Over 205,000 Cruise Tourists Arrived in Serbia

During the 2024 river cruise season, Serbia welcomed 205,788 passengers from river cruises, marking a double-digit increase of 12.3% compared to 2023. Additionally, the Port Governance Agency recorded 1,459 port calls, reflecting a 3.5% rise from the previous season.

Belgrade’s international passenger terminal saw the highest number of port calls - 552 and 78,496 disembarked passengers. Novi Sad followed with 403 port calls and 55,377 passengers, while Donji Milanovac and Golubac recorded 257 and 178 port calls, respectively. Zemun registered 42 port calls, and Kladovo had nine.

Novi Sad’s international terminal experienced the most significant growth, with an 8% increase in port calls and an impressive 15.9% rise in passenger numbers compared to 2023.

The results achieved in 2024 are approaching the record figures from 2019, when Serbia hosted 208,000 cruise tourists. This growth is attributed to investments by the Serbian Government and the Port Governance Agency in cruise infrastructure, totaling €12 million to date. The success of the cruise season has also been bolstered by the "Sail through Serbia" project, now in its second year.

In the first two years of the project, substantial progress was made: three new international passenger terminals were opened (Zemun, Šabac, and Sremska Mitrovica), construction began on marinas in Veliko Gradište and Golubac, capacity expansion was completed at Donji Milanovac’s international terminal, and an agreement was signed for the construction of a new terminal in Banoštor. Additionally, the Agency recently completed the dredging of the future marina in Smederevo. Alongside infrastructure development, Serbia has been actively promoting its nautical tourism potential at international tourism fairs and specialized events.

Expectations for the current cruise season remain optimistic, with an estimated 5% increase in both port calls and passenger arrivals. The expansion of international passenger terminals and the growing number of visitors are also boosting Serbia’s cruise-related revenues, which are projected to reach €11 million in direct and indirect earnings this season.