During a session in the Montenegrin Parliament, Tourism Minister Simonida Kordić responded to questions from lawmakers regarding various aspects of Montenegro’s tourism sector.
The Minister highlighted that a working group has decided to introduce transit fees to ease congestion on the Adriatic Highway during the peak summer months of July and August. She expressed hope that the government would support this decision and that the process would begin swiftly to reduce traffic congestion.
When asked by Nikola Rakočević (DPS) about the lack of efforts to brand Montenegro as a tourist destination and the country’s insufficient air accessibility, Kordić argued that her ministry is focused on strategic planning. According to official statistics, tourism is on the rise, contrary to Rakočević’s claim that the industry has stagnated in recent years.
She explained that Montenegro’s tourism sector had developed in a somewhat haphazard and spontaneous manner, with a strong southern region, an underdeveloped central region, and a relatively developed northern region with significant potential. Her ministry’s strategic goal is for Montenegro to become a unified tourist area with balanced development, which would ensure year-round tourism. Kordić also noted the significant potential in developing conference and health tourism.
Regarding concessions, Kordić expressed expectations that the concession agreements for the country’s airports would soon be resolved, stating that Montenegro cannot develop further in terms of long-haul markets without improved airport capacity.
The Minister also reported that nine new flight routes had been opened this year, with Podgorica now covering 45 destinations and Tivat 60. These new connections have already yielded positive results in terms of increased tourist numbers from the newly connected markets. Additionally, activities have been initiated to open connections to distant markets in cooperation with neighboring countries.
On the topic of beaches, Kordić praised the transparency of the tender process for beach rentals, which she said had resulted in proper valuation of beaches. She emphasized that the state would earn €30 million more than before, compared to the previous €5 million in rental income. In response to concerns raised by Branislav Nenezić (SD) about the delayed beach preparations, Kordić clarified that similar delays had occurred in the past, even as late as August 2019. She stated that once contracts are signed, the lessees would be responsible for beach preparations, though beach furniture is often not installed until June.
Kordić also pointed out that the previous system of beach rentals had large profit margins, with some beaches reporting millions in profits while the state received only tens of thousands in rent. She acknowledged that while it was important for the private sector to benefit, it was clear that the state had lost out in the process. She confirmed that 95% of beach rental agreements were in the final stages of conclusion.
Nenezić expressed concerns that the increase in beach rental fees would result in higher costs for both locals and tourists this season. Kordić assured that her ministry had initiated the development of a digital platform that would provide real-time information on the number of tourists, their demographics, and the duration and locations of their stays in Montenegro.
