Discover our exclusive interview with Vedrana Vikic Musić, Airport Services Manager at Sarajevo International Airport. She explains how the airport is experiencing record passenger growth. New and innovative infrastructure projects are being introduced, while strong partnerships with airlines continue to expand. These initiatives highlight why Sarajevo is quickly emerging as one of Europe’s most appealing travel destinations.
Congratulations on marking the busiest year in your history in 2025, with more than 2.2 million passengers. What is driving this growth in passenger traffic to Sarajevo?
As you mentioned, 2025 has so far been the busiest year for Sarajevo International Airport, and we are very satisfied with our business results, especially as we have achieved traffic growth for the fourth consecutive year, with the previous year being the best in our operational history. In 2025, we handled a total of 2,226,692 passengers, which represents a significant increase of more than 400,000 passengers compared to 2024.
Passenger numbers have therefore been continuously growing compared to the pre-pandemic period.
Both the transport sector in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the airport itself are recording growth above the European average, which, in my opinion, is the result of a proactive and strategic approach by the Airport Management and the entire team, as well as strong cooperation with relevant institutions—particularly the Federal and Cantonal Governments and the Tourism Board—which continuously promotes Sarajevo as a destination through digital marketing and participation in major international tourism fairs. Together, we are working to strengthen Sarajevo as a desirable and preferred destination and to connect the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina with as many strategic destinations as possible, with a particular focus on European markets. This is extremely important, as recent research conducted by the Sarajevo Canton Tourism Board showed that most respondents stated that direct air connections are the main reason why people choose a particular destination.
I have the opportunity to witness firsthand how air transport and tourism intertwine in many ways, not only increasing passenger numbers but also driving real economic transformation in our local community, the city of Sarajevo, and our country, Bosnia and Herzegovina. I firmly believe that this cooperation is key and essential for the long-term growth and development of both transport and tourism.
How are current or planned infrastructure expansions supporting increased passenger demand and attracting new airlines?
In the previous period, Sarajevo International Airport has made significant investments in extension of infrastructure and enhancing the passenger experience through improved digital services, the introduction of an e-gate system, the implementation of ISO standards, and the opening of new facilities in the form of business-class lounges and VIP Exclusive lounges, in order to ensure a high level of service in line with the highest industry standards. These improvements increase efficiency, reduce processing times, and create a competitive and attractive environment for both passengers and airlines.
However, in line with the achieved and expected traffic growth in the coming period, we plan to continue with the modernization and further expansion of our infrastructure to increase operational capacity and flexibility.
Such developments directly support growing passenger demand by ensuring smoother processes, higher service quality, and greater comfort, which strengthens passenger satisfaction and loyalty. For airlines, a modern, scalable, and operationally reliable infrastructure reduces operational risks and provides a solid foundation for sustainable network development, increased frequencies, and the launch of new routes.
Furthermore, investments in intermodal connectivity aim to better integrate the airport into the wider transport network. Sarajevo International Airport is located only 10 kilometers from the city center, and we want our passengers to reach it as quickly as possible, whether by public transport or by car. By improving accessibility and expanding our catchment area, we will increase the airport’s market potential, making it an even more attractive partner for both existing and prospective airlines.
At Sarajevo International Airport, we are fully aware that airports are often the first impression international travelers have of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which is why we strive for the highest standards of service and hospitality.
What defines a successful relationship with airlines, and what is your strategy for building long-term, mutually beneficial partnerships?
With all our key users, and especially with our partner airlines, we strive to build relationships based on trust, aligned objectives, and a shared vision, creating long-term benefits for both Sarajevo Airport, state of Bosnia and Herzegovina and our partners.
In addition to data-driven planning and traffic analytics, we maintain continuous dialogue with airlines to understand mutual needs, challenges, and growth plans, which, in my opinion, is crucial for building a successful partnership.
We cooperate on route promotion, tourism campaigns, and passenger experience improvements to ensure mutual value. Carefully designed incentives, tailored to the real needs of airlines—marketing support, reduced air transportation fees, and operational facilitation—help airlines reduce risk and optimize performance. By providing these incentives, we clearly demonstrate that we stand firmly by our partners, sharing both the risk and the opportunity for sustainable, long-term growth.
For us, it is not just about launching new routes, but about ensuring that every decision strengthens the partnership, as airports and airlines are truly inseparable. The aviation market is dynamic and changes rapidly, and we remain flexible and adaptable, ready to respond to challenges and new opportunities as they arise. In short, a strong airline relationship is built on alignment, trust, and a shared vision in which both sides see tangible value in cooperation.
Which markets are a priority for Sarajevo’s route development plans, and can you elaborate on how CONNECT has helped in implementing those plans?
Bosnia and Herzegovina, with Sarajevo as its largest airport, has diversified demand. On one hand, there is a strong presence of our diaspora abroad (more than 2 million citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina live outside the country), with traditional markets such as Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and Scandinavia remaining extremely important. On the other hand, we have recently expanded into new markets such as the United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, and France, and rising Middle Eastern market, and these are precisely the markets we will focus on at this year’s CONNECT. Our goal is to attract more tourists from these markets by presenting Sarajevo and Bosnia and Herzegovina as attractive travel destinations.
At the same time, we are confident that CONNECT will create new opportunities for us through meetings with new airlines as well as long-term partner airlines, strengthening existing cooperation and exploring new ways and models for collaboration and joint growth.
This is actually our first time attending CONNECT, but participation in similar industry events in the past has already enabled us to meet airline executives, exchange ideas, and explore potential partnerships. We are also looking forward to aviation and tourism panel discussions, interesting speakers, and, of course, informal meetings with colleagues from the industry.
In a competitive regional aviation environment, how does Sarajevo differentiate itself from neighboring air transport hubs in the Balkans?
Sarajevo is located in the very heart of the Balkans, and our vision is for Sarajevo and Bosnia and Herzegovina not only to become a strategic hub of the Western Balkans, but also a true bridge between East and West, positioning ourselves as ambassadors of the region’s tourism potential.
In addition to its excellent location, Sarajevo differentiates itself primarily through increased competitiveness and targeted expansion of its route network, supported by strong institutional backing in terms of incentive policies, as well as a strategic approach closely linked to tourism and economic development.
As a direct result of this proactive and strategic approach, combined with a very attractive incentive program and significant support and cooperation with the Sarajevo Canton Tourism Board, Sarajevo Airport has positioned itself among the fastest-growing airports in Europe within its size category. Passenger traffic grew by around 34% in 2024 (to approximately 1.8 million passengers) and continued to grow strongly in 2025 as well (2.2 million passengers, an increase of 22% compared to 2024). In ACI Europe’s Air Traffic Report for 2025, Sarajevo International Airport ranked fourth in the category of medium-sized airports, with traffic growth exceeding 22%. At the country level, Bosnia and Herzegovina ranked third among European countries.
This rapid growth is the result of new routes and the entry of new airlines, expanding Sarajevo’s connectivity across Europe and beyond. Our consistently positive results and growth confirm that we are on the right path. In the coming period, we will continue to work intensively on further expanding our destination network with the aim of introducing new routes, while our strategic goal is certainly to establish flights and connectivity with long-haul markets, reflecting our long-term ambition to enhance our international relevance.
I often like to say that airports are not merely infrastructure designed to transport passengers from point A to point B; they are gateways to destinations, experiences, and economic opportunities. To be successful, airports must evolve from passive infrastructure into proactive engines of growth, which they truly are. Airports and air transport should not be viewed solely as a transportation service, but rather as strategic infrastructure that enables economic growth, tourism development, investment attraction, and social connectivity. Their importance is particularly evident in small and open economies such as ours, where high-quality international connectivity represents one of the key prerequisites for sustainable growth and development. What value does attending CONNECT bring to you and your organization?
We are confident that attending CONNECT will bring clear strategic and commercial value to our organization.
Events like this provide direct access to airline decision-makers in a highly focused aviation environment. Unlike some other trade events, I believe CONNECT enables efficient and targeted meetings where we can present our destination and value proposition, discuss opportunities for launching and developing routes through direct dialogue, and receive immediate feedback from airlines. It helps us identify and connect unserved or underserved markets, exchange experiences in both operational and commercial terms, and discuss best practices in the aviation industry.
In this regard, we believe that being present at CONNECT will further strengthen Sarajevo’s image as a proactive airport focused on continued growth, a reliable partner for airlines, open for business, and actively engaged in the regional and European aviation community.
Conferences, panels, and informal discussions provide insight into industry trends, airline strategies, and best practices, helping our organization remain competitive and adaptable in a fast-changing market and in addressing the challenges our industry continuously faces. As mentioned, this is our first time attending CONNECT, and we believe we will be present at this event in the years to come.
Source: Sarajevo Airport and Zahid Krkić
