Montenegro has launched procurement for the second phase of improvements to the Velje Duboko–Kapetanovo Lake road, with the contract valued at approximately €968,000 including VAT as investment in mountain tourism infrastructure continues.
The Ministry of Public Works has set the estimated contract value at €800,000 excluding VAT. The project design was prepared, a company based in Podgorica, and the selected contractor will have 150 calendar days to complete the works after taking possession of the site.
The road provides access to a mountainous area associated with rural tourism and the wider Kolašin destination, where investment in hotels, apartments and ski infrastructure has accelerated in recent years.
Although smaller in value than Montenegro’s motorway and railway programmes, regional road projects can have a significant effect on tourism accessibility. Poor connections increase journey times, discourage day visitors and raise costs associated with building and operating accommodation. Improved access could benefit guesthouses, restaurants, outdoor recreation businesses and future tourism developments around Kapetanovo Lake and the surrounding mountain areas.
Infrastructure Investment Around Kolašin
The road project adds to broader infrastructure activity in the Kolašin region, which has attracted substantial private real-estate investment following the opening of the first section of the Bar–Boljare motorway and the development of the Kolašin 1450 and Kolašin 1600 ski centres.
The two ski centres are preparing to reconnect approximately 45 kilometres of ski slopes for the coming winter following repairs to cableway infrastructure. At the same time, rapid tourism growth has highlighted gaps in supporting infrastructure. Road access, electricity capacity, water systems and artificial snowmaking remain important constraints for the region’s development. Reliable snowmaking is particularly important because resort revenues continue to depend heavily on natural snowfall. Road improvements therefore form part of a wider infrastructure requirement rather than representing isolated construction projects.
Road Access and Mountain Tourism Development
For investors in mountain hotels and residential properties, accessibility is an important component of asset value. Better road connections can expand the area from which tourism businesses attract visitors and support development beyond the main ski-resort zones. Regional infrastructure projects can also improve access to villages and rural businesses, contributing to more balanced economic development.
The Velje Duboko–Kapetanovo Lake project is currently at the procurement stage, with construction yet to begin. Following contract award, the works would add another project to northern Montenegro’s tourism-infrastructure pipeline as Kolašin develops beyond a seasonal ski destination towards a broader year-round mountain tourism market.
