What does the tourism carrying capacity of a city mean? Can cultural heritage be more than a tourism resource? And how can sustainable tourism, business, education and new technologies be connected while preserving the authenticity of a place and the quality of life of the local community?
We will look for answers to these and many other questions at the new edition of Science over Coffee, which will be held on 2 September 2026 at 6 pm at Club Špica in Sarajevo. The topic of the meeting is “Bosnian-Herzegovinian Cultural Heritage as Cultural Capital, a Public Good and a Meeting Place — Between Sustainable Tourism, Marketing, Education and New Technologies”, and the guests are Prof. Dr Almir Peštek, Full Professor of Marketing at the School of Economics and Business, University of Sarajevo, and Prof. Dr Amra Hadžimuhamedović, an expert in cultural heritage.
The conversation will open the question of what really determines the tourism carrying capacity of Bosnian-Herzegovinian cities, historic ensembles and cultural landscapes. Is it determined only by the number of visitors, or also by the capacity of spaces, infrastructure, institutions and the local community to absorb tourism development without losing authenticity and quality of life?
Particular attention will be paid to understanding cultural heritage as cultural capital and a public good, and not merely as a tourism product. The discussion will address how tourism can bring benefits to local communities, what remains after the tourists leave, and how to protect living heritage from being turned into a tourist spectacle.
Prof. Dr Amra Hadžimuhamedović will also raise questions about the concept of Life Beyond Tourism, which views travel as an opportunity to get to know people, cultures and different experiences. The conversation will cover the role of tourism in transferring knowledge, intercultural dialogue and strengthening local communities, with a focus on concrete examples from Bosnia and Herzegovina.
From the perspective of marketing and modern business, Prof. Dr Almir Peštek will speak about sustainable tourism, the changing needs of new generations and the impact of artificial intelligence and digital technologies on tourism, business and education. A further question will be how to use new technologies as a tool for development rather than merely as a trend.
With more than 25 years of academic, research and consulting experience, Prof. Dr Peštek works in the fields of marketing, digital technologies, sustainable tourism, innovation and sustainable business development. He is a Fulbright postdoctoral fellow, has taken part in more than 200 national and international projects, and is the author, co-author and editor of more than 130 scientific and professional publications.
Prof. Dr Amra Hadžimuhamedović is the President and founder of HIDR – Centre for Peace and Heritage, and the founder and director of the International Summer School Youth and Heritage (ISSYH). As a member of the Commission to Preserve National Monuments of BiH from 2001 to 2016, she was a leading expert in the implementation of Annex 8 of the Dayton Agreement. As an expert for UNESCO, ICCROM, the World Bank, ICOMOS and the Council of Europe, she has taken part in numerous international projects dedicated to the protection of cultural heritage. She has also been a member of the international expert bodies of the Life Beyond Tourism® movement.
The new edition of Science over Coffee is intended for everyone who wants to better understand the changes shaping tourism, cultural heritage, business and education, especially tourism and cultural professionals, representatives of the private sector, students, young people and researchers.
Science over Coffee brings conversations about science, research and contemporary social challenges outside formal academic spaces, with the opportunity to talk directly with experts from a variety of fields.
The meeting will be held on 2 September 2026 at 6 pm at Club Špica in Sarajevo.
Admission is free, but the number of places is limited. You can secure your place by registering via this link.
The initiative is organised by the Association for the Advancement of Science and Technology (ANNT) with the support of UNDP in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
