May 28, 2026 – We are proud to announce the completion of the project to prepare the Master Plan for Sustainable Tourism Development in the Sava River Basin. The project lasted a year and a half and included a detailed analysis of the tourism, environmental, social and navigation-related challenges facing the entire region. Based on the analyses carried out, concrete measures were proposed to ensure that further tourism development does not threaten sensitive habitats, protected areas, river ecosystems or the cultural identity of communities along the Sava.
The preparation process included a series of workshops and field visits in all countries of the basin – Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Montenegro – during which stakeholders jointly identified key opportunities for improvement and responsible investment. This participatory approach ensured that the Master Plan faithfully reflects the real needs on the ground, as well as the shared development ambitions of the entire region.
Three development pillars and an inclusive approach
The Plan is based on three interconnected development pillars – nautical tourism, ecotourism and cycling tourism – which together form the backbone of future development, connect the tourism offer of the Sava River Basin, strengthen cross-border cooperation and increase the region’s visibility on the international market.
Particular emphasis was placed on social inclusion, among other things through the promotion of the role of women-led businesses and the establishment of mechanisms that enable fairer participation of all stakeholders in value chains.
The document also sets out a clear and operational framework for sustainable tourism development, in which environmental protection, the preservation of cultural heritage and coordinated cooperation among countries are key starting points. It also proposes a governance model that enables better coordination of tourism development across the entire basin, as well as more effective joint decision-making, investment attraction, and the coordinated development of tourism products and marketing activities.
Key project outputs
The project results are available in the following publications:
- Master Plan for Sustainable Tourism Development in the Sava River Basin
- Master Plan Summary
- Brochure 1: LINK
- Brochure 2: LINK
International consortium and Oikon’s contribution
The project was prepared for the International Sava River Basin Commission (ISRBC), with the support of the World Bank and the Global Environment Facility (GEF), by THR Strategic Tourism Advisors from Barcelona and Oikon – Institute of Applied Ecology from Zagreb with associates.
THR contributed insights into global tourism trends and strategic planning, while Oikon ensured that the proposed development was fully aligned with nature conservation and the well-being of local communities.
The completion of the project marks the end of an important phase and the beginning of its concrete implementation on the ground. We thank the Sava Commission and all partners for their cooperation and trust, and especially the stakeholders whose knowledge and experience helped make this Master Plan practical, relevant and focused on long-term results.
