banks have branch offices in Mostar.
Mostar has a very strong energetic basis for development of production, considering electrical power (hydro potential – hydro plants on Neretva of which, three are situated at the city of Mostar’s territory). There is also an ongoing project for the possible use of wind power through building of windmills.
Favourable geographic position (43,21º latitude north and 17,49º longitude east) and climate characteristics are improving development of agriculture and tourism.
Economy is characterised by:
- Agriculture and fishery,
- Mineral mining
- Production industry (metal, Aluminium, textile, tobacco and wood industry)
- Constructing
- Water and electric energy supply
- Trade, catering, tourism
- Transport, storage and connections
Mostar has a variety of schools and 2 Universities- University of Mostar and “Džemal Bijedić” University- with almost 6000 students are two of the leading universities in Bosnia and Herzegovina. is also the University City with approximately 6000 students. Mostar offers a very qualified and motivated labour force in all sectors of business.

Authors: Sanela Kamerić and Josip Jakovac 2004.

Mostar – a city of outstanding geographical position, pleasant Mediterranean climate, vegetation of a lively local colour and intoxicating scent, invaluable and world famous cultural-historical heritage (in July 2005 area of the Old bridge and the old part of the city was enlisted in the UNESCO's World Cultural Heritage List), is one of the most beautiful and most noted cities of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Beauty of Mostar was translated into numerous painters' canvasses, to countless photographs, and it charmed the most celebrated travel book writers and men of letters, most prominent of them being Evliya Celebiya, Robert Michel, Moritz Hoernes, Johan Lorentz Hafstrom ... They dedicated very nice pages to that city, comparing it with a "garden of paradise which delights the soul».

Travelling through Mostar in 1664, a famous Ottoman travel book writer Evliya Celebiya wrote down the following sentences: "On the territory of Herzegovina area (within Ottoman empire) there is no big city more advanced and more beautiful than the big city of Mostar. Due to the pleasant climate, there is such a succulent and fine various fruit that they bring their figs, grapes and pomegranates as big as human heads to bestow to other cities. Through all the attractive gardens and enclosed watermelons live waters run, and the people get merry by the multifariously arranged tables".

A very rare city is able to boast such a exceptionally valuable natural and cultural-historical heritage, reminding of the Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian past and which is able to offer an abundance of historical stories and thus it is a fundamental resource for touristic development.

Owing to that reason Mostar became characterized as a distintly touristic city which lures thousands of visitors from all over the Europe and the world every year.

After the rehabilitation of the Old bridge and the inclusion of the old city nucleus and the Old bridge into the the world heritage list of UNESCO, number of tourists in Mostar increased. According to the data of Touristic Community of Herzegovina-Neretva Canton, Mostar was visited by 600.000 tourists from the entire Europe and the world. According to those indicators, the touristic activity becomes a foundation for development and the improvement of the city and its surroundings in the recent history.

It is necessary to accomplish a lot of additional things for the overal interest of the community and for its better and more cultured life, as well in respect of improvement of the touristic offer, taking into consideration that every visitor is expecting and demanding, along with the cultural-historical heritage, which is often a precondition of the touristic selection an experience of particular beauty as well.

Authors: Rusmir Čišić and Amela Daguda (Stari Grad Agency Mostar)