Montenegrin agricultural households will participate in a new 27-month agriculture and tourism programme supported by TUI and Germany’s GIZ, with the initiative designed to connect local food production more directly with tourism demand. The TUI Field to Fork Western Balkans programme covers Montenegro, Albania and North Macedonia and will train 120 participants from 90 agricultural households across the three countries.
The programme also plans to develop more than 20 new rural tourism products and services, attract at least 1,000 visitors and establish a minimum of 20 partnerships between agricultural and tourism businesses. Specific beneficiary numbers and funding allocations for Montenegro have not yet been disclosed. Activities will combine regenerative farming, farm visits, local food experiences, gastronomy and other tourism services.
For Montenegro, the programme is intended to strengthen connections between agricultural producers and the tourism sector, particularly in northern and central regions, where agriculture remains important but access to higher-value markets is limited. Tourism generates substantial demand for food in Montenegro, while hotels, restaurants and retailers continue to rely heavily on imports.
Closer cooperation between farms and tourism operators could increase the share of tourism-related spending captured by domestic agricultural producers while providing rural households with additional income beyond traditional commodity sales. The programme forms part of a broader shift towards tourism based on local food, sustainability and visitor experiences, alongside accommodation development.
Its commercial impact will depend on whether pilot initiatives develop into lasting supply relationships and generate repeat tourism demand. For Montenegro’s rural economy, the programme creates a framework for connecting tourism expenditure with a more consistent domestic market for local agricultural production.
