This year has been a record-setting one for Montenegro Airports (ACG) in terms of both passenger traffic and overall business revenue, announced CEO Roko Tolić.

From January 1 to December 15, Montenegro’s airports serviced over 2.82 million passengers, marking a 15 percent increase over last year and an 8 percent increase compared to 2019, according to Mine reports.

“We are proud to declare this a record year for us. Notably, Podgorica Airport alone handled 36 percent more travelers than in the pre-pandemic year of 2019, and for the first time since Covid, we have exceeded one million passengers,” Tolić stated during the annual press conference.

ACG reports that Tolić indicated business income is projected to surpass 51 million euros, which represents a 15 percent increase over the previous year.

“The net profit after tax will exceed ten million euros, continuing the growth we have seen since 2020. It is important for the public to understand that out of total revenue, about 12 million euros is allocated to airlines that we have encouraged to operate in Montenegro. We support carriers launching new routes, increasing passenger numbers, or maintaining their services through the winter via our incentive programs,” Tolić remarked.

This means that ACG was essentially “solo” in financing air travel this year.

“We often hear that our pricing is to blame for non-competitiveness. However, that’s not entirely accurate. Our pricing structure is competitive,” Tolić clarified. He highlighted that, unlike other regional airports, various financing models are employed to support the opening of new flights and the arrival of new airlines, particularly budget carriers.