Tourism direct GDP | Tourism direct employment | Travel exports (2024) |
|---|---|---|
- | - | 54.6% of total service exports (down 0.1 percentage points since 2023) |
OECD Tourism Trends and Policies 2026
National tourism strategy: Montenegro Tourism Development Strategy 2022-2025
Responsible government agency: Ministry of Tourism
National tourism budget: EUR 3.9 million (Ministry of Tourism), EUR 3.2 million (National Tourism Organisation, EUR 9.9 million (tourism programmes) (2025)
Key tourism policy priorities and actions:
Adopting digital technology and AI in tourism – Supporting digital innovation to improve technological capacity and competitiveness and utilising digital tools, including the Tourist Information System, to better monitor tourism.
Encouraging the green transformation of tourism – Reducing tourism energy consumption through energy efficiency incentive programmes for the hotel industry and catering facilities.
Investing in tourism infrastructure – Improving access to key tourism attractions and continuing the construction of ski centres across Montenegro.
Tourism is central to Montenegro’s economy, accounting for an important share of the country’s GDP and employment. In 2024, travel exports accounted for more than half (54.6%) of the country’s service exports. Preliminary data from the Central Bank of Montenegro estimates tourism revenues in 2024 to be EUR 1.5 billion, showing a decrease of 3.1% compared to 2023.
The country recorded 2.5 million international tourists in commercial accommodation in 2024, equivalent to levels in 2023. This resulted in 15.0 million overnight stays. The top three international markets in 2024 were Serbia (18.4%), Bosnia and Herzegovina (8.5%) and the Russian Federation (8.1%).
Domestic tourism represents a small component of overall visitor overnight stays in Montenegro, just 3.9% of nights in commercial accommodation in 2024.
The Ministry of Tourism is responsible for tourism policy in Montenegro. In February 2025, the Regulations on the Internal Organisation and Systematisation of the Ministry of Tourism were adopted, which significantly changed and expanded the organisational structure of the Ministry of Tourism. The National Tourism Organisation of Montenegro and local tourism organisations also have a leading role in defining tourism development and destination management policies and creating tourism product. The role of local tourism organisations is defined by the Law on Tourism Organisations of Montenegro.
The Co-ordination Body for the Preparation and Monitoring of the Development of the Season was formed to create a responsible environment for the preparation and implementation of tourist seasons, with the aim of raising the level of tourism competitiveness in Montenegro. The Body meets monthly and includes representatives from ministries, local governments, state-owned enterprises and businesses that have a key role in the field of tourism.
The National Tourism Council, established in December 2022, aims to strengthen the tourism sector, nationally and internationally, by proposing, implementing and monitoring activities of importance for all tourism and tourism-related entities in Montenegro. The Council also works to raise standards in the tourism sector to better position Montenegro as a tourist destination, strengthen the economy through better integration of tourism, create a stable business and investment tourist environment, and improve tourist satisfaction.
The tourism budget for 2025 included EUR 3.9 million for the Ministry of Tourism, EUR 3.2 million for the National Tourist Organisation and EUR 9.9 million for capital projects.
Source: OECD, adapted from the Ministry of Tourism, 2026.
The Montenegro Tourism Development Strategy 2022-2025 aims to guide the management of tourism in a sustainable manner, creating innovative, green and inclusive tourism products to increase tourist spending, and reduce seasonality and regional inequality, with the aim of raising the standard of living of the local population and tourist satisfaction.
The Strategy is implemented through annual action plans that define goals, measures and activities, both for the tourism sector and for other sectors directly and indirectly related to tourism. The 2025 Action Plan focused on strengthening institutional capacity while improving the capacity of inspection services and co-ordination, expanding digital solutions for greater innovation, improving tourist infrastructure and superstructure (including accommodation facilities), improving the quality and diversification of tourist products, developing human resources by improving knowledge and skills, and developing destination management and effective marketing.
Tourism development has been identified as a priority for the Montenegrin economy. Goals to elevate the quality of the tourism offer include increasing the number and capacity of high-quality accommodation establishments in Montenegro. To achieve these objectives, the Government has introduced a set of changes in fiscal policy, the tax system, and legal regulations, to simplify procedures to obtain permits during the pre-investment phase. Montenegro has also concluded multiple international agreements on economic co-operation, mutual promotion, and protection of investments. Key reforms have focused on creating a stimulating tax system, and positioning Montenegro with a low VAT rate (21%) compared to regional competitors, alongside a competitive 15% VAT rate on hospitality services, including accommodation. Additional tax incentives are available for investors when developing four- and five-star hotels (see box below).
The Montenegro Quality project aims to enhance tourism quality and enrich the tourist experience. The project includes the introduction of a quality mark for tourism entities, education for tourism workers, surveys of the population on tourism attitudes and analysis of digital marketing for the tourism industry. The quality mark is awarded in three levels: gold, silver, and bronze, reflecting the commitment to continuous improvement in tourism services.
The digitalisation of the tourism sector is pivotal for improved innovation and competitiveness. The Ministry of Tourism and the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation are implementing the project "Supporting the Transition to Tourism Industry 4.0 in Montenegro Led by Digital Technologies", dedicated to digital innovation in cultural heritage, with a special emphasis on 3D digitisation and digital storytelling. The project supports SMEs introduce digital technologies and innovation in tourism, culture and related industries to improve competitiveness, foster the creation of high-value products, promote employment and sustainable economic development.
The new Tourist Information System, adopted in July 2025, will provide a platform to enable automatic monitoring, better records and data transparency, the automation and acceleration of processes, reduction of administrative burden and better identification of informal tourism activities. Budget has been allocated for the development, testing, implementation, monitoring, evaluation, and guaranteed maintenance of a functional Tourist Information System.
A key step for the green transformation of Montenegro's tourism sector is the reduction of energy consumption, energy intensity and carbon dioxide emissions. The Ministry of Tourism in co-operation with the Ministry of Energy, and with the support of the European Union has initiated a programme to establish a financial mechanism for improving energy efficiency and increasing the use of available sources of renewable energy by hotel facilities. Preference is given to hotels that operate throughout the calendar year and that operate in the northern region of Montenegro. The funds allocated by the programme are used to cover part of the eligible costs of projects that could include improving the energy performance of the building infrastructure, improving the efficiency of building heating and cooling, water heating systems or lighting, installing solar powered electricity, or capacity-building to improve energy management and energy consumption optimisation. There is also a complementary energy efficiency incentive programme for catering facilities in households and rural households, offering up to EUR 20 000 in refunds per applicant.
Montenegro has identified the tourism valorisation of the northern region as a strategic commitment and development priority, particularly for tourist sports infrastructure. This is further complemented by the development of recreational, sports, health, and winter tourism. The overall aim is to enhance the development of this area and reduce disparities between the southern and northern regions of the country. A number of multi-year activities include the construction of new ski resorts (Žarski Ski Resort, Cmiljača Ski Resort and the Štedim–Hajla Ski Resort), continued modernisation of existing resorts (Kolašin 1600 and Savin Kuk Ski Resorts), and the construction of a tourism-speleological facility through the valorisation of Đalovića Cave, all in accordance with the highest international standards. The projects are financed through the ‘Enhancement of the Tourism Offer’ sub-programme of the Capital Budget
Investments in the implementation of these development projects include the construction of road infrastructure, access roads and parking areas, electrical and telecommunications infrastructure, water supply and wastewater systems, as well as service and hospitality facilities.
Montenegro is seeking to increase high-quality accommodation capacity through reform of the tax system. To incentivise investment, investors are exempt from paying import VAT on the supply of goods, and services for the construction of five-star hotels. Real-estate property taxes are reduced by 30% for four-star hotels and 70% for five-star hotels operating year-round. Additional incentives for five-star hotel construction include exemptions from fees for municipal land development.
Following the introduction of tax relief reforms for hotel construction in Montenegro in 2012, the number and capacity of four-and five-star hotels has increased significantly, with 38 new five-star hotels (approximately 5 560 beds) and 155 four-star hotels (approximately 17 400 beds) have been added to Montenegro’s accommodation supply. As a result, the share of high-quality accommodation capacity as a proportion of total hotel capacity has increased significantly. In comparison to 2012, Montenegro now boasts more than half of all hotels in the four- or five-star category, compared to less than one-quarter in 2012, when the country predominantly had accommodation capacities in two-star category hotels.