Aerodromi Crne Gore handled almost 1.5mn passengers between January and early July, approximately 17 per cent more than during the comparable record period of 2025. The operator expects traffic to rise about 18 per cent to 3.63mn passengers for the full year, with projected net profit of €13.37mn.
Wizz Air’s first Podgorica base, opened in late March with 17 new routes, has widened access from western and central Europe. Stronger services from British Airways, Iberia and other international carriers are reducing dependence on regional traffic and traditional summer charter markets.
Tivat was hosting approximately 10,870 registered visitors in early August, 8 per cent more than a year earlier, indicating that the peak season remained resilient despite complaints about traffic congestion, service quality and high prices.
The underlying constraint is physical capacity. Passenger growth is putting pressure on terminals, baggage handling, aprons, road access and urban infrastructure. Montenegro has debated an airport concession for years, while estimates for modernising Podgorica and Tivat remain in the €250mn–€300mn range.
The longer the ownership decision remains unresolved, the greater the risk that demand outruns service quality. Strong passenger growth can increase Aerodromi Crne Gore’s earnings, but congested terminals and unreliable ground access can weaken the wider tourism product and discourage airlines from adding year-round capacity.
The government is also supporting the relocation of the EXIT festival platform to Montenegro. Events in Ulcinj and Budva are expected to generate at least 210,000 overnight stays and more than €40mn of direct visitor spending, against proposed central-government support of €1.5mn plus municipal contributions.
This is an attractive stated multiplier, although the final return depends on verified attendance, additional rather than displaced visitors, tax capture and the capacity of local infrastructure. Event tourism is most valuable when it expands shoulder-season demand instead of adding congestion to already full summer weeks.
