Airports of Montenegro is welcoming yet another German Airline.

Well-known company Condor Airlines will once again fly to Montenegro after a hiatus of several years, confirms the management of Airports of Montenegro.

Condor will begin the seasonal route Frankfurt-Tivat as of 1st May next year.

The German airline will fly an A320 once a week, on a Friday, until the end of the IATA summer season on 23rd October. Between 26th May and 13th October, there will be an additional weekly Tuesday flight.

Condor until recently was part of the now-bankrupt international tourist giant Thomas Cook. However the German airline, specialising in tourist flights, survived the collapse of its parent company, securing the necessary fresh capital and continuing its operations with support from the  Berlin government. Condor Flugdienst Gmbh began operating in 1955, and currently has a fleet of 42 aircraft and approximately 4,900 employees. The company operated seasonal flights to Tivat at the end of the 1980s, and briefly returned to Tivat Airport in summer 2013.

This year also saw regular seasonal flights to Tivat from Frankfurt, Munich, and Dusseldorf operated by German national carrier Lufthansa and its low-cost subsidiary Eurowings, as well as from Leipzig, Munich and Hanover with Montenegrin national carrier Montenegro Airlines. This testifies that the German market, the most significant inbound market globally, has shown a substantial increase in interest in Montenegro and what it has to offer to tourists.

According to unofficial reports, the management of Airports of Montenegro is working intensively to establish a year-round flight connection between Podgorica and Zagreb and is currently in negotiations with airlines on the issue.

November 8, 2019 - National Park Durmitor has had the most successful tourist and business year so far. Around 270.000 tourists are expected to visit Durmitor by the end of the year, it was said in the Social and Economic Forum of the National Park.

Director of National Parks of Montenegro, Mr Elvir Klica, said that national parks had recorded a record season.

“Apart from Durmitor, Skadar Lake national park also recorded excellent results. Financial parameters are not our priority but rather the protection of natural and cultural values of parks”, said Mr Klica.

Mr Klica added that the goal of the Social and Economic Council was to carefully plan the forthcoming winter season, together with representatives of institutions, local tourist organizations, NGO sector and representatives of the tourism industry.

“The forthcoming season is very important as the Expo Dubai is ahead. That will be a great opportunity for us to promote the beauties of our parks and this National Park. We are going to attract other markets, those that aren’t popular here and we are going to encourage them to visit Montenegro. We expect even better results next season. As far as Durmitor is concerned, we expect more than 300.000 visitors”, added Mr Klica.

Mr Klica said that they were going to initiate construction of the third lane and a roundabout at the entrance of the national park, to avoid crowds and pressure during the season.

Director of the Durmitor NP, Mr Tomo Pajović, acquainted the attendees of the forum with the results achieved during the season. He pointed out that visitors came from all over the world.

“Nice weather in September and October increased the arrivals. More than 26.000 visitors tried the Tara rafting experience. That’s 23% more than in the same period last year. This national park is really worth the visit”, said Mr Pajović.

Protection and sustainable development advisor, Mr Veselin Luburić, pointed out that one of the key strategic provisions in the management plans was the improvement of cooperation with the local community and the users of national parks.

President of the municipality of Žabljak, Mr Veselin Vukićević, said that they would reconsider the candidacy of projects related to the reconstruction of infrastructure around the Black Lake, construction of sewerage system, roundabout, parking, as well as new lighting and water supply grid.

Text by CDM on November 7, 2019, read more here.

To read more about travel in Montenegro, follow TMN's dedicated page.

November 5, 2019 - The National Tourism Organization of Montenegro, NTO, in collaboration with the Ministry of Sustainable Development and Tourism, local tourism organizations and tourism industry, is going to present the Montenegrin tourism offer at the 40th World Travel Market (WTM) taking place in London from 4 to 6 November 2019.

The Montenegrin delegation is headed by the Minister of Sustainable Development and Tourism, Mr Pavle Radulović, State Secretary in the area of tourism, Mr Damir Davidović, and Director of the NTO of Montenegro, Ms Željka Radak Kukavičić.

In order to promote the destination and establish new business connections with renowned tourist journalists from this market, the NTO of MNE organized the participation of the Montenegrin delegation at the prestigious event called ‘The BGTW Annual Gala Awards Dinner’.

On the first day of WTM, Minister Radulović met with Mr Steve Heapy, Jet2.com and Jet2holidays’ chief executive. Both sides were considering possibilities for collaboration, having in mind that this tour operator has already included MNE in its catalogs and the fact it used to bring passengers to our country over the airport in Dubrovnik. Moreover, this company plans to introduce 4 flights over the course of the week to Tivat, of which two will be from London and two from Manchester from May to October.

Jet2.com is the UK’s third-largest airline, while Jet2.holidays is the second-biggest UK operator.

The World Travel Market in London is one of the leading global events for the travel industry where all sectors of the tourism industry are presenting their offer, including travel organizations, airlines, hotels and hotel companies, travel agencies and tour operators, PR houses, etc.

This world’s most significant travel market brings together around 5,000 exhibitors from over 180 countries, over 50,000 tourism professionals and about 3,000 media representatives.

Text by CDM on November 5, read more here. 

To read more about travel in Montenegro, follow TMN's dedicated page.

Tivat has recorded a 24% increase in the number of tourists, compared with last year. With the same increase in the number of overnight stays, Tivat had more than a million overnights in the first nine months of this year. Tourists were mostly from Russia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Germany, Great Britain, China, France, the USA, Ukraine, Croatia and Hungary, said director of Tourist Organization Tivat, Ms Gabrijela Glavočić, at the conference marking the end of the summer season.

Between 1 May and 1 September, a total of €293.000 of local taxes have been collected, 21% more compared with 2018.

President of the Municipality of Tivat, Mr Siniša Kusovac, pointed out that competent municipal services and enterprises had significantly contributed to the successful summer season in Tivat.

“This year Tivat got the highest rank ever in the survey that encompasses a wide range of elements and aspects of tourism season. Interestingly, Tivat is still a favorite when it comes to relaxation and rest. Its cleanliness is the third most appreciated factor that makes tourists come back. Seawater quality has been K1 throughout the whole season. The credit goes to our municipal services,” said Mr Kusovac.

In pre-season and during the season, TO Tivat operated following the existing strategic objectives of the development of tourism and it significantly contributed to maintaining the status of a high-quality destination that Tivat enjoys.

“Promotional materials have been translated to German, Russian, English and French. Apart from many brochures, we also made a calendar of events – “TIVTOVANJE 2019 (“TIVTING 2019″)”. It was distributed to more than 5.000 addresses in the region”, said Ms Glavočić.

TO promoted the authenticity of the destination through trade fairs and presentations in the country and abroad. TO of Tivat emphasized its richness of local characteristics and customs, contributing to numerous projects relevant to the municipality.

“TO Tivat used the beginning of the year to create new strategies for taking part in tourism trade fairs, to promote the entire region. The idea was to promote and present Boka and its three towns: Tivat, Kotor and Herceg Novi. It was an impressive presentation because it showcased the specificity of a region – cultural heritage, tradition, folklore, cuisine and other attractions”, said Ms Glavočić.

According to Ms Glavočić, this year again, Tivat carried out many important promotional actions. Texts about Tivat were distributed all across the region.

“Two great projects were carried out in pre-season – promotion of Hello travel Boka magazine and the first Pictorial glossary about Tivat. “Tivting” definitely was a boom this year”, added Ms Glavočić.

Thanks to the activities above, Tivat got the highest rank so far in the regular survey.

Text by Cdm on November 1, 2019. Read more at Cdm here.

To read more about travel in Montenegro, follow TMN's dedicated page. 

01 November 2019 - The Herceg Novi Tourism Organisation is a partner on the European project Cycling Rural, which includes the arrangement of several scenic viewpoints and four cycling tracks in Herceg Novi. The first project working session was held on October 31st in Ljubuški (Bosnia and Herzegovina), and it was attended by the president of the Tourism Organisation Pavle Obradović, reports Radio Herceg Novi.

“CYCLING RURAL - Cycling routes to improve natural and cultural heritage of Herzegovina and Montenegro” is a project that refers to tourism valorisation of natural and cultural heritage sites in rural and tourism marginalized areas in the targeted communities in Herzegovina and Montenegro (Široki Brijeg, Ljubuški, Posušje, Grude and Herceg Novi). The project aims to make these sites and countries recognized as outdoor tourism destinations. Cycling Rural involves the creation of new and attractive tourism offers (Cycling Rural tourism brand) in both cross border regions and at specific locations. This will directly lead to diversification of tourism offer and it will raise the quality of tourism offer and tourism services in the Adriatic Hinterland.

New scenic viewpoints in Herceg Novi will be arranged in the areas of Kameni and Vrbanj, and the project foresees four cycling tracks.

“The whole project is based on raising the attractiveness of cycling tours, which will increase the attractiveness of destinations included in the project. One cycling tour is planned from the Hotel Plaže, via Meljin and Pod to Kameni, and three are in the area of Kameni and Vrbanj. The Tourism Organisation is working to promote active tourism and this will be a new offer segment alongside the Adventure Park, which will increase the number of visits to the hinterland. The project envisages around 100 000 EUR for Herceg Novi,” said Obradović.

The Tourism Organization of Herceg Novi has applied for 23 projects, four of which have been approved, and as Obradović pointed out, significant funds will be allocated from EU grants.

“I am very pleased that this year we have established a sector for project planning. I hope that we will be even more successful in the future. Huge funds are being allocated from EU funds, and I now call on all local institutions to work together”, said the TO Director.

The Cycling Rural project runs through the spring of 2021 and is approved under the second call of the bilateral, through LOT 2 "Improving the Quality and Diversity of Tourism Offer Based on Natural and Cultural Heritage".

30 October 2019 - After three years of successfully operating the Hotel Verde Complex in Podgorica, constant improvement of the quality of the offer and service, the Montenegrin Board for categorization of catering facilities recently assessed that the hotel met the highest standards in the hotel industry and awarded it a five star rating.

The hotel representatives say they are proud of their team, whose continuous effort significantly contributed to this excellent result. ”Five stars is not only a confirmation of the achieved quality, but also an additional responsibility to persevere on this path and not to exceed the expectations of the guests,” says the statement by the hotel’s PR service.

Hotel Verde is a segment of the recreation complex with the same name, located on the outskirts of the city, along the river Sitnica, which determined the concept and content of the hotel, tailored to the customer needs. The Hotel recently became a segment of the InterContinental Hotels Group.

Built according to international standards of construction, using materials and systems which appear to be friendly to the environment, the Hotel grants the necessary comfort and peace for guests as well as a pleasant working atmosphere and services which are designed to complement and make the guests’ stay even more beautiful.

The hotel can accommodate 174 individuals in 81 accommodation units, spacious and cozy with diverse structure - “Standard” rooms, “Superior” rooms, Triple rooms, Junior apartments, Suites, Family rooms, Deluxe apartments and rooms for persons with disabilities. A rich gastronomy offer of the hotel is available in buffet and a la carte restaurant, along with a VIP Gallery. The other complex facilities are intended to provide additional, more and more needed, relaxation and recreation to the hotel’s guests.

The Verde Complex is ideal for congress tourism, business people, but also recreational travellers who want to enjoy a variety of facilities. Verde Hotel is the perfect place to organize and host various sports, business, cultural and other events upon request.

30 October 2019 - The Institute for physical medicine, rehabilitation and rheumatology Dr Simo Milosevic JSC Igalo, which marked its 70^th anniversary as a renowned institution for multidisciplinary spa treatment this year, was recently awarded a prestigious plaque to celebrate the institution’s high-quality offer.

Representatives of the Institute Dr Simo Milosevic Igalo recently took part in a specialized congress tourism fair (MICE) in Belgrade, WESTM2019, organized by the Novi Sad-based company Turistička prizma, which marks 25 years of existence and successful work this year.

On this occasion, an international journalist jury decided to award the prestigious prize – “Turistička prizma 2019 Award for creating a new quality in tourism” to Institute Dr Simo Milosevic Igalo, in the form of a Prizma statue and a charter.

Institute Dr Simo Milosevic JSC Igalo is an institution for physical medicine, rehabilitation and rheumatology. It is one of the largest and the most famous institutions for a multidisciplinary spa treatment on the Balkan Peninsula. The institute is a pioneer of modern physical and preventive medicine, thalassotherapy, and wellness, and it is also one of the leading international centres for rehabilitation of children, adults and seniors.

Besides the preventive medicine program and health rehabilitation, Institute Igalo offers wellness and recreational programs, which basically rely on the modern medical principals. These programs are devoted to the promotion of healthy lifestyles and benefits of aromatherapies, massages and face, body and soul pampering treatments.

The distinguished Award for creating a new quality in tourism, which was recently put in the hands of the representatives of the Igalo Institute, has been awarded continuously at the WESTM since 1997.

Winter Events & Spa Travel Market (WESTM) is MICE and Spa tourism exhibition for South-East and Central Europe organised in Serbia. It is designed for hotels and other accommodation facilities, ski resorts, spas, convention centres, tourist boards, tour operators and travel agencies, manufacturers and distributors of equipment, as well as all other companies operating within MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) or spa tourism. WESTM is the first international fair in Serbia for the MICE industry.

WESTM provides its participants with two days of business meetings with the MICE industry of the region, and educational and related programs are all designed with one goal: to make this event the step forward for business improvement. The event aims to establish better cooperation between the tourism industries of Southeast and Central Europe (SEE) and other European countries, as well as with companies outside of Europe who are interested in the regions. The educational program “ Travel2IT ”, which is open to all participants, aims to provide new practical knowledge and insight into emerging trends related to the winter, wellness & spa and congress tourism, and ICT.

27 October 2019 - Winter season operations of the national carrier Montenegro Airlines begin on October 27th, 2019 and will be valid until March 28th, 2020.

According to the official statement published on the company’s website, Montenegro Airlines will be making minor amendments to its 2019/2020 winter season operations.

The carrier will continue to operate scheduled services from Podgorica to Belgrade, Frankfurt, Ljubljana, Paris, Rome, Vienna and Zurich. From Podgorica to Belgrade, flights will operate twice a day on all days except Fridays, when MA planes will fly three times a day. Montenegro Airlines planes will fly from Tivat to Belgrade once a day on all days, and Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays twice a day.

For the second consecutive year, the airline will increase frequencies between Podgorica and Ljubljana, with an additional two weekly rotations (Mondays and Thursdays) for a total of six. The company will also add an extra weekly flight from Podgorica to Frankfurt and Paris, as well as from Tivat to Moscow during the holiday travel period, between mid-December and mid-January. Furthermore, the airline will run charter flights to Italy (Bari and Naples).

As for the other regular flights operated by MA throughout the year, there will be no significant changes, except for the period around New Year's and Christmas holidays, when additional rotations are introduced due to increased demand.

This winter season, Montenegro Airlines will maintain operations with four aircraft - three Embraer E195s and one Fokker 100 jet, reports EX YU Aviation. The second F100, which has been grounded with an engine issue since May, is unlikely to be returned to service. Although the carrier is yet to detail its future fleet plans, it is believed this winter will mark the last for the remaining F100, which is approaching retirement and will be replaced by a leased Embraer jet next summer. The Montenegrin carrier is currently in the process of finalising a commercial strategy that will define the company’s development over the next three to five years in terms of its destination network and fleet structure.

Establishing a ferry service from Zelenika to Rose, and the possibility of developing Zelenika as a leisure port that would be an alternative to Kotor are important issues for Herceg Novi, according to Minister of Transport and Maritime Affairs Osman Nurković and representatives of the city’s administration.

On Wednesday, during a working visit to Herceg Novi, Nurković and the city administration discussed road infrastructure, the status of Zelenika port and city port Škver, as well as issues related to the maritime economy.

“Legislation and strategic documentation that the Department of Transport and Maritime Affairs is working on need to provide comprehensive solutions and regulate an area where there is a lot of inconsistency and overlap with functions in other departments,” stated Nurković.

According to the Ministry, Nurković stated that, regardless of political views and choices, the common task for all is to create better conditions to ensure Montenegrin citizens can enjoy higher living standards.

Herceg Novi - Photo Boka News

Mayor of Herceg Novi Stevan Katić recalled that the most significant projects for the improvement of transport infrastructure are the construction of a city bypass, a road network on the Luštica Peninsula, defining the issue of the concession on city port Škver, solving the problem of traffic jams at border crossings with Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and toll collection on the Meljine-Petijevići section, which could be defined as a highway by the state.

He stated that these were investments of interest to both the citizens of Herceg Novi and indeed the entire country, and which need cooperation from the Ministry and the local authority. 

Speaking about the reconstruction of the Adriatic Highway, Katić and others stated that better communication was needed to ensure there would be no traffic collapse or delays in carrying out the work during the second phase of the project.