The world loves Montenegro

THE 2017 TOURIST SEASON was Montenegro’s most successful so far – until 2018 proved another record breaker, with visitor numbers rising by 45%, according to the National Tourism Organisation (NTO). Tourism minister Pavle Radulović rightly calls this a ‘spectacular result’.

We certainly shouldn’t be surprised at Montenegro’s growing popularity. Few other countries in Europe can rival its unique, natural, unspoiled beauty, and tourism here is underpinned by strong government support for the carefully paced development of top-quality facilities. The NTO attributes 2018’s growth to better hotel offerings, alongside a proliferation of cultural events and entertainment (take a look at our events diary, page 17, which expands every season). The Tourism Ministry says that long-term success will depend on establishing and maintaining the highest standards – including world-class hotels such as our own The Chedi Luštica Bay. The implementation of the Touristic Masterplan for Montenegro, launched in 2001 to establish a long-term plan for the development of tourism in the country, continues to bear fruit, contributing significantly to the European Commission’s predictions of continued economic growth of around 3% for Montenegro in 2019.

Peak of success

MONTENEGRO IS A WALKER’S PARADISE and those seeking a challenge will enjoy tackling the Peaks of the Balkans hiking circuit, which has recently been made more accessible to walkers. The full trail is close to 200km long and takes in remote valleys and mountain passes in some of the least visited parts of Europe; access points include the Montenegrin town of Plav. To find out everything you need to know before lacing up your boots, see our feature on page 84.

If you don’t have time to complete the entire trail, you can pick a shorter section to complete – and there are many other well-marked hikes of varying length and difficulty across Montenegro, some the preserve of experienced adventurers, others suitable for families. Setting out on foot to discover the countryside fits in perfectly with the Luštica Bay philosophy of enjoying the outdoors in harmony with nature. In this issue, we have even more ideas to get our readers outside and moving – our feature on page 88 rounds up the very best of the local sports, from climbing to diving.