According to the latest data from the National Tourism Organization (NTO), Montenegro is currently hosting 91,600 tourists, marking a 3.12% increase compared to the same period last year. This encouraging statistic was shared by Vladimir Martinović, the Minister of Tourism, Ecology, and Sustainable Development for the Northern Region.
Martinović highlighted that, as of Thursday, the number of tourists had risen by 17,210 compared to June 20th.
“Our expectations for this year’s tourist season are positive, and we are confident that the results will be satisfying. The number of tourists staying in hotels is also showing promising growth. On June 27th, hotel accommodations recorded 35,770 tourists, a 7.74% increase over the same period last year,” Martinović stated.
He emphasized that these figures justify optimism and the anticipation of a successful summer season.
“As I have mentioned several times, the preparedness for the season is not solely the responsibility of the Ministry of Tourism. It also involves other stakeholders who contribute to creating a conducive business environment for the tourism industry through their activities,” Martinović explained when asked about the readiness for the upcoming season.
To support this, he mentioned that the ministry, in collaboration with the government, has developed a comprehensive Season Preparation Program. This program includes the coordinated efforts of participants at both state and local levels to influence the overall outcomes positively.
“The collaboration and coordination of all activities are crucial for achieving our goals. So far, we have held three meetings of the Coordination Body for the preparation and monitoring of tourist seasons. The members of this body maintain continuous cooperation, which intensifies during the peak season,” Martinović noted.
He added that this body’s efforts help identify challenges at both micro and macro levels and highlight good initiatives or suggestions for enhancing the tourist product and increasing Montenegro’s attractiveness as a destination. Despite numerous measures to overcome the challenges in the tourism sector and the positive data on tourist numbers from the NTO, some issues remain, requiring long-term, systemic solutions.
“As you know, we still face problems such as labor shortages, traffic congestion, noise from construction work, parking shortages, and cleanliness issues. All these problems, as we have repeatedly stressed, require close inter-institutional cooperation, a systematic approach to solving them, and collaboration with local governments,” Martinović clarified.
He emphasized the ministry’s active participation in and support for all initiatives aimed at ensuring the smooth operation of the tourist season.
“To address these issues systematically, the government plans to reduce unemployment and manage the labor shortage during the tourist season by introducing the category of permanent seasonal workers. This innovative approach to solving the problem has our strong support,” Martinović remarked.
He also mentioned the formation of a working group within the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare, including a representative from the tourism ministry, to address this issue effectively in the coming years.
Speaking about the gray economy and illegal accommodations in tourism, Martinović noted that this issue has been recognized in the Program for Suppression of Informal Economy in Montenegro for 2023-2026 as one of the key challenges in the tourism sector.
“Strengthening inspection capacities is essential for tackling the gray economy and illegal accommodations in tourism. In collaboration with the UN World Tourism Organization, relevant ministries in the region, our sectoral ministries, and inspection services, we are working on finding solutions to this problem. These activities are outlined in the Action Plan of the Program,” Martinović explained.
He pointed out that the largest percentage of the gray economy in tourism involves illegal rental accommodations, a problem faced by countries throughout the region, not just Montenegro.
In response to a question about whether Montenegro’s tourism offer is competitive enough and how to create a more competitive tourist product, Martinović said that every tourist destination develops unique products to stand out and attract tourist demand.
“Our country is rich in natural amenities and is often called the ‘land of contrasts’ because it offers various types of tourism within a small area. Local communities play a crucial role in these efforts, as they possess detailed knowledge about the unique potential of their destinations and can create offerings that attract specific tourist clientele,” Martinović emphasized.
He noted that Montenegro is working on diversifying its tourist product to reduce the seasonality in the tourism sector.
“The diversity of our country in terms of natural, socio-cultural, historical, and ethnic characteristics provides a solid foundation for developing various forms of tourism. We have adopted appropriate strategies and implemented numerous activities to develop rural, cultural, health, sports, recreational, gastronomic, and MICE tourism, among other forms,” Martinović stated.
He added that plans include an Incentive Program to support event organization, rural tourism, cultural tourism, and MICE tourism.
“Additionally, at our ministry’s proposal, and in collaboration with the Ministry of Energy and Mining and the Eco Fund, we have adopted a Program for Energy Efficiency for Hoteliers and Rural Households and establishments providing hospitality services. As a responsible government that analyzes the state of the economy, we have decided to provide support programs worth 3.5 million EUR. Most importantly, we offer grants ranging from 30% to 70%, sharing the burden with our tourism industry,” Martinović noted.
He mentioned that, considering the richness of the offer, which is still underutilized, the ministry continuously works on further diversifying the offer while respecting sustainable development principles.
In response to a question about which source markets Montenegro should focus on, Martinović stated that regional markets and traditional European markets are significant resources for achieving tourism turnover. Besides these markets, the UK, Germany, the Baltic countries, Poland, the Czech Republic, and France are potential markets to focus on this year.
“Regarding distant markets, we are seeing particular interest and good prospects from the US, China, the UAE, Kazakhstan, Armenia, and Egypt,” Martinović stated.
He concluded by saying that Montenegro has much to offer tourists and will undoubtedly attract both those who have visited before and those who will be visiting for the first time.
