Welcome to An Englishman in the Balkans, the podcast where I explore the fascinating culture, history, and everyday life in Bosnia and Herzegovina, this heart-shaped, but much misunderstood country.

I’m David, your host, sharing stories, insights, and conversations from my life here in the north west of the country.

Whether you’re a longtime listener or tuning in for the first time, I’m so glad you’re here.

In this episode of the podcast, I talk to Martin Gannon, a British expatriate with deep ties to the former Yugoslavia.

Martin shares his experiences of first moving to Yugoslavia in 1980, initially as a holiday job opportunity, which evolved into a long-term career in tourism.

He discusses his early days working in places like Poreč and later organising tours across the region, including Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, and Montenegro.

Martin reflects on cultural differences, the impact of Tito's death, the ease of working in tourism, and navigating the local languages.

He reminisces about the vibrant tourism scene of the 1980s, his work with Yugoslav Airlines, and developing pilgrimage tours to Medjugorje.

The discussion also touches on the current state of tourism in former Yugoslavian regions, emphasising Bosnia and Herzegovina's untapped potential.

Thank you for tuning in to An Englishman in the Balkans. I hope you enjoyed today’s episode and that it gave you a little more insight into life and culture here in this fascinating part of the world.

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Until next time, take care, and as always, Hvala for listening.

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Mentioned in this episode:

Tamara Intro Tip