13 May 2019 - In an interview with the Luxury Collection Montenegro Magazine, Prime Minister Duško Marković invited investors to invest in Montenegro, especially in our northern region, saying that this is an archetype of a country in which people of different faiths and nations live in harmony, a state that raised the level of security by joining NATO and a country where the most prestigious world tourism brands already operate.
"There are Aman, Chedi, Sheraton, Regent, Hilton, Melia, Iberostar, Karisma, Falkensteiner, and the first One & Only in Europe will be opening in Montenegro next year… In 2008, Montenegro adopted the Tourism Development Strategy by 2020, deciding to become a destination for upscale guests. This decision was supported by the report of the World Travel and the Tourism Council which placed Montenegro at the top of the list of destinations according to the growth rate of tourism, which amounted to 8.8%, said Prime Minister in the interview with Luxury Collection Montenegro Magazine.
He also added that the country could nowadays see that it's succeeded. Prime Minister listed the prestigious tourism brands that are present in Montenegro, which had not existed before this strategy. Similarly, after developing the Montenegrin coastal region, the country has started to valorise the resources in our Northern region strategically.
"I have stated many times that this is where our key resources lie. The Government did something that had never been done before: the capital budget for this year amounts to 320 million EUR, which is the biggest capital budget so far. More than 70 percent has been allocated to the Northern region. The Government, therefore, sent a clear message to the citizens and investors: this is what we are focusing on right now, stressed out Prime Minister Marković.
He continued that Montenegro is interested in investments, which will contribute to economic growth and increased employment, particularly in the Northern region, which is less developed. The programme “Economic Citizenship” is the concept of investing in projects of special importance for the economic interest of Montenegro, and should also be understood from the same point of view.
Asked how he would compare Montenegro from the beginning of his career with today to a foreigner who has never been to Montenegro, PM Marković said that Montenegro kept the natural beauty and the national and religious harmony, but everything else changed.
"Any foreigner who first visits Montenegro is amazed and charmed by its natural wonders. Foreigners who observe our country’s society are sure to see that through our way of life, people who hold different faiths, or are from different ethnic backgrounds, live in harmony with each other. This, I regret to say, can be seen as a unique case in our perpetually turbulent region.
He also pointed out that Montenegro, over the previous ten years, has been one of the countries with the most net direct foreign investments per capita. On the coast of Montenegro, there are resorts which are among the most prestigious in the entire Mediterranean.
"This year, we started the development of a winter tourist centre in our mountains, which will be among the best in the region… At the start of my career, tourism was mostly organised by trade unions for their members, who were accommodated in the so-called workers’ resorts. We also had Sveti Stefan, and Ada Bojana, which later became a recognisable brand as well. However, these were the only two exceptions. Today, those parts of the Montenegrin coast where there are no international brands or world-class premium services could be considered the exception. I could continue presenting economic data, but economy means little without a change in the behavioural matrix, one needs to see a change in habits, even a change of consciousness" said Prime Minister adding that the country has been transformed in these areas as well.
"Finally, Montenegro is a NATO member state and the next member country of the EU. Therefore, our strategic direction is clear – and is completely different compared to the country several decades ago. Montenegro today is firmly in the place it has belonged for centuries – it is a European and Mediterranean country, well-integrated and developed, self-aware and determined, strong and resolute, stable on the inside and recognizable from the outside," the Prime Minister concluded.
Source: The Luxury Collection Montenegro
