The visa policy is a critical factor in boosting tourist traffic, and therefore a decision regarding visa liberalization or an alternative model must be made promptly, stated Minister of Tourism Simonida Kordić.

She made these remarks during a session of the Coordination Body responsible for preparing and monitoring the development of tourist seasons.

The relevant ministry has already begun preparations for the upcoming summer tourist season, as announced.

In this context, the significance of the visa policy was highlighted as one of the key issues for enhancing tourist traffic, which, along with appropriate air accessibility—closely linked to it—represents a top priority for Montenegro.

Kordić emphasized the importance of addressing key source markets that have shown considerable interest in recent years but are subject to a visa regime.

She noted that several discussions have taken place with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, emphasizing that a timely decision regarding visa liberalization or an alternative model is essential.

“Making that decision in May or June would be too late. It’s crucial that we have it now due to the increased demand and a potentially higher number of flights from those countries,” Kordić urged.

She also mentioned the need for a solution that would not jeopardize Montenegro’s European aspirations while protecting tourism and the overall economy.

During today’s meeting, an initiative was also proposed to clean and maintain priority road routes along major and regional roads, national parks, and beaches.

The Ministry of Tourism emphasized that this is not a one-off effort, but rather a project set to last six months from April to September.

At the Coordination Body meeting, it was noted that plans to implement the first artificial snowmaking systems at Montenegro’s state ski resorts began last September.

“The initial part of this project is currently being implemented at the Savin Kuk ski resort, with plans to install three snow cannons in the coming period,” the statement said.

Kordić stated that the Ministry of Tourism initiated this project in September of last year.

“Implementation is underway in Žabljak; completing it is critical, and we are also making progress in Kolašin, where the situation is more challenging,” Kordić remarked.

According to her, this is merely a first step in mitigating the effects of climate change on the winter tourist season and in enhancing infrastructure capacities.

Kordić also informed attendees that a Public Call for Encouraging the Development of Ski Resorts in Montenegro has been published for this year, aimed at ensuring a high-quality tourism product aligned with strategic documents and promoting further development of existing ski centers.

The deadline for business entities to submit applications is February 20th, with the goal of diversifying the tourism offer.

Kordić expressed that through this Public Call, they hope to encourage interested parties to improve existing operations, enhancing economic activity and raising quality standards at ski resorts.

“Data from the National Tourism Organization indicates increased traffic this winter, although these results are closely tied to weather conditions, which, while better this year, are still not ideal,” Kordić concluded.

News