Serbia's autumn tourism fair season starts in the centre of the country this week. The 17th International Fair of Tourism and Rural Tourism opens at the Šumadija Fair in Kragujevac on Thursday, 5 November, and runs until Saturday, 7 November. It comes three weeks before the bigger tourism fair in Novi Sad (26–28 November), and its focus is different: villages, spas, wineries and small regional destinations rather than big travel agencies.
Who is exhibiting
According to the organisers, more than 100 exhibitors from Serbia and the region will take part, including participants from Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia and Montenegro. The exhibitor mix announced so far includes tourism organisations and travel agencies, hotels, tourist centres, spas, rural households, wineries and distilleries. No partner country has been announced.
The fair is organised by the Šumadija Fair and the City Tourist Organisation "Kragujevac", under the patronage of the Ministry of Tourism and Youth and the City of Kragujevac.
Programme and side events
The official opening is on 5 November at 12:00, with representatives of the Ministry of Tourism and Youth and the Tourist Organisation of Serbia, and a performance by the "Abrašević" centre for traditional culture.
The professional programme includes two panels: one on the development of rural tourism in Serbia and one on branding destinations through events. The second is the most relevant for event agencies, festival organisers and municipal tourism offices that use events to fill hotels outside the main season.
Alongside the fair, a winter pantry fair (Sajam zimnice) brings producers from Šumadija and across Serbia selling jams, preserves, juices and traditional specialities. Visitors can also win souvenirs and trips.
Why it is worth a visit for the event trade
Kragujevac is a small fair, and most stands will be simple shell schemes. Still, it is a useful meeting point for a few groups:
- Rural venues and wineries that host weddings, team-building days and corporate retreats can meet the agencies that sell them.
- Event agencies can scout regional partners for incentive trips and outdoor programmes in Šumadija and central Serbia.
- Stand builders and decorators working with municipal tourism organisations can make contacts ahead of the busy winter and spring fair season, including Belgrade's tourism fair, which is usually held in February.
Tickets are cheap: 200 dinars, or 100 dinars per person for groups of more than ten. The organisers have not published a separate trade-visitor registration.
Event details
- Event: 17th International Fair of Tourism and Rural Tourism (17. Međunarodni sajam turizma i seoskog turizma)
- Event type: Trade fair (tourism)
- Dates: 5–7 November 2026
- Opening hours: 5–6 November 10:00–18:00; 7 November 10:00–14:00
- City: Kragujevac
- Venue: Šumadija Fair hall (hala Šumadija sajma)
- Organisers: Šumadija Fair and City Tourist Organisation "Kragujevac"
- Tickets: 200 RSD; groups of 10+ 100 RSD per person
Sources
- snm.rs
- naslovi.net
Photo: Stefan Kostić / Unsplash licence / source
