The National Tourism Organization (NTO), along with the relevant ministry and the tourism industry, has presented Montenegro’s tourism offerings at a tourism fair in New York for the first time, held over the weekend.
The Montenegrin delegation is led by the Minister of Tourism, Ecology, Sustainable Development, and the Development of the North, Vladimir Martinović, who emphasized the importance of participating in the fair, especially considering the growing number of tourists from the American market.
“It is very important for Montenegro to participate in this tourism fair. Tourists from the United States are generally not familiar with our tourism offerings, and we see great potential in this market. Of course, constant investment in better promotion is necessary to bring our country closer to American citizens,” said Martinović.
He noted that in collective and individual accommodation during 2022, there were about 40,000 tourists from that market, but that this number could be significantly higher.
“Everyone is vying for guests from the U.S. The competition is strong, but Montenegro can secure its place in this market,” Martinović concluded.
He stated that Montenegro has exactly what American tourists want, which is untouched nature, contributing simultaneously to strengthening the good relations between the two countries in the field of tourism.
Known as the Travel and Adventure Show, it is one of the largest fairs of its kind in the United States, connecting millions of visitors with thousands of exhibitors from around the world over its 19 years of existence.
The Vice President of the fair, Jonathan Golic, mentioned that this year there were more than 750 exhibitors, and the consumers attending this event are adventurers who have the means and time to travel worldwide.
During the two-day fair, the NTO booth was visited not only by many New York citizens but also by approximately 275 travel agents who had the opportunity to get acquainted with Montenegro’s offerings.
The President of the Executive Board of the NTO, Miško Rađenović, emphasized that in competition with other destinations, Montenegro offers a unique combination of untouched nature, rich cultural heritage, and hospitable locals.
Given the positive response from visitors and travel agents at the fair, Rađenović stated that he is confident that the interest in Montenegro as a destination will continue to grow. He emphasized the importance of such events to strengthen Montenegro’s presence in the international market.
The host of the Europe with Rick Steves show, Rick Steves, also visited the Montenegrin booth and expressed that it is a very beautiful country.
“I have been to Montenegro and really liked the Bay of Kotor, going into the mountains, and visiting Cetinje. Americans pay a lot of attention to what everyone is talking about, so if people have a good experience in Montenegro, more people will go there,” Steves said.
One of the fair visitors, Michelle from Maryland, mentioned that she is hearing about Montenegro for the first time but finds it beautiful in the photos, and she will consider visiting in the future.
Representatives of the Montenegrin tourism industry expressed satisfaction with their first participation in the U.S. tourism fair and hope that this experience will contribute to attracting a larger number of tourists.
The Executive Director of the Montenegro Stars hotel group, Andrija Pešić, stated that the fair enabled them to showcase to the American market what they have to offer, especially concerning stays in their high-category hotels and others in Montenegro.
“This is an important step towards strengthening the international recognition of our hotels and Montenegro as a destination that is definitely worth visiting. We are proud to represent our country at this significant event and look forward to opportunities for collaboration in this market,” Pešić noted.
The President of the Board of Directors of Budvanska rivijera, Miomir Pejović, conveyed that Budva and all of Montenegro offer many things that can be interesting to guests from this region. Emphasizing the growth in the number of American tourists during 2022, he expects such trends to continue in the coming period.
The travel agency Talas M stated that a large number of visitors are interested in Montenegro.
“It is a big surprise that our destination has enormous potential in this market. However, this is just the first step, and to achieve real results, we need better air connectivity and more concrete actions to promote our country,” emphasized the travel agency.
After the fair, representatives of Montenegro will hold numerous meetings with tour operators and travel agents from this market to present the destination and the overall tourism offer.
In addition to the Ministry of Tourism, Ecology, Sustainable Development, and the Development of the North and the National Tourist Organization (NTO), the tourism fair in New York featured presentations from local tourist organizations in Kotor and Budva, hotel groups Montenegro Stars and Budvanska rivijera, Hotel Maestral, ski center Kolašin 1600, as well as travel agencies MTS, Kompas, Caeli, and Talas M.
The delegation from the Ministry of Tourism, Ecology, Sustainable Development, and the Development of the North had a meeting with business representatives from New York regarding business barriers and creating a better business environment in Montenegro.
