About Us

INTRODUCTION - Tourist Association of Skopje

The Secretary of TSS The Tourist Association of Skopje is an autonomous, non-governmental organization since 1996. That is the year when our association of citizens started functioning i.e. realizing its activities and projects by self-financing.

Let us, however, get back 56 years ago, back in the distant 1953 when this institution has been first established by a group of citizens who wanted to spend their leisure time enjoying in the nature, riding bikes, and their destinations have been Dojran, Katlanovo spa, Skopska Crna Gora and many others.

Their need and urge to socialize and to spend the time with friends was the motif to form the TOURIS CIRCLE OF SKOPJE . That was the starting point which, in the years 1954, 55 and 56 led to the formation of other Tourist circles in the other municipalities of Skopje.
January 1957 was the moment when the TOURIST ASSOCIATION OF SKOPJE DISTRICT was established. Its headquarters were located on the address: Ivo Lola Ribar street No. 4 Skopje. This Association opened its camping sites in Tivat and in Struga.

The Tourist Association of Skopje district used to operate with the Managing Board composed of 23 members, Presidium made of 9 members and 5 commissions that evolved in professional services:

- advertizing

- camping

- receptive tourism

- domestic tourism

- urban esthetics

Responsible for the administration – Secretary has been Ms Ljubica Fushtic (secondary education).

During the seventies the TOURIST ASSOCIATION OF THE CITY OF SKOPJE was employing 8 persons (with secondary education). Till 1977 it was located on the quay Dame Gruev street, block 3.

In the period 1983-84 the Tourist Association extended it business and re-registered with the name Tourist Association of Skopje (TAS). At the same time it also opened the doors for new, highly educated people in the following departments:

- Expert for guiding service

- Planning and analysis expert

- expert for scenery arrangements and events

- advertizing

- information service by opening the tourist-information center at the entrance of the Old Bazaar – 1985.

During this period the TAS has 10 employees (4 with university level education, 2 with high school and 4 with secondary education).

The Assembly of TAS got extended to 60 members originating from different sectors of the economy and of service sectors (sport, tourism, hotel and restaurants, culture, transport etc.)

Something that remained unchanged along these 55 years – the members of the Assembly, the Presidium comprising the Executive Board and the President are volunteers, while the professional service of the TAS has a secretary responsible for the functioning of this institution.
As of 1998 TAS got the status of independent association of citizens that operates in direction of accomplishing and harmonizing their interests as a profession and activity in the field of tourism.

This period was difficult for the TAS also because of to the fact that since 1996, the touristic fee, which – for years - was its financing source, got suspended.

It was only the enthusiasm, the persistence, friends, donations, participation on projects, membership fee and commercials along with reduced number of employees that helped the Association to remain in operation.

The new program for the period 2008-2010 plans preparation of projects to compete with and for, on local and national level as well as applying for donations. Some of the elements are also more aggressive marketing plan, tourist-information service and the guiding service.

The mission of TAS has always been to inform about the city and wider with advertizing material, tourist and information centers, media, guiding service, with souvenirs, touristic events (Skopje days organized abroad, sightseeing for 13^th of November , presence on fairs etc.)

We intend to continue cooperating with diplomatic representation offices in the country and abroad, with the state institutions, the local self-government and many others)

All along the 55 years of its existence, the Tourist Association of Skopje kept organizing activities for upgrading the quality of the touristic services offered, provided expertise for projects and operated as support for its members – all those that contributed actively and with dedication in its work, its operations, its subsistence.