Blagojević: Road works, congestion, noise, all of this negatively affects the tourism product

Although there was speculation at the beginning of the summer about a decline in the tourist season, data shows that the number of tourists in Montenegro is currently at last year's level.

According to Monstat data, on July 10, around 115.000 tourists were staying in the country, which represents 99% of the total compared to the same period last year.

"That's a daily average, and we know that the data changes daily. When we take the average, the numbers are within the expected range," said Olivera Blagojević from the Ministry of Tourism, appearing on Boje jutra on Television Vijesti.

The number of tourists has increased in some municipalities - Tivat, Kotor, Bar, but also in the north of the country, where Žabljak has recorded an increase of as much as 30%. In the first five months, arrivals have increased by 5,53%, while the number of overnight stays has slightly decreased by about 7%.

Speaking about external factors affecting the season, Blagojević stated that developments in the region, especially in Serbia, but also the broader geopolitical situation, could have a negative impact.

"Everything that happens negatively in the environment has an impact on Montenegro. We traditionally rely on regional markets, including Serbia and Russia, but also Israel, from where we are recording a strong increase in arrivals," he adds.

When it comes to criticisms of infrastructure and high prices, Blagojević admits that these are real problems.

"One lost room is a lost room forever. Roadworks, congestion, noise, all of this negatively affects the tourism product," said Blagojević.

However, the Ministry of Tourism says that there is no need to sit idly by. A campaign is underway to direct tourists to alternative routes, and in addition, the first phase of the digitalization of tourism has been completed.

"The goal of digitalization is to unify all data in one place, through a unique software that will enable precise monitoring and counting of tourists. Now we have clear inputs for further work, and we expect implementation next year," said Blagojević.

When asked about income, she emphasized that she does not like to make predictions, but that she believes in a positive outcome.

"Last year, tourism revenue was 1,4 billion euros. If this continues, I believe we can reach or even exceed that figure," said Blagojević.

Montenegrin tourism, despite the challenges, is showing resilience, concludes Blagojević, and the peak season is expected to bring additional stability and an opportunity for recovery where minor shortcomings have been noted.