Medvedja – These days, French can often be heard on the streets of Medvedja, Sijarinska Banja and the surrounding area.  Those people are tourists, thirty of them, who came from far away France to enjoy nature and see cultural and historical monuments in southern Serbia. They were brought by Malisa Simic, who comes from Medvedja.

The tourists are accommodated at his villa in Medvedja, which has a swimming pool, and there are also quadrants that they use to cross the mountain and the whole of South Serbia. Mr. Simic lives in the French city of Dijon, which is 200 kilometers away from Paris, and he is engaged in private business.

“The tourists I have brought to Medvedja are actually my business partners and personal friends, and in August the second group is coming. Some of them, who are here now, were here last year, while more than a hundred of them will come next year, " Mr. Simic said.

There is a woman among the tourists who has pharmacies all over France, as well as a businessman dealing with the renting of construction machines.

“ They are delighted with Medvedja. They visited almost all of Serbia, and they liked everything except Belgrade, since they are not interested in big urban places. It's interesting to watch them walk along the river in Medvedja, in the corn fields and smell every blade of grass. They have found their peace here and I am sure that they will keep returning to Medvedja, "Mr. Simic said.

He says that next year’s tourists from France will include a Frenchman who lives in Morocco, who expressed the intention to build golf courses in Medvedja.

“It is a businessman who gathers around 10,000 rich people from all over the world on his golf courses.  I hope that he will keep his promise, "Mr. Simic said.

Mr. Simic and some of the tourists from France were received the Mayor of Medvedja, Nebojša Arsić, who said that the goal of the local leadership was to bring people like Mališa back from abroad, so that they could start their own businesses in Medvedja, which would further enliven their birthplace.

"Although classified as poorly developed, the Medvedja municipality is not small in area. Natural wealth, which adorns our municipality, is distributed throughout 524 square kilometers.  Tourism, as a leading business branch, is raised to a higher level year after year.  The construction of a modern wellness spa center in Sijarinska Spa will begin soon. It will be built in the old Roman style, which will improve the tourist offer and will be a great attraction for the visitors, "Mr. Arsic said.  

Mr. Arsic highlighted all the advantages of the region, which includes Sijarinska Spa, as well as the the fact that 50% of the Medvedja municipality is covered by forests.

“The air in Medvedja is extremely clean, while our city’s water is one of the best and most drinkable ones in the region. I cannot help mentioning something that is our great advantage, which is that the municipality of Medvedja is a multinational environment where very good interpersonal relations are fostered with all the minorities living in it. Therefore, we invite all your friends to come and visit this region and see the hospitality of our hosts for themselves. Ever since the Great War, the Serbs have regarded the French as their great friends, and you will always be our dear guests, "Mr Arsic said.

Source: Jugmedia and Coordination Body