The Ministry of Tourism intends to extend the public consultation on amendments to the Tourism and Hospitality Law, which was set to expire today, following complaints from the Association of Travel Agencies that the process was launched in the middle of the summer season. The Ministry aims to achieve the highest quality legal solution while respecting the deadlines required for the EU accession talks.
The timing of the consultation was criticized by Biljana Dabić, owner of a travel agency, who pointed out that increased workload and dedication to planned activities during the summer make this period inconvenient. She stressed that participation of the tourism sector in consultations is essential and hopes the Ministry will consider postponing the discussions until after the peak season.
Dabić noted that frequent changes to the law in the past decade indicate that Montenegro still lacks a solid legal framework for a key sector that represents a third of the country’s GDP. She emphasized that the draft law claims to protect both consumers and service providers and promote cooperation between private and public sectors, but urged that these principles be applied in practice by scheduling discussions after the main tourist season.
She pointed out that current market trends and demands have changed significantly since the pandemic, requiring the tourism sector and legal framework to adapt accordingly. While not fully satisfied with the draft amendments, she acknowledged some progress, especially in fighting the grey economy. For instance, inspectors would be empowered to file criminal charges against those providing tourism services without proper registration or contrary to approvals, which marks a significant improvement over previous penalties that were only administrative and much lower.
Dabić also welcomed the proposed incentive measures aimed at improving competitiveness, skills, destination promotion, and infrastructure development. She highlighted the draft’s recognition that only authorized entities can advertise tourism services, noting that previously over 70% of tourism advertising in Montenegro came from the grey market.
She hopes the amendments will finally prohibit licensed tourist guides from other countries from conducting tours in Montenegro, a practice uncommon in developed tourism destinations, and stressed the importance of protecting domestic workforce by clearly specifying that only guides licensed by Montenegro’s Ministry of Tourism are authorized.
However, she criticized the relatively low fines for illegal activity prescribed by the new Law on Inspection Supervision, calling them an encouragement for informal operations. She also expressed concern that bureaucracy remains a major business barrier for travel agencies, citing the excessive administrative burden, numerous contracts, and reporting requirements, which are not aligned with European standards.
Dabić further criticized the draft for setting overly strict standards for car rentals, including vehicle age limits that do not align with European norms, and for failing to address private tours, which have become more common since the pandemic. She pointed out that there are no clear rules on what types of transport can be used for private tours, and that limousine services are often too expensive and not accessible for all clients.
She also noted the lack of proper regulation for airport transfers and transport from ports and marinas, mentioning that shuttle buses do not function properly and that the draft law does not harmonize with existing road transport and yacht laws. Dabić concluded that the state must strengthen the registered domestic economy through good legislation while effectively combating the grey economy; otherwise, inconsistent laws will continue to be a significant business obstacle.
