The Council for Tourism, in order to effectively monitor the development of the tourist season and take measures to overcome the challenges, formed the Coordination Body for monitoring the season, headed by the Minister of Sustainable Development and Tourism Pavle Radulović
At today's session of the Council for Tourism, it was stated that the tourist indicators in the first quarter of this year significantly exceed the data from the record-breaking last year, which, along with the fact that the activities for the preparation of this year's peak season have been implemented or are being implemented in accordance with the plan, indicates that this will be a very successful tourist year.
"In order to effectively monitor the development of the tourist season and take measures to overcome challenges, especially during the upcoming peak of the tourist season, the Council formed a Coordination Body for monitoring the season headed by Radulović," the statement said.
As stated, in the first three months of this year, Montenegro was visited by about 166,63 thousand tourists, which is 38,15 percent more than in the same period last year.
About 645,63 thousand tourist nights were registered, 22,4 percent more than in the same period last year.
As announced, the data on tourist traffic, recorded by local tourist organizations, show an average increase of 15,33 percent in the first 23 weeks of this year, ending on June 14, compared to the same period last year.
"These data are all the more significant if you bear in mind that last year, in which Montenegrin tourism broke all records, the number of tourists increased by 10,24 percent compared to 2017, and the number of overnight stays by 8,17 percent," it is stated in the Report on the implementation of activities foreseen in the Summer Tourist Season Preparation Plan for this year, which the Council considered.
It is stated that the increase in the number of tourists and overnight stays was accompanied by an increase in income.
"Last year by 8,59 percent more than in 2017, and in the first quarter of this year the income increased by 7,9 percent compared to the record last year when Montenegro exceeded one billion euros in tourism income for the first time," the statement added. .
In the Report, it was stated that a special quality is represented by the fact that tourist seasons start earlier and last longer from year to year.
"A significant increase in the number of tourists in collective accommodation was achieved from the German market (the number of arrivals in the first four months was five times higher compared to the same period last year), twice as much traffic was recorded from the markets of Austria and the United Kingdom (increase by 32,25 percent), France (increase by 11,23 percent) and Poland (increase by 10,24 percent)", the statement specifies.
It was established that such good tourist trends are the result of improving the quality of accommodation facilities and the development of new tourist contents and offers.
As it was announced, only during the mandate of this Government, about 70 hotels were opened, mostly of the four and five star category, and about 30 projects related to product development were supported in the last year alone.
The President of the Council, Duško Marković, said that the impressive growth of tourism, as the leading economic branch in terms of volume and financial effects, has once again positioned Montenegro as a top tourist destination, which, as he stated, is a commendable result not only for the Government, but for the entire tourism industry and of all actors involved in Montenegrin tourism.
"Despite the significant improvement that is evident from year to year, the Council pointed out the limitations that exist when it comes to occasional stoppages and traffic jams, the permeability of border crossings, the performance of construction works during the season, the improvement of communal arrangements," the statement added. .
At the session of the Council for Tourism, it was concluded that it is necessary to solve the restrictions through additional coordination of state authorities responsible for these issues and institutions at the local level.
"The Council emphasized the need for additional engagement when it comes to the employment of foreigners and defining systemic solutions in connection with the education and training of the missing personnel in the tourism sector," the announcement concludes.
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