Montenegro can reach three million international tourist arrivals by 2030
The projection presented at the BEST STAY Regional Hospitality Forum in Budva shows the potential for further growth of Montenegrin tourism. However, the main message of the gathering was different: a larger number of guests will not be enough without increasing the value, productivity, and quality of the tourism product.
Montenegro By 2030, it could reach approximately three million international tourist arrivals. The projection is for the first BEST STAY at the Regional Hospitality Forum – Montenegro Edition was presented by tourism professor and futurist Dr. Ian Yeoman, analyzing possible scenarios for the development of the destination.
The three-million figure is not presented as an objective in itself. On the contrary, the discussion held on September 23 at the Avala Resort & Villas hotel in Budva largely dealt with the question of what economic value Montenegro can derive from future tourism growth.
The EU can accelerate investments, but competitiveness is built before membership
The European perspective was one of the main topics of the Forum. Membership in the European Union could make it easier for Montenegro to access capital, funds, and new markets, but hoteliers need to prepare for such a business environment already now.
Martina Lucić Čanak, owner and director of the BEST STAY platform, warned that membership alone will not solve the issue of competitiveness. According to her, preparations include people, investments, the security of hotel operations, revenue management, and the development of new tourist products.
Croatia's experience after joining the EU served as one of the points of reference in the discussion, especially when it comes to investments and the changes that European integration brings to the hotel sector.
Three million guests also raise the question of the value of tourism
Yeoman presented four possible development scenarios, taking into account changes in passenger expectations, technology, the labor market, and the broader tourism environment. For destinations like Montenegro, the challenge therefore is not only to increase capacity, but to adapt the product quickly enough to new patterns of demand.
This could actually be more important than the actual number of arrivals. Further growth without an appropriate development of the hotel product, infrastructure, human resources, and facilities can hardly produce the same effect as growth aimed at greater consumption and added value.
Hoteliers in the midst of preparations for a new market phase
Nikola Kasalo, CEO of Beppler & Jacobson Montenegro, described European integration as an opportunity to bring knowledge, standards, and business culture closer to the European market. His message is that Montenegrin tourism needs development that creates value, not just more traffic.
For the hotel industry, this question becomes particularly relevant. If the projection of approximately three million international arrivals is realized, the market will demand not only additional beds but also better-quality operations, a professional workforce, new products, and investments that can increase revenue per guest.
BEST STAY Montenegro Edition opened the topic that will likely mark the next phase of Montenegrin tourism: how to turn the expected growth in demand into a more sustainable and profitable hotel and tourism sector.
