26 August 2018 - Europe’s tourism boom is lifting all boats, including tiny Montenegro – is the title of an article published in the American Wall Street Journal.
The article on Montenegrin tourism starts with the story of a Montenegrin who is transporting visitors to the Boka Kotorska Bay.
Vladimir Milinović has seen Western tourism in his Balkan village swell so much, he now knows who is likely to tip, and who will try to haggle down €5 he charges for a short boat ride.
“We like Americans because they are very generous,” said Milinović, as he navigated his motorboat to a picturesque island near the village called Our Lady of the Rocks. “If somebody tries to get a cheaper price we know they are probably French.”
The Wall Street Journal also says that many tourists are descending to Europe this summer—drawn in part by the strong dollar—that a growing number are looking beyond the continent’s famous destinations, leaving hardly a spot on the map unvisited. As the lines stretch longer outside Notre-Dame in Paris, and the crush gets greater on Saint Mark’s Square in Venice, even tiny Montenegro is enjoying its place in the sun.
“The rising dollar and strong U.S. economy are drawing more Americans here. Russians have begun to travel again in Europe, especially in the Balkans, after a hiatus for Russia’s economic downturn,” the text reports.
“International overnights in Europe rose 7% in the first four months of 2018 compared with the same period last year. Furthermore, Europe’s continuing economic upswing has led to strongly rising tourism within the continent, especially from Germany. Tourism industry executives expect the good times to continue.”
As the Journal says, “the sector’s boom began several years ago, spurred by Europe’s emergence from its financial crisis, and has proved largely impervious to Europe’s other woes, from the migration crisis to terrorism.”
The boom is bringing back fond memories for Montenegro.
“It used to be a popular destination for Yugoslavs, but it didn’t see many foreign guests for a long time after Communism fell. Last year, 1 million tourists visited this country of 650,000 inhabitants, according to the national statistics office, a 19% rise from the year before. In the first four months of 2018, numbers were up another 20% on the year.”
The Wall Street Journal also reflected on revenues from tourism, stating that this sector generated around €1bn for Montenegro in 2017, a third of the country’s GDP.
“In Europe, only Croatia has faster tourism growth,” the article concluded.
