By Ahmed Youssef

DOHA, Qatar

Arab businesspeople account for at least 40 percent of foreign investment in Bosnia, according to Burcu Uygur, owner of Bosnia-based Turkish real-estate group DIDO.

Bosnia has become a favored destination not only for Arab tourists but for investors as well, Uygur said, speaking on the sidelines of Expo Turkey 2018, which was held this week in the Qatari capital Doha.

Arab investment in Bosnia, he explained, is mostly focused on the real-estate and construction sectors, along with agriculture and industry.

According to Uygur, some 1.25 million tourists visited Bosnia last year, roughly 70 percent of whom came from Arab countries.

"The fact that Bosnia is a Muslim country is a major draw for [Arab] tourists, along with its beautiful natural landscapes and Islamic monuments," he said.

More than 110 Turkish firms -- from the construction, furniture, logistics, IT, food and tourism sectors -- are currently attending Expo Turkey 2018, which was co-organized by Turkey’s Independent Industrialists and Businesspersons’ Association (MUSIAD).

On the first day of the exhibition on Wednesday, more than 600 business-to-business meetings were held, with several Turkish and Qatari companies signing agreements worth a total of some $60 million.