Grants of 3,5 million euros to small and micro enterprises in the tourism sector represent the Government's concrete support to that important branch of the economy, small and medium-sized businesses, energy efficiency and sustainable development.
This was announced at the signing of a cooperation agreement aimed at implementing dedicated programs to encourage energy efficiency in the tourism sector between the ministries of tourism, ecology, sustainable and northern development, energy and mining and the Environmental Protection Fund (Eco-fund).
As announced by the Ministry of Tourism, Ecology, Sustainable Development and Development of the North, the agreement was signed by the relevant minister, Vladimir Martinović, the Minister of Energy and Mining, Saša Mujović, and the director of the Eco Fund, Draško Boljević.
Martinović said that the programs represent a key step towards improving the competitiveness of Montenegrin tourism and that the reduction of operating costs through energy efficiency will enable tourism companies to invest in the further development and quality of their services.
He said that grants will help small and micro tourism companies to implement the necessary energy efficiency measures.
This, he added, will help build a more sustainable future for Montenegrin tourism and Montenegro.
"We will give priority to hotels that work throughout the year, because we are determined to overcome seasonality, as well as to hotels that operate in the northern part of the country, because the government's goal is to improve this region," said Martinović.
Mujović said that the tourism sector, as a development sector of the Montenegrin economy, is a very significant consumer of energy.
He stated that it is important to support the implementation of investments that lead to the improvement of the energy characteristics of tourist facilities.
"This financial injection will increase the competitiveness of small businesses, reduce operating costs, but also strengthen the offer of our tourism businesses, improve energy efficiency and contribute to the further development of this activity on a sustainable basis," Mujović said.
He said that they will not stop there and that their next goal is to provide such support in the future as well.
"The implementation of innovative technologies and solutions that contribute to the improvement of energy efficiency, greater use of renewable energy sources and the application of modern standards with the aim of optimizing energy consumption are recognized as key activities that need to be supported within the framework of the two programs," said Mujović.
According to reports, Boljević expressed his satisfaction at the signing of the text of the agreement, which will directly benefit the tourism industry, which will further strengthen and improve tourism as a generator of economic policy in Montenegro.
He said that today is a great day for raising the economic activity of Montenegro.
Boljević invited hoteliers and individual providers of accommodation to participate in the implementation of these measures, as well as contractors, as their partners in the field of implementation.
He also called for the improvement of the energy environment of Montenegro, which, he added, will ultimately contribute to the protection of the environment.
"This will also affect the promotion of Montenegro as a tourist and ecological destination," concluded Boljević.
At the suggestion of MERT and the Ministry of Energy and Mining, the government adopted two dedicated programs to support the tourism sector.
It is stated that programs have been adopted to encourage energy efficiency in the hotel industry, with a budget of three million euros, and to encourage energy efficiency in facilities that provide catering services in households and rural households, with a budget of 500 thousand euros.
"The programs will provide grants on a sliding scale of 30 to 70 percent intended for small and micro tourism businesses in order to implement measures that will improve energy efficiency and reduce operating costs," the announcement says.
At the end of June, the public call for programs will be announced by the Eco Fund as the implementing body of the program.
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