HISTORIJSKI RAZVOJ SARAJEVSKIH OLIMPIJSKIH PLANINA:NASLIJEĐE ZOI '84 I IZAZOVI SAVREMENOG TURIZMA
THE HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF SARAJEVO’S OLYMPIC MOUNTAINS: THE LEGACY OF THE 1984 WINTER OLYMPICS AND THE CHALLENGES OF MODERN TOURISM

Summary/Abstract: The Sarajevo mountains, Bjelašnica, Igman, Jahorina and Trebević, represent a unique natural and tourism resource of Bosnia and Herzegovina, whose tourism-geographical features stand out within the broader regional context. Their development has been strongly influenced by historical, political and social circumstances, with the 1984 Winter Olympic Games marking the peak of infrastructural and functional development of winter tourism. However, the war destruction of the 1990s, compounded by post-war administrative fragmentation and weak institutional coordination, resulted in stagnation and the decline of the tourism function of some mountain centres, particularly Bjelašnica and Igman. This paper analyses the historical development of these mountains through the theoretical framework of Butler’s Tourism Area Life Cycle (TALC) model, which enables an understanding of the dynamics of growth, stagnation and the potential for destination revitalisation. By combining a historical-geographical approach with qualitative sources, the study identifies the stages of development of each mountain area, with particular attention paid to the factors that have influenced their divergent development paths. While Jahorina, owing to the diversification of its offer and modern infrastructure, shows signs of revitalisation and transition into a higher stage of development, Bjelašnica and Igman continue to face challenges related to institutional fragmentation, poor management and dependence on seasonal conditions. Special attention is given to the role of selective forms of tourism, such as adventure, sports, cultural and conference tourism, as strategies for the sustainable revitalisation of mountain destinations. The paper concludes that the further development of the Sarajevo mountain areas must be based on the principles of sustainability, local community involvement and improved inter-institutional cooperation, alongside essential improvements in statistical monitoring and spatial planning.

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