Simonida Kordić, Montenegro’s Minister of Tourism, has identified key issues impacting the country’s tourism sector, including border crossings, road infrastructure and airport connectivity.
In an interview on TVCG’s morning show, Kordić acknowledged discrepancies in tourism statistics and methods of counting visitors and revenue but stressed the importance of a realistic view of the current situation.
Kordić is optimistic about Montenegro’s potential to become a prominent tourist destination in Europe. She revealed that discussions with tourism professionals have consistently pointed to significant problems in the sector.
“The consensus is that the primary issues lie at the so-called gateways of Montenegrin tourism—namely, border crossings, roads, and airport connectivity,” Kordić said.
She criticized outdated views of tourism, where each city or region is seen as an isolated destination.
Kordić noted that the average tourist spends less than two days in a city and emphasized the need to leverage Montenegro’s status as a single region to attract larger markets like the USA and Asia.
“Large markets view us as a single region, and we need to seize this opportunity,” Kordić concluded.