Jović: The delay in vaccination can threaten the image of Montenegro as a tourist destination

The delay in vaccination can threaten the image of Montenegro as a tourist destination, and Montenegrin tourism cannot survive two consecutive seasons without income, said the member of the Main Board of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Ana Jović.

"The image of the country in the tourism business is of crucial importance and it is not built on the fact that you will fall behind in anything, especially not in something as important as health security," Jović stated in the announcement.

She reminded that tourism in Montenegro is the most important economic activity, which makes up a quarter of the gross domestic product (GDP), but also that the coronavirus pandemic destroyed that sector in the previous year.

Revenues from tourism in the first three quarters of last year recorded a drop of 88 percent compared to the same period in 2019, while they fell by 92 percent in the summer season.

Jović believes that the health security of a country, from the perspective of the coronavirus pandemic, will significantly affect the choice of destination that tourists will want to visit.

"The current situation with the coronavirus is not in our favor. Our country is still waiting for the first doses of vaccines and the exact date of their arrival is not yet known. "The daily increase in the number of sick people directly affects the decline in the interest of foreign guests," said Jović.

She warned that the next season, which starts in two to three months, could be lost if the number of sick people does not decrease, primarily in coastal cities.

"Given that vaccination should be started as soon as possible, I believe that with an active vaccination campaign in the coming weeks, Montenegro could achieve at least some results, because Montenegrin tourism cannot survive two consecutive seasons without income," concluded Jović.