Rade Ratković, dean of the Faculty of Business and Tourism from Budva, estimated that this summer season in Montenegro will also be a natural one. By this term, Ratković means that the market will again be unorganized, with large crowds and most guests from the region. In his opinion, due to all of the above, the business cannot be characterized as sustainable.
He added that Montenegro is already far behind the Mediterranean countries in terms of the offer and sale of arrangements. He also pointed out that without an organized market it is impossible to have an early start and a long season.
Ratković also states that a significant number of facilities are closed, many open at the beginning of June, and some in the middle. As one of the explanations for this situation, he states that public opinion was burdened by political events that made this type of work difficult.
He reminded that in 2021, the loss in tourism was 50 million euros, that there are no aggregate data for last year, but that he believes that the situation will be similar, without pre-booked arrangements, but direct booking will be the most common.
Montenegro opted for private accommodation and the construction of apartments in order to develop secondary housing, which is good for entrepreneurs, but not for the tourism industry.
“We are mainly an airline destination and we are lagging behind a lot there. In the 90s, we were very close to Croatia, even more advanced in some respects thanks to investments such as Sveti Stefan and Slovenska plaža, but that has passed,” said Ratković.
He believes that all this shows that Montenegro could have good and sustainable tourism at the level of the Mediterranean countries, but opted for private accommodation and to build apartments for the market to develop secondary housing.
“It’s good for entrepreneurs, but not for the tourism industry.” We have eight to ten percent of hotel accommodation, and 90 percent through households and secondary housing, while Spain has 68 percent of hotel accommodation, Greece 82 percent, Croatia 35 percent, Italy 40 percent, and the Mediterranean average is around 50 percent,” explained Ratković.
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