At Ulcinj's "Kopakabana" on the Velika beach, the season is five to seven percent better compared to the record year 2019, although a more massive arrival of the diaspora is still expected, claims the tenant of the regionally famous swimming pool Prelja Škrelja.
"Since last Friday, we have had reservations from the diaspora, primarily from Switzerland and Scandinavia. These are our traditionally loyal guests and we are proud of that fact," says Škrelja, who is also the president of the Association of Tenants of Ulcinj Beaches and points out that it is more or less the same at other swimming pools.
And while large crowds from Kruč to Bojana and Ada testify to tens of thousands of tourists staying in the southernmost municipality, official data from the local Tourist Organization say that only 17.200 guests are currently staying in Ulcinj.
"The Ulcinj riviera is big and it is difficult to count every guest, but according to our estimates, around 45 thousand tourists spend their summer in the city. On weekends, that number increases," says Škrelja.
The director of TO, Gzim Hajdinaga, is aware that the number of applicants is much lower than those who are not registered.
Recently, in front of TO, he sent an SMS to all landlords to register guests.
He says that the figures from the border on the number of crossings are almost identical to 2019, but that the number of applicants compared to that year is only at the level of around 60 percent.
"Registration of guests is a civil and legal obligation, and this year guests must also register due to health reasons, i.e. COVID-19. That's why I am asking all my fellow citizens, as well as all others who rent out accommodation, to register the guests", appealed Hajdinaga.
The season, as he stated, is going well and according to announcements, there will be more and more guests every day.
"The effort from the field is yielding results, we expect many more guests, especially after Eid on July 20, when the diaspora arrives," said Hajdinaga.
According to TO data from Friday, 16.872 foreign tourists and 363 domestic tourists are staying in Ulcinj.
11.800 were registered in private accommodation, and 4.500 in hotels.
Albanians go to Budva, Serbians discover the charms of Velika Plaža
Škrelja says that apart from traditional guests from Montenegro, Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Macedonia, he is pleasantly surprised by a visit from Serbia.
"The big beach is an incredible discovery for them, to which, as they say, they will return in the coming years. This is the result of the promotion of Velika plaža in Serbia, and I am really pleasantly surprised," says Škrelja
At the Sukobin border crossing, according to "Vijesti", last weekend there were about 80 percent of crossings compared to 2019. The southernmost municipality was mainly visited by Kosovars, Macedonians and tourists from southern Serbia. Most guests from Albania, according to the same information, prefer Budva...
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