How to set up a tourism business in Serbia as a foreigner (2026 guide)

Serbia's tourism sector is undergoing a genuine resurgence. After years of under-the-radar status, it's drawing international visitors at a faster pace — and the infrastructure is catching up. The Belgrade–Novi Sad high-speed rail connection is operational, the Budapest–Belgrade line is in its final stages, and Serbia's government has positioned tourism as a strategic growth sector.

For foreign entrepreneurs, the fundamentals are strong. Serbia's corporate income tax sits at 15% — one of the lowest in Europe. The 2024 Unified License reform merged the residence permit and work permit into a single application, making it dramatically easier for company founders to legally live and operate in the country. And for citizens of the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and most of Western Europe, entry is visa-free for stays up to 90 days, with a straightforward path to temporary residency via company formation.

The opportunity is real. The question is whether you're going in with the right structure.

This is the pattern we see repeatedly. Someone comes to Serbia with a tourism concept — guided tours, glamping, rafting, a boutique hospitality experience — they find a local lawyer or agency, incorporate within a week, and then hit a wall: the Ministry of Trade, Tourism and Telecommunications requires specific licensing before the business can legally operate in the tourism sector.

The registration with the Serbian Business Registers Agency (APR) covers the legal entity. It does not cover your right to operate as a tour operator, travel agency, or accommodation provider. Those are separate authorizations under Serbia's Law on Tourism — and without them, you cannot legally trade.

The dangerous part: once incorporated, you're on the clock. You are liable for all fees, contributions, and taxes from the date of registration until the date of formal dissolution — and closing a company in Serbia typically takes between four and six months.

Under Serbia's Law on Tourism (No. 17/2019, with subsequent amendments), any entity operating in the tourism sector must register in the Tourism Register, which is held at the Business Registers Agency (APR). But registration in the Tourism Register is a separate step from standard company incorporation — and it has prerequisites.

Travel agencies and tour operators

To operate as a travel agency or tour organizer, you must obtain the appropriate license category. The law distinguishes between trip organizers and intermediaries. Both must register in the Tourism Register before commencing activities. Trip organizers are also required to post a deposit (bank guarantee), the amount of which depends on the license category.

Tour guides

Tour guides in Serbia must pass a professional examination and hold a valid guide identity card, issued for a period of ten years. The examination is conducted in Serbian. For most foreigners arriving without Serbian language proficiency, this creates an immediate practical barrier — you cannot simply get certified yourself and begin operating.

Hospitality and accommodation businesses

Anyone providing accommodation (guesthouses, glamping, boutique hotels, agro-tourism facilities) is governed by the Law on Hospitality (No. 17/2019). This requires proper categorization of the facility through an application process — including inspection and compliance with specific standards depending on the type and scale of accommodation.

Activity-based tourism (rafting, adventure, outdoor)

If your business involves taking guests on physical activities — river rafting, hiking tours, cycling excursions, zip-lines — there are safety and operational licensing requirements that sit on top of the standard tourism registration. These are not optional, and they cannot be resolved after the fact.

For online businesses, digital services, or consulting operations, insurance rarely comes up in the setup conversation. Tourism is different — entirely different.

When you are taking guests on tours, housing them in your facility, or guiding them through outdoor activities, you are directly responsible for their safety and wellbeing. A slip on a trail, a medical incident during a rafting trip, a guest injuring themselves on your property — these are not hypothetical scenarios. They happen, and without the right insurance, they can end a business.

Serbia has specific insurance requirements for tourism operators and hospitality businesses. The challenge for foreigners is that all insurance policies and documentation are issued in Serbian, and the coverage terms, exclusions, and claim procedures require careful interpretation. Picking the wrong policy is almost as dangerous as having no policy at all.

As part of our business setup process for tourism clients, we assess the appropriate insurance coverage for the specific business model, work with trusted insurance partners, and ensure our clients fully understand what is and isn't covered — in English.

Depending on your tourism business model, you may need boats, vehicles, specialized equipment, or dedicated real estate. Each of these carries its own regulatory layer in Serbia — and it's one of the areas where we most frequently see foreign entrepreneurs get caught out by advice from generalist lawyers or agencies who are unfamiliar with the tourism sector.

Owning or operating watercraft in Serbia involves licensing under maritime and waterway legislation. Owning transport vehicles for commercial passenger use requires specific operating authorizations. Real estate acquired for tourism purposes — whether a boutique guesthouse, a glamping site, or a rafting base camp — is subject to categorization requirements under the Law on Hospitality. These are not the same requirements that apply to a standard residential or commercial property purchase.

Understanding the full picture of what you are committing to before you sign a lease, purchase a property, or import equipment is not optional — it is the difference between an operational business and a costly, drawn-out legal problem.

This is worth repeating, because it is widely misunderstood. Opening a company in Serbia is fast — in most cases, five to seven business days. Closing one is not. Formal dissolution typically takes four to six months, and throughout that period the company remains liable for all statutory fees, tax contributions, and registered obligations.

If you incorporate without resolving your licensing first, discover that you cannot legally operate, and then attempt to close the entity, you will be paying for a non-operational company for the better part of a year. We have seen this scenario play out more than once — always with the same outcome: significant wasted capital and time.

The sequence is everything: licensing and insurance first, incorporation second.

We are not a law firm that incorporates a company and hands you a registration certificate. Our approach is end-to-end — from initial consultation through to an operational, compliant business.

For tourism clients specifically, that means:

Identifying the correct licensing pathway for your specific business model before anything is filed. Sourcing licensed partners where required, or facilitating the licensing process directly. Arranging appropriate insurance coverage with trusted local providers, fully explained in English. Handling the full incorporation process, tax registration, and bank account setup. Providing ongoing accounting, bookkeeping, and compliance support so you are not navigating Serbian bureaucracy alone. And connecting you with the legal, real estate, and operational partners you need to actually build and grow the business.

We have helped hundreds of individuals and families relocate to Serbia and build operational businesses here. We are English-speaking, all services are in-house, and our model is built around making the complex simple — so you can focus on building something great in one of Europe's most underrated countries.