Short-term rentals in Bosnia and Herzegovina: a guide for owners
Short-term rentals in Bosnia and Herzegovina are growing, but they still largely work informally: over the phone, through messages and on foreign platforms. This guide is for owners who want to rent out a flat, house or apartment by the night or the week — and keep a clear view of bookings, costs and income along the way.
What the short-term rental market looks like
According to the Agency for Statistics of BiH, tourists made 1,963,443 arrivals and 4,083,977 overnight stays in 2025, and 70.3% of overnight stays were by foreign guests. As much as 93.7% of registered overnight stays were in hotels and similar accommodation. That means private accommodation — flats, apartments and holiday homes — is almost invisible in the official statistics, even though that is exactly where most owners work.
The same direction can be seen across Europe. In 2025 guests in the European Union spent 951.6 million nights in accommodation booked through online platforms, 11.4% more than the year before, while accommodation overall, including hotels, grew far more slowly. For an owner in BiH the message is simple: the demand is there, and the market is only just becoming professional.
Step one: where to list your property
Most owners start on the big foreign platforms. They bring visibility, but with high commissions and no knowledge of the local market, and a property's position in the search partly depends on how much it pays. That is why it is good to have a local alternative too.
- Najmio is TrebiGroup's central platform for short-term rentals across Bosnia and Herzegovina. The platform is in development and launching soon. The commission is a flat 10%, paid only on a completed booking, nothing is paid up front, and the first 60 days are free. No commission is charged on cancelled bookings or no-shows, and a position in the search cannot be bought.
- Trebistan is the local accommodation platform for Trebinje. Listing is free, with no subscription, and you pay only 10% of each successful booking.
Read more about the terms on the real estate platforms page.
One calendar instead of double bookings
As soon as a property is listed in several places, the biggest risk becomes a double booking: the same dates sold twice. The solution is one calendar synced with every platform through an iCal link. When a booking comes in from one channel, the dates close automatically on all the others. This is how Trebistan and Najmio work too — through the TrebiStay system, in which the owner sees every booking, guest and payment in one place.
The nightly price: seasons, holidays and events
A fixed price all year round rarely brings the best result. It is worth adjusting the price to the season, holidays, days of the week and events in the city, keeping an eye on what is on offer nearby and changing approach when the numbers call for it. The goal is not just occupancy, but income and guests who come back.
Photos and description decide the first click
The first photo decides whether a guest opens the listing at all. Take photos at the right time of day, with the space prepared, and add a clear description in several languages with accurate information about the amenities, house rules and location. An accurate listing brings satisfied guests, and satisfied guests bring better reviews.
Cleanliness and guest communication
The best reviews most often come down to cleanliness. Between every stay the property must return to the same condition: fresh linen and towels, an inventory check and small repairs before they grow into bigger ones. Communication is just as important — answer guests before they arrive, stay available during the stay and see them off when they leave.
On your own or with management
Short-term rentals take time. An owner who runs everything alone is the receptionist, the handyman and the accountant all at once. If that doesn't suit you, you can hand the work over: in Trebinje TrebiGroup offers full property management, for a fee calculated as a percentage of the income, agreed with the owner. You keep the income and visibility of every step.
In short
- List the property on several channels, including a local platform.
- Keep one calendar synced with every platform.
- Adjust the price to seasons, holidays and events.
- Invest in photos, the description and cleanliness — the reviews depend on them.
- Track income and costs by month and by season.
Would you like to list a property or talk about your situation? List your property — we get back to you personally, and registering commits you to nothing.