Dean of the Business and Tourism Faculty in Budva Rade Ratković said the provision is a sad story of tourism guide regulations in Montenegro. “Someone thought about moving tourist guides together with craftsmen. Is a tourist guide a craftsmen? It is not. He is an interpreter, lecturing and leading a groups of people, entertaining them at the same time,” said Ratković at a council meeting.
According to him, these provisions must be removed from the craftsmen occupations. He added this is primarily a part-time occupation in the tourism season, which calls for a change eliminating the provision or repealing it until the law is changed.
“This is a person-based business and truly depends on the person itself. This provision is dismal and can be characterized as a business barrier. It requires for the tourist guide to be registered as a basic yea-round occupation and an entrepreneur, unlike in any other country,” said Ratković.
He feels tour operators and foreign guides should not have to deal with these problems. President of the Budva Tourist Guides Association Dragan Boričić has asked for everyone to get involved and attempt to resolve this issue in the coming period, in order for guides to be stimulated to do their job right.
“The job of tourist guides is seasonal, beginning at the earliest at the end of March and ending with October. According to the new law, tourist guides cannot work unless they are part of the tax system, meaning employed by a tourism agency or with their own business,” underlined Boričić.
In that case, they are obligated to pay duties to the state for 12 months, which is impossible due to the nature of the job. “I emphasize the Croatian law, with which they are very pleased,” said Boričić.
He considers the issue with Kotor Port needs to be resolves, as it is a shame that Montenegro guides need to stand outside the gate of Kotor Port, as most are not registered in the Central Register of Business Subjects.
“This law does not provide for additional activity, and we know how many colleagues with a licence are, for example, teachers or tourism workers and are needed during high season,” said Boričić. According to him, if they cannot work, foreign companies will start to cancel trips, as they won’t get the service they need.
“Also, new guides who passed their tests when the law came into effect, cannot obtain a licence as they are not part of the Register,” cited Boričić. Tourism inspector Branko Mandrapa said the law needed to be adopted due to harmonization with the EU, with some novelties which are good.
“However, with guides we have an issue with control. The state prescribed that special localities need a Montenegro guide with a licence. I had a case where I stopped a foreign group leader who did not have a licence. The case went to court, but there were no sanctions,” said Mandrapa.
He noted a great flaw is that guides without a Montenegro licence are not sanctioned, but those that forgot them or are not wearing them are. “Also, about foreign guides – can such a guide know Cetinje as our own guides? I would introduce a reciprocity,” said Mandrapa.
He feels the state needs to control this activity, but is not certain it should be reduced to the classic level of the Registry. “I believe a better model needs to be found in order to conform to the specific job,” added Mandrapa.
General Director of the Competitiveness Development and Tourism Investment Directorate Olivera Brajović said the intention of the law was to regulate this activity. “For this reason we defined the norm of the Register if the activity is performed independently, without employment in tourism agencies, but the law does not state they need to be employed full-time,” added Brajović.
She stated they came to the realization that the largest issue is with those for whom this is an additional activity. “We met with representatives of the Tax Office and Kotor Port in order to find a solution for their credentials and we will communicate with other ministries about this,” said Brajović. She added that visit of tour operator representatives is regulated by the Law on Foreigners, where they will also strive for a solution.
Translated from Café del Montenegro, for the original click here.
