The realization of the announcements, that this season will break the results of the record 2019, is not visible, and the much-awaited peak season is unlikely to start. Analysts blame high prices for everything.
The National Tourist Organization (NTO) says that the prices are acceptable for high-paying tourists, and they limit consumption for low-paying tourists. Beauty is enough for tourists. The Croats have already lowered the prices in order to save the rest of the season, but not in Dubrovnik where, as they say, they maintain the level of quality of the offer precisely by the price policy.
The much-announced tourist boom, which would rise to the throne of the most successful seasons in history in the summer of 2023, is falling deeper into the water every day. And instead of there being more bathers on the beaches, only the prices of both services and accommodation have increased on the Montenegrin coast.
Economic analyst Oleg Filipović believes that the announcement of breaking the record is the main reason for poor judgment and the desire for a quick profit that destroyed the Montenegrin dream.
– It is late for this season, where the information dictates the season, we predicted it as the strongest and compared it with 2019, so there was an unrealistic increase in the prices of hotel and non-hotel accommodation, prices in restaurants. It is a direct influence of the information that we will have the strongest season – said economic analyst Oleg Filipović.
We came from the strongest to a season below expectations in a short time. The National Tourist Organization says that they do not yet have accurate data, but that we have not yet flown over the record year 2019. In terms of price, according to certain indexes, Montenegro, together with Turkey, was rated as an affordable destination, although we are facing rising prices on the ground.
– It is clear that we are affordable for high-paying guests, and for lower-paying guests, this increase in prices influenced the decision to come or how much they will spend – said NTO director Ana Tripković Marković.
Daily expenses are added up, and overnight stays are shortened. That’s why, says Filipović, a good strategy for extending the season is necessary.
– In order to get the right effects, the season must last at least 270 days – says Filipović.
The situation in the neighborhood is no better.
In Dubrovnik, expectations remained unfulfilled, but they are not worried.
– It will not be a record, the main one is for us, if we enter the peak season, the expectations will not be fulfilled, especially in private accommodation, little work was done to reduce prices, we must not play with the price – said Dani Banovac from the Dubrovnik Hospitality Association.
Not in Dubrovnik, but in other Croatian cities, the sale of unfilled accommodation has begun in promotions that go up to 50%. Optimism from the beginning of the story on the Adriatic gave restaurateurs and accommodation publishers wings to raise prices, while some wiser ones fared well.
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