Montenegrin hoteliers and private accommodation providers are approaching the off-season with cautious optimism, leveraging group bookings, conferences and long-term partnerships to maintain occupancy rates. Despite facing significant challenges, including a shortage of workers, issues with air connectivity, and unfavorable weather affecting last-minute bookings, the off-season is crucial for the financial health of the tourism sector.
Key Points:
- Stable demand for group events:
- Hotels are seeing steady demand for group events and conferences.
- Private accommodation providers are adjusting their offerings for seasonal guests, emphasizing the quieter months of September and October as ideal for family vacations due to lower prices and fewer crowds.
- Visitor concerns:
- Some long-time visitors to Budva are dissatisfied with the city’s appearance and hygiene, leading them to consider alternative destinations.
- Problems such as unregulated infrastructure and poor organization are affecting competitiveness.
- Fewer individual bookings:
- Mića Ivanović from the “Budva” hotel reports a drop in individual guests and last-minute bookings. September and October are performing similarly to last year, but there are fewer online reservations and cancellations due to flight issues.
- The off-season is primarily focused on group travel, with significant differences in guest demographics compared to the peak season.
- Workforce challenges:
- There is a shortage of new workers available, making it difficult to manage the off-season workload after a busy summer.
- Herceg Novi outlook:
- Jovan Vukalović from the “Lighthouse” hotel in Herceg Novi expects the off-season to match last year’s levels, with good bookings projected from the New Year until the Mimosa Festival.
- The city needs more sports and family-friendly activities to improve its appeal as an off-season destination.
- Private accommodation sector:
- Jovan Rosić reports a strong start to the off-season in early September but notes that poor weather forecasts have slowed last-minute bookings.
- The guest profile shifts to adults and families with young children. Price adjustments are crucial to attract off-season visitors.
Challenges:
- Infrastructure and services: Traffic jams, noise, lack of parking, and other infrastructure issues remain unresolved, impacting guest experience.
- Unstable electricity: Issues with the electricity network, especially on the coast, are a concern.
- Lack of institutional support: Small hoteliers feel unsupported by relevant institutions, leading to a disorganized market.
Overall, while the Montenegrin tourism sector is facing significant hurdles, efforts to adapt pricing and service quality in response to current challenges are ongoing, with the hope of driving necessary improvements and sustaining visitor interest.
