Abstract
The Austro-Hungarian occupation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) was one of the key events of that period, having a profound impact on the overall development of Sarajevo. During this time, European media regularly reported on and wrote about Sarajevo, promoting it as a new and relatively unknown destination. However, postcards began to be used as a promotional tool somewhat later than in the rest of Europe. The postcards that emerged after 1890 depicted diverse architecture, significant cultural sites, as well as the everyday life and customs of the local population. This form of visual presentation allowed foreign visitors to learn about the city, thereby attracting potential tourists. Photographs of the most significant buildings, cultural and historical monuments, and everyday life, taken by prominent photographers of the time, became motif on Sarajevo postcards, creating a visual connection between Sarajevo and European tourism. Postcards are particularly significant in shaping the urban identity and perspectives of the city, as they contributed to the perception of Sarajevo as a modern and attractive destination for visitors. This research focuses on analyzing the motif of postcards from the Austro-Hungarian period and their role in the early stages of tourism development, as well as the popularization of Sarajevo as a tourist destination. The research findings contribute to existing tourist-geographical analyses of the beginnings of tourism development in Sarajevo and its spatial evolution.
Keywords: Sarajevo, postcards, tourism development, Austro-Hungarian period