For the sustainable development of tourism, planned management of the coastal area is necessary, it was assessed at the final panel of the Chamber of Commerce (PKCG) conference, New Days of Better Tourism.
Professor at the University of Vern and author of the studies by the Institute of Tourism in Zagreb, Tourist Carrying Capacity of the Montenegrin Coastal Area and Feasibility Assessment for Sustainable Tourism Management in Montenegro, Zoran Klarić, said that, although beaches continue to represent one of the key tourism resources of Mediterranean countries, including Montenegro, their importance in the modern tourist offer is gradually declining and is at a significantly lower level than ten years ago.
"Destinations that are predominantly oriented towards beach tourism have a shorter season and lower consumption per tourist compared to those that offer more diverse content," said Klarić.
He stated that, despite the heavy load, beaches rarely represent the main limitation of the carrying capacity, as tourists are increasingly directed towards other activities and markets. He cited the conflict between public and private interests in beach management, in particular the issue of charging for use, as well as the problem of apartment development, which further increases the pressure on beach space, as growing challenges.
The owner of Mac Sun DMC Montenegro, Dragan Ivančević, emphasized, as announced by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Montenegro, his satisfaction that in a country that has declared tourism a priority, an event was organized with the participation of experts on the challenges in the sector, and which will be required to solve them in partnership with decision-makers.
"Swimming resorts are the foundation of Montenegrin tourism and will remain its greatest potential for a long time," said Ivančević.
He stated that we must protect "this greatest treasure we have", which will serve future generations for the development of our country, and pointed out the bad practice of primarily charging as much as possible for bathing areas through beach tenders, without taking into account the already prepared, specialized teams that have been creating and maintaining quality in that coastal zone for years.
Ivančević believes that our tourist offer has become uncompetitive due to the increase in beach prices.
"We have fallen in quality and competitiveness, while our competition has become better, and this should be a wake-up call to decision-makers at the local and state levels that something needs to change. Half board cannot cost 80 euros and sun loungers 100 euros. Tourism needs a new quality and environment in which to be competitive," said Ivančević.
Tourism consultant Predrag Jelušić said that beaches are a recognizable brand of Montenegrin tourism and that this resource should therefore be taken care of.
"A significant number of bathing areas have good water quality. A huge number of tenants who are partners of the Coastal Zone have maintained the standard regarding their obligations regarding environmental and other standards, and the Blue Flags are confirmation of this. There should be planning bases and planning prerequisites to ensure that the coastline is not endangered," said Jelušić.
He believes that Tivat is a good example of how to achieve quality development in a place that was not recognized as a tourist destination until the arrival of investors and the development of Porto Montenegro.
"Montenegro has lacked continuity and momentum in tourism in the last few years. Change is an integral part of life, but good results from the past should not be discarded, but should be continued. A vacuum has occurred. That is why it is good that the Chamber of Commerce felt the need to step forward and organize this conference in order to send some important messages clearly," said Jelušić.
The Director of the Ulcinj Tourist Organization, Ćazim Hodžić, emphasized the importance of working together to improve tourism in Montenegro, in order to create an attractive and sustainable tourist offer.
He recalled that tourism has undergone major changes, especially after the pandemic, and that Montenegro, in general, still lags behind in certain segments but often remains in its comfort zone. Hodžić emphasized the importance of synergy between the private sector and institutions, which is key to success, emphasizing that it has been lacking in recent years.
"It is important that we have transparency towards the citizens and institutions of Ulcinj, because this directly affects the destination's image among tourists. The message is clear: we must all return to a common goal, regardless of our differences," said Hodžić.
He also spoke about the importance of river and marine infrastructure that must be improved, emphasizing that the issue of building a bridge across the Bojana River to Albania should be reopened.
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