Tourists - people with disabilities, in Montenegro have to use their vehicles and stay in expensive hotels, with four and five stars, which are only available in nine municipalities, due to the fact that public transport and facilities are mostly not adapted and accessible.
This, among other things, was told to "Vijestan" by the Non-Governmental Organization "Equivalent".
They added that travel agencies are generally not informed about the needs of tourists with disabilities, and employees in the tourism sector are not sufficiently educated to understand the concept of disability.
According to the NGO, by adjusting the tourist offer for PWDs, Montenegro would increase its income from that economic branch.
"Equivalent", in partnership with the Organization of the Blind for Bar and Ulcinj and the Swimming and Water Polo Club "Jadran", implements the project "Accessible tours - new social opportunities for the disabled", during which, among other things, a tourist agency will be established that will employ persons with disabilities. Additionally, through the work of the agency, they want to develop and promote accessible offers of sports and recreational tourism in Montenegro to tourists with disabilities.
"Tourism in Montenegro has experienced affirmation in recent years, and it is accompanied by a series of infrastructure projects... However, when it comes to the accessibility of tourism to persons with disabilities, Montenegro needs to recognize the importance of the development of accessible tourism, both in respect of the human rights of persons with disabilities disability, as well as in the part of economic benefit", said the NGO.
Accessible only in four and five star properties
In nine municipalities in Montenegro, there are tourist facilities adapted for the accommodation of PWDs, and they are facilities with four and five stars.
In 2022, the NGO "Equivalent" prepared the study "Accessible tourism for persons with disabilities".
"Field research included four tourist resorts, 85 four-star hotels, 15 five-star hotels, one health-tourism type institution, 128 catering facilities and nine tourist locations. Their 33 accommodation capacities are partially or fully accessible and they represent accommodation capacities with four and five stars. Affordable accommodation facilities are located in the following municipalities: Podgorica 8%, Bar 9%, Ulcinj 6%, Budva 28%, Kotor 12%, Tivat 9%, Herceg Novi 12%, Bijelo Polje 3% and Pljevlja 3%", they state from NGO "Equivalent".
In other municipalities, they add, there are no affordable accommodation facilities.
When all facilities and services are available to them in tourist and hospitality facilities... people with disabilities have the opportunity to use the entire offer in full capacity.
"For example, we can cite tourist and hospitality facilities with larger accommodation capacities and additional facilities (wellness, spa, massages) that are categorized as five-star hotels," they told "Vijesta".
In Montenegro, however, when it comes to the tourist offer, PWDs face challenges such as inaccessible transport, as well as tourist facilities.
"The biggest challenges for PWDs when it comes to the tourism offer in Montenegro is the inaccessibility of transport services and tourist catering facilities, so this category of tourists is most often instructed to use their own transport and to stay in extremely expensive hotels", say the NGO "Equivalent".
Necessary education of tourist workers
In order for tourism workers to understand the individual needs of people with disabilities, the NGO adds, they must be educated in terms of understanding the concept of accessibility and how to provide tourist services to that category of tourists.
"It is about the fact that most of these initiatives come from a certain number of NGOs, which through their work provide this type of training. It is very important to understand the concept of accessibility, that is, the way of providing tourism services to PWDs by tourism workers, so that PWDs can use the tourist offer in full capacity", they told "Vijesta".
From that NGO, they also said that in Montenegro, travel agencies are generally not informed about the needs of tourists with disabilities.
"In order to improve their services for this category of tourists, they should primarily educate their employees regarding the understanding of the concept of disability, then adjust their arrangements and provide technical equipment and means of transport to be accessible to PWDs," said the NGO "Equivalent".
Better conditions for PWDs, a chance for economic growth
The improvement of Montenegro's tourist offer for tourists with disabilities, as they added, is reflected in the fact that Montenegro would be recognized as one of the tourist destinations that are accessible to that category of tourists.
"By which Montenegro would increase its income from that economic branch. By improving the conditions regarding the accessibility of the tourist offer for tourists with disabilities, preconditions are created for increasing the number of tourists with disabilities in Montenegro", said the NGO.
In the United Nations (UN) Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, it is stated, among other things, "In order to enable persons with disabilities to live independently and participate fully in all aspects of life, the signatory states shall take appropriate measures to give persons with disabilities, on the basis of equality with others, ensure access to the built environment, transportation, information and communications, including information and communication technologies and systems...".
"In this sense, we should also act when it comes to tourism for people with disabilities. However, taking into account all of the above, we do not apply what the Convention foresees," said the NGO "Equivalent".
Will employ five PWDs, preference for women
The NGO "Equivalent" said that the tourist agency that will employ PWDs will be open during the duration of the project. The project started in November 2023 and will last until October 2025.
The plan is to employ five PWDs, that their work engagement will last a year, during the implementation of the project, and another six months after its completion. The NGO "Equivalent" said that priority will be given to women with disabilities.
Regarding the criteria for employment of PWDs, they said that they refer to the degree and type of disability, place of residence.
People with disabilities who are interested in employment in that agency will be trained in online/digital marketing.
"Each person will go through licensed and adequate training related to online/digital marketing specifically for the work of the agency and people with disabilities, as well as receive a certificate for successfully completed training", according to the NGO "Equivalent".
Hotels and tours on the map
The NGO "Equivalent" also said that, as part of the "Accessible tour of Montenegro", they will create an interactive map of accessible tourist facilities for people with disabilities in Montenegro.
"The map will contain information on all accessible hotels and restaurants, cultural facilities, shopping centers and specially designed tourist tours accessible to people with disabilities, with the possibility of booking and paying for accessible accommodation and specially designed tourist tours accessible to people with disabilities," they said. from that NGO.
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