By announcing the shutdown of the national airline Montenegro Airlines (MA), Montenegro sent the worst marketing message to the world, said the director of the National Tourism Organization (NTO) Željka Radak Kukavičić.
She told Radio Montenegro that the already agreed arrangements for next year's season were called into question by that move.
"In this way, we are losing prominent markets in the pre- and season of next year. The lack of flights will also affect a large number of already contracted arrangements during the pandemic that have been postponed until the spring of next year. So, the realization of those arrangements is called into question, not to mention about those that the hotel industry has already contracted for next year's season," said Radak Kukavičić.
She said that a very difficult and challenging year and season is coming, due to the epidemic, and now the announcement of the shutdown of the national airline, reports the RTCG portal.
Professor Rade Ratković told Radio Montenegro that the decision to shut down the MA was taken on a shortcut, without a detailed analysis and assessment of the impact on Montenegro as a tourist destination.
"Such decision-making does not lead to anything good. A debate must be opened, because it is a company of special national interest. Before such an announcement, an analysis was needed, but also to offer alternative solutions, to restructure the company, recapitalize, to make private-public partnership, to talk with the tourism industry and only then make a decision in favor of tourism and Montenegrin society," Ratković believes.
He said that he hoped that the parliament would also get involved and organize a discussion, so that the whole situation would be resolved in a professional way, and not in a layman's and non-professional manner.
The Chamber of Commerce (PKCG) announced that an extraordinary session of the Committee for Tourism will be held on Monday, where the new situation with MA will be discussed, as well as new epidemiological measures and the upcoming winter season.
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