Situation of Tourism in B&H (Agencies Perspective and New Solutions)

The main objective of this study is to define current situation of tourism in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and to suggest proposals for improvement. Survey was prepared based on eight variables: travel planning, tourism decision, tourism marketing, customer satisfaction, technical capabilities, service quality, types of tourism, and customer characteristics. 102 respondents were surveyed. General results say that tourism situation of Bosnia and Herzegovina is in a quite good level, but there is still significant space for improvement. For further improvement of tourism sector, it is suggested that Bosnia and Herzegovina should work on elimination of visas requirement for tourists from the Middle East as an important target group, work more on development of family tourism and creating tourist villages that enable privacy for families and appropriate environment for kids. Additionally, more promotion of tourism of Bosnia and Herzegovina could be beneficial for the country as well. Since there is lack of literature about this issue in Bosnia and Herzegovina, this research may be good stimuli for writing on the same issues in the future, and finding new solutions for existing problems.


Introduction
Tourism can be defined as the temporary movement of people from their place to different co untries with the aim of fulfilling their socio-cultural and psychological needs such as sightseeing, resting, learning, and having fun.Despite tourism has both social and cultural dimensions, its economic aspect is generally assessed.It has had positive influences especially in the economies of developing countries since the 1980s (Kar, Zorkirişçi & Yıldırım, 2004).
According to Agency for Foreign Investment Promotion, the top seven investment sectors of FBiH are: Tourism, Agricultural and Food Processing, Energy, Wood, Transport, Mining and Metal Processing and Automotive industries (FIPA, 2008).
This study aims to assess the situation of tourism in Bosnia and Herzegovina, identify its weaknesses and propose solutions for improvement and weaknesses elimination from the tourism agencies' perspective.Survey and interviews are conducted in order to achieve data.The collected data is analyzed descriptively.Furthermore, the study is supported by the interviews.The results revealed a positive agreement level in terms of travel planning, tourism decision, tourism marketing, customer satisfaction, technical capabilities and service quality.The paper is concluded with overall evaluation and recommendations for future studies and practice.

Literature Review
Soojin, Lehto, Morrison, and Jang (2011) tried to provide empirical evidence for an alternative view of traveling decision making and to examine the different stages of decision making process.They employed personal interviews for data collection.They aimed to identify the stages of travel decision-making process (before purchase, at time of purchase, after purchase, after arriving at destination) with multiple decision choices for a vacation trip.Their results show that travel decision making is a hierarchical multidimensional process.They identify that travel decision making is at the core of tourist psychology.They suggest tourism marketers understand information needs of tourists across the different travel planning stages in order to be more efficient in releasing tourism information and communicating with their target markets.
Sara, Kaiser, Lazarevski, and Leisch (2011) aimed to introduce a new clustering algorithm for market segmentation analysis to be successful in tourism, since the successful firms define their strategies depending on segmentation.They suggest biclustering algorithm to overcome limitations of both traditional clustering algorithms and parametric grouping algorithms.They identified that segments as a result of biclustering are very distinct but small.
Cathy, Haemoon Oh, and A. Assaf (2011) proposed a customer-based brand equity model to be used in global branding efforts and research and identified that it enhanced Customer-Based Brand Equity.They adopted the traditional guideline by Churchill (1979) to develop the measurement scale and obtained a strong support for the validity and reliability of their proposed Brand Equity model for the lodging industry.Kim, Ritchie, and McCormick (2010) want to develop a valid and reliable measurement scale to understand the concept and enhance the effective management of the memorable experience by following Churchill's (1979) and Hinkins (1995) process.They developed a 24-item memorable tourism experience scale which includes hedonism, refreshment, local culture, meaningfulness, knowledge, involvement, and novelty for most destination areas.
Látková and Christine (2011) examined residents' attitudes to enhance current and future tourism in some rural areas by employing a questionnaire survey.They divided the target population into three groups.They used Social exchange theory and Destination life cycle model to examine the influence of tourism development on resident attitudes with a community's total economic activity.Their results show that residents who benefit from tourism and who perceive tourism as development strategy evaluate tourism more positively and support further tourism development.
Björk (2010) aimed to identify website features of tour operator websites to enhance emotional response by applying an interview guide based on the PAD-structure of Mehrabian and Russell.He discussed the website quality by proposing a model linking atmospherics to emotional response.He identified that the emotional responses by the help of atmospherics are then explored and an aggregated in his Atmospheric-Response model where the emotional response dimensions are analyzed dimension-by-dimension to track the atmospherics.The results showed that website quality should be searched more by also including the interaction between the user and the website.He suggested linking Emotional responses to the consumer decision process and the given task beside to atmospherics.Bosnjak and Osti (2010) summarized six papers about the different stages of consumer behavior in tourism and offered new perspectives in information search, market stimuli and consumption phase.They reported mobile advert games as a new marketing communication vehicle, atmospherics on tour operator websites, the influence of the perceived cultural proximity of a destination on destination image, and the tendency to avoid undesired stereotypical destination images.
Bosnjak (2010) aimed to apply the product-based construct of undesired congruity, or consumer tendency to avoid undesired stereotypical images about web-based vacation destination information search intentions through potential first-time visitors.He gathered the data from potential first-time summer vacationers (in Croatia).He found that undesired congruity appears to override the influence of established self-congruity factors and important in early destination decision-making phases.
Çeltek (2010) tried understand the qualities and potentials of the mobile advert game as an advertising and marketing tool in the tourism industry by focusing on the mobile advert game practices in the tourism industry by employing a content and SWOT analysis.He identified that the games were successful in branding and city integration, but ineffective in viral marketing as very expensive devices are necessary to play these games.He suggested advert gaming as a great opportunity for integrated marketing efforts.He reported that engaging users forced companies to develop games to both enhance the interaction level and their database and advert gaming enhances awareness and recall.Kastenholz (2010) analyzed tourists' perceptions about the effect of cultural proximity in North Portugal as a rural holiday destination by conducting a survey on 2280 tourists staying in rural areas in North Portugal.She identified that 'cultural proximity' influences the image of North Portugal as a rural tourist destination.The results confirm the relationship, however not exactly in line with the expectations of product-selfcongruity theory.Both visitors closest and most distant in terms of 'cultural proximity' are found to have the most positive destination image.
Rodrigues, Kastenholz and Rodrigues (2010) searched about hiking and wellness tourism.They found hiking proper to be integrated into a wellness tourism context as a recreational and tourism activity in many European countries.They conducted a survey to 100 'non-hiking' Portuguese, 100 Portuguese hikers and 100 hikers from other nationalities in order to evaluate respondents' environmental perceptions, ecological sensitivity and restraining factors from hiking.They reported that integrated rural tourism has been increasingly popular and Wellness tourism grows fast.
Volo (2010) aims to evaluate the value and experience of tourists by using blogs as the data source to assess their influence on the decision-making process of prospective tourists.She preferred blogs to identify cultural differences in the way tourists use blogs.She realized that the internet enables investigation of tourists' spontaneous annotations in the form of a travel journal or diary.She identified that travelers provide detailed description of their trip.She concluded that the travel blogs help effectively collecting data and have potential for a variety of tourism related research problems in Turkey and Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Şenol, Ay and Dinç (2012) analyzed previous works and popular statistics websites in their work.Beside the other factors, they suggested that foreign trade deficit can be reduced by the tourism incomes.
Kušen (2010) aims to present a new system of tourism attractions by evaluating the past research on tourism attractions, especially about their definitions, to propose functional classification of tourism attractions and to test it through the series of case studies.The author has developed a general touri sm system of a tourism destination by stressing on tourism attractions and tested continuously and refined accordingly the model's applicability.
Jelinčić (2009) tries to define relatively new concepts of creative and hobby tourism and to propose possible application of push/pull factors to creative/hobby tourism.She concluded that postmodern lifestyles influences postmodern tourism in terms of its segmentation.Further changes in everyday life provide more free time to be dedicated to hobby and creative activities.Smajić (2009) suggested convincing the Bosnian authorities that Bosnia has great tourism potential and exploring/exploiting this potential by considering the previous studies and related webs to get necessary information.He reported that most visitors love the country and wish to come back to visit Bosnia and Herzegovina.He suggested using this opportunity to develop and sustain BiH tourism.
Baltaci (2010) suggested enhancing tourism for Bosnia and Herzegovina's economy.He determined the types of policies to be followed in order to increase the share of global tourism market by considering previous studies and related webs.He suggested planning studies for attaining the pre-determined targets and preparing attentively National plans for economic development.They suggested Bosnian government determining policy and planning of economy for tourism sector in order to sustain the development of Bosnian economy.They first suggested determining the tourism resources and advantages starting advertisement activities for the target markets, encouraging tourism investments and infrastructure, following the activities of its rivals in the tourism sector, etc.
Voigt (2010) aims to understand Wellness Tourism and advance it by investigating wellness tourists and their characteristics, examining the influence of wellness lifestyle on positive psychological well-being.She identified that the majority of wellness tourists did not regularly have an overall wellness lifestyle.

Research Methodology
After analyzing all articles, the reviewed articles have been used in order to develop the survey.The following table presents the explanation of variables used in the study is provided.

Data
Two methods are used in this study in order to get more credible and reliable data.First method to get data is through the questionnaire which is fully conducted in B&H through tourist agencies and companies, individuals and main hotels in B&H.Number of tourism agencies significantly increased in the last two years, that because Bosnia has become a major tourist target for tourist from all over the world, specifically from Turkey, Croatia, Austria, Germany and countries from Middle East and North Africa.
The survey was conducted between people of different ages and genders in different positions.The survey is conducted by the traditional way because it is more difficult to apply it online in the tourism sector.The survey is created, and the papers are spread to 120 potential participants.Response rate is 85% (102/120) from distributed surveys.The collected data is then inserted into SPSS spreadsheet and analyzed descriptively.
The research employed also interviews with some managers in the main agencies focusing on those who deal with people from Middle East and North Africa.

Demographics
Demographics information includes respondents' position within the agencies, their education levels, gender and age.This survey is responded by both males and females.They have doctoral degree (3), master degree (19), undergraduate degree (54) and other (26).
The positions of the respondents are grouped according to their similar characteristics.There are 41 clerical workers, 26 tour guides and 21 receptionists, while 14 are in other ranked positions.

Descriptive Analysis Travel Planning
The respondents agree that the agencies are ready for planning and facilitating trips and diversity plans commensurate with the mentality of the tourists (Table 3).

Tourism Decision
Perhaps the decision-making process is one of the most important points in the tourism program.The following table demonstrates the agreement levels of respondents about the items related to the decision making of tourists.According to the results, they seem to have special programs to influence potential tourists, to increase their awareness and therefore to facilitate their decision-making process (Table 4).

Tourism Decision Mean Std. Deviation
We have special programs in order to influence potential tourists' decision making 4.00 .853We have special programs in order to increase the awareness of our destination by potential tourists 4,04 .947 We are using cultural proximity to influence the decision of tourists 3,93 1.081We have developed an influencing image about the destination in order to effect tourists' decisions 4,00 1.021 We have certifications of popular agencies in order to influence tourists' decision 3,88 1.048

Tourism Marketing
The results revealed that tourism agencies have marketing programs to influence potential customers.They seem to be using their websites, social media, old customers' experience and different services for different customer segments (Table 5).
This section also includes a question about the target counties.It is identified that Turkey and Middle East countries are the most targeted and followed by European countries.

Customer Satisfaction
Customer satisfaction can be seen as the main criterion for success in any business.According to the results, the surveyed agencies are detected to have motivation, personnel and services to increase the satisfaction levels of their customers.Furthermore, agencies are detected to have a measurement system in order to observe the satisfaction levels of customers (Table 6).

Technical Capabilities
The tourism agencies are observed to have technical capacity in order to perform their services and enhance their operations.They have qualified information system to enable the flow of information and provide service for their customers online (Table 7).

Service Quality
In terms of their service quality, the agencies are highly rated by their employees.They are detected to offer different packages with different prices and well-experienced personnel.They are also observed to be efficiently/effectively running their services (Table 8).

Types of Offered Tourism Services
Here this variable shows the strength of companies which various types of tourism they can provide and which these types of tourism can be offered in B&H.In this variable the results were not the quantitative but the qualitative, and the respondents had possibility to choose more than one choice in order to know all types of tourism can be offered by them.So the table shows number and percent of each type chosen by respondents.The agencies seem to mainly offer historical, cultural, religious, health, wellness tourism and rafting (Table 9).

Customer Characteristics
The agencies are observed to be considering their customer's health, lifestyle, priorities and emotion while providing their services.However, they do not assess much their well-being, beliefs, and psychology (Table 10).

Interview Results for Tourism in B&H
In order to strengthen this study with more detailed information about tourism in B&H and to identify the most important strengths and weaknesses in tourism in B&H, and identify the most important suggestions to improve the situation of tourism in B&H, some interviews were conducted with some managers in the tourist agencies.They are all agreed that Bosnia has a beautiful nature and a fertile ground for tourism.But the lack of interest of governments in this sector has prevented its development and prosperity.
One of the managers in tourist agencies said that "…tourism plans always fit with the nature of the tourists.Agencies should focus on marketing and consider marketing as the basis to attract tourists to B&H."He also stressed on the importance of customer satisfaction as the key to the success of tourism in the country to satisfy the customers (20.06.2013,Personal interview).
Executive Director of a tourism agency stressed on the most important weaknesses in tourism in Bosnia.He told that "…the difficulty in obtaining visas to B&H and the lack of government marketing for tourism by the competent ministry in this regard are important weaknesses".According to him, the main tourism strength in B&H is the good treatment of Bosnian people on tourists and relatively cheap prices compared to European countries.He added that Bosnia is suitable for the tourists from Muslim countries and psychologically comfortable.Finally, he suggested Bosnian government improving tourism situation in Bosnia by allocating budget for tourism and facilitating visa procedures for countries from Middle East and North Africa" (20.06.2013,Personal interview).
In another interview, the manager of Tourist Company said that his company has a variety of programs for all age groups and they offer a variety of programs to increase the awareness of tourists.He stressed that one of the most important reasons for their success is continuous communication with the customer through social networks through their system.He also stressed that B&H is rich in wellness and entertainment tourism (20.06.2013,Personal interview).
Adnan Maglić, the owner of the largest company dealing with tourists from the Middle East and owner of the first Twitter account that deals with the Middle East Arab tourists, said that tourism is one of the most successful business in B&H and Bosnia has a wonderful nature makes it one of the strongest countries among the neighbor countries.He said that they have different plans and programs which are always flexible and compatible with the weather on that day.He also suggested pursuing customer satisfaction and the quality of service provided.According to him, marketing and daily follow-up with clients via social networking are necessary.He finally recommended government improving tourism in Bosnia and Herzegovina (Maglić, A., 20.06.2013,Personal interview).

Conclusion
The main aim of this work is to evaluate the tourism in Bosnia and Herzegovina, identify its weaknesses and propose solutions for improvement and weaknesses elimination.This study discussed tourism of Bosnia and Herzegovina with special focus on period after 2010, since this is the period when this country became a tourist target and important destination for not only tourists from many countries located in the Middle East, but also from European countries.For the purpose of this study, a survey is developed and the data is analyzed descriptively.Furthermore, the study is supported by the interviews.
From Table 11, it can be concluded that this study has reached a positive overall agreement level by 4.11.According to interview results, it is suggested that visa barriers needs to be resolved as soon as possible since it is reported to be the main obstacle for tourists, especially those ones from the Middle East.Ministry of Foreign Affairs will have to deal with this, and support tourism sector through creating specific agreements which will be beneficial for Bosnia and Herzegovina.This is especially important for GULF countries when considering proportion of tourists who are coming from those countries.
Additionally, allocation of places for family tourism in B&H, creation of tourist villages that would facilitate privacy of families shall be conducted as well.Also, promotion of tourism in state level and participation in World Tourism Exhibition would be inevitable for development of tourism in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
This research is limited in that it only discovers some variables related to Situation of Tourism in B&H.Therefore, future research can involve more variables and more solutions in order to reach the best level of tourism in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Table 1 .
Explanation of variables

Table 2 .
Positions of the Respondents

Table 3 .
Travel Planning

Table 5 .
Tourism Marketing

Table 6 .
Customer Satisfaction

Table 7 .
Technical capabilities

Table 8 .
Service Quality

Table 9 .
Types of Offered Tourism Services

Table 10 .
Customer Characteristics

Table 11 -
Overall Variables