Montenegro - The next great world destination for MICE tourism

MICE tourism (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, Exhibitions) represents a chance for Montenegrin tourism - it extends the season, opens up opportunities for new investments, and it is also known that business tourists, as a rule, fall into the high-paying categories of guests, which further affects the growth of income. Our country already occupies a significant position when it comes to this type of travel, and over the last few years interest in Montenegro has been growing even more. The opening of luxury hotels and resorts throughout the country contributed to this, and apart from the coast, the north of the country is also becoming more and more recognized.

Challenges when it comes to the development of this type of tourism certainly exist, and eKapija interlocutors agree that underdeveloped road infrastructure and poor air connectivity are among the biggest. There is also a noticeable lack of a large congress center that would enable the organization of larger congresses.

The Montenegrin Convention Bureau (MCB), which operates within the National Tourist Organization (NTO), is dedicated to improving and strengthening capacities for the development of MICE tourism, creating a brand and promoting Montenegro as an attractive destination for the organization of various business events, such as conferences, congresses , business meetings, motivational (incentive) trips and others.

- This is an opportunity to meet professional event organizers (hosted buyers) from all over the world, and further position the destination on the business tourism map - Maksimović told our portal.

According to her, participation in these fairs from year to year confirms the noticeable trend of growing interest of event organizers in Montenegro, which is becoming increasingly popular on the list of MICE destinations.

Maksimović says that Montenegro is a destination that has exceptional potential for this type of tourism, which represents a huge chance for extending the season and generating higher income from tourism, since business trips take place outside the main tourist season, and that the consumption of a tourist on a business trip is significantly higher than the consumption of an average tourist.

- With the opening of new hotels of high categories, Montenegro is developing rapidly as a MICE destination. That we are on the right track is confirmed by the fact that the demand is increasing, and the number of business events organized in our country is increasing also. However, there is still a lot of room for improving the capacity and, first of all, the air accessibility of the destination, in the direction of increasing competitiveness - she explains.

When it comes to capacities, the main comparative advantage of Montenegro is the presence of high-category hotels of renowned hotel brands that have the necessary facilities and equipment in accordance with world standards and can absolutely meet the high expectations of MICE visitors.

- Precisely, with the aim of further raising the quality of Montenegrin business tourism, the reorganization of the MCB is underway, which primarily involves standardization and certification of members, in accordance with international standards and recommendations of relevant institutions in this field. Members, in the appropriate categories, can be hotels, local tourism organizations, travel agencies and other legal entities that are registered to provide services in the field of MICE tourism - says our interlocutor, adding that they also provide support through the Program of Incentive Measures adopted by the Government of Montenegro.

- Last year, through this program, the National Tourism Organization of Montenegro allocated funds for the improvement of capacities for this type of tourism and the organization of MICE events - says Maksimović.

The importance of the development of MICE tourism is indicated by the Chamber of Commerce of Montenegro, emphasizing that successful and high-quality tourism depends on the attractiveness of the destination throughout the year, and one of the most critical aspects of our tourism is the concentration on a relatively short period of the year. Therefore, they point out, Montenegro must be recognized as a destination worth visiting all year round.

- The overall tourist offer implies the extension of the season while at the same time the development of special forms of tourism such as: health, adventure, cultural, congress tourism... At the meetings of the Board of Tourism and Hospitality Association of the Chamber of Commerce, businessmen highlighted the importance of the development of congress tourism, promotion of Montenegro at specialized congress fairs and initiated the creation of a specialized web portal that will serve as a central place for the presentation of congress and incentive tourism in Montenegro for the congress industry - PKCG told our portal.

Special emphasis is placed on the MICE segment, which attracts guests familiar with the values of the circular economy and green policies, and encourages revenue growth and brings added value.

If we talk about concrete figures, Aleksandra Maksimović states that, according to EUROSTAT`s research, the share of business trips in the total spending of tourists in 2022 was 13%, and the highest average spending per night was achieved by tourists on a business trip, 2.1 times more compared to tourists on vacation.

- Also, research predicts that the total increase in the global segment of business travel will amount to 13.1% by 2032. Unfortunately, we do not have specific data for Montenegro, as a result of which the tourist registration system does not treat the category of MICE tourists separately - Maksimović explains.

When it comes to the type of events that are most often organized, Maksimović points out that the popularity of Montenegro as a destination for corporate trips and incentives, i.e. motivational trips, is growing more and more.

When it comes to the advantages of Montenegro as a destination, in addition to the aforementioned concentration of renowned luxury hotel brands in a small area, the number of which is growing year by year, and the improved offer of hotels with conference facilities, Maksimović also points out the Mediterranean climate, the extraordinary nature that offers the opportunity to organize unforgettable trips, the rich gastronomic offer, as well as the fact that we are only about two hours away from most European centers.

- With an average of about 240 sunny days a year, a variety of offers in a small area and a great potential for adventure and "event" tourism, Montenegro is an increasingly attractive MICE destination - Aleksandra Maksimović says.

All the advantages she mentioned, according to the eKapija interlocutor, provide an excellent platform for organizing successful business events of various types.

- In the first place, the incentives events, i.e. motivational trips organized by companies for their employees. Since we do not have large congress facilities, Montenegro is ideal for conferences that gather 300-500 participants. Also, our country is increasingly popular as a destination for weddings, which is a segment we pay special attention to in promotion - says Maksimović, adding that they will continue to work on the promotion of business tourism, following trends and innovations in the industry.

- All with the aim of ensuring that Montenegro is among the first destinations on the list of choices for the organization of business events and a leading European incentive destination - she says.

If we talk about the most popular destinations when it comes to MICE trips, our interlocutor states that, bearing in mind that the largest number of high-class hotels and hotels with conference facilities are located on the coast, the most attractive cities are Boka, and Budva with the Splendid Resort&Spa hotel that has the largest congress capacities in Montenegro and therefore hosts the largest number of conferences and congresses.

- In addition, I am pleased to state that with the development of congress capacities, Podgorica is becoming increasingly competitive as one of the leading congress destinations in the country. In addition to the growing number of hotels with conference facilities, the capital also has a Music Center that is a certified member of the MCB as a congress center that offers opportunities for the organization of various types of events - says Maksimović.

- I would like to point out that with the opening of new hotels and planned investments, Kolašin is increasingly profiled as an attractive destination for business trips, which will contribute to extending the season and creating a year-round destination.

The country, as she states, has occupied an important place on the MICE map for many years and is becoming an increasingly recognizable destination. She also points out the fact that luxury hotel facilities contributed to this trend to a significant extent, and by promoting their brands, they also promote the destination as a whole.

- When I recall the situation from ten years ago, I can say that we have invested a lot of effort and financial resources in promoting Montenegro as a destination for MICE tourism. It gives me great pleasure that our efforts bore fruit. The feedback from MICE professionals has been outstanding and keeps coming. We recently had a group from the United Kingdom and our client told us that we "created a problem" for him because he will have a hard time finding a destination, program and service that will surpass the experience the participants had in Montenegro. It is an additional motivation for us to continue to strive for excellence in this industry - she says.

It was the Talas-M agency in partnership with the Regent Hotel that hosted the M&I Luxe event last year, which was a great contribution to the promotion of Montenegro on the MICE market.

- This event was attended by 150 professionals from this industry, and the feedback from the participants was more than satisfactory. We are proud of the successful realization of this event, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank all local partners who contributed to our joint success - says Vejnović.

The Talas-M agency also believes that Montenegro is the most suitable destination for meetings and incentive travel. Their experience shows that they are most interested in the southern part of Montenegro, but they do not neglect the north of the country either.

- We believe that the combination of both parts offers a variety of programs and experiences. The announcement of the opening of a five-star hotel in the north gives us extra encouragement. Our clients mostly come from Europe, and we notice a growth in interest from the markets of South Africa, Mexico and the United States of America. There is a lot of potential, but this type of tourism requires specific promotion - our interlocutor says.

Snezana Vejnović says that she is happy that the supply and demand are improving year by year. The quality of services is increasing, and new contents are being opened that enrich our offer.

- We have the opportunity to be creative in creating programs for our clients. Today`s clients are looking for authenticity and are mindful of sustainable development and environmental impact. We are aware of how important sustainability is, so we introduced the ISO standard EMS (Environmental Management System) a few years ago, and we can also proudly say that we are one of the few agencies that holds the Biosphere Sustainable Lifestyle certificate for sustainable tourism. It is a guarantee for an ecological, economic and socio-cultural balance that meets the needs of modern travelers, and it marks continuous progress towards the sustainable goals of "Horizon 2030" set by the United Nations - says the eKapija interlocutor.

She also adds that at a solemn ceremony in Berlin on March 6, Talas Montenegro DMC won the prestigious 2024 World Travel Awards as the best Destination Management Company in Montenegro for 2024.

- We see this award as our contribution to the development of the destination itself in the MICE market - Vejnović points out.

Speaking about the challenges when it comes to MICE tourism, Aleksandra Maksimović says that, since air connectivity most often plays a decisive role when choosing a destination for event organization, improving air availability on a year-round level is the biggest challenge and a necessary precondition for the development of Montenegro as a MICE destination.

- Additional shortcomings and what needs to be worked on further is the construction of a congress center with larger capacities that could attract larger congresses. In addition, special attention should be paid to the principles of sustainability, digitalization, the use of artificial intelligence and innovative technologies when organizing events, in order to be competitive. Of course, in addition to product development, adequate promotion is a necessary step on the road to the development of congress tourism in Montenegro - Maksimović told us.

Snežana Vejnović also agrees with her, adding that in addition to poor air availability, one of the main challenges is the underdeveloped infrastructure.

- This includes congress centers, halls, meeting rooms, conference rooms and other facilities that can accommodate a large number of people and provide technical support for the holding of gatherings - they state.

Also, the destination must have quality accommodation in or near the meeting venue, which will meet the needs of business travelers. Availability and good connectivity are of particular importance, with a special emphasis on air availability.

- In the end, there is the provision of a high level of service - quality food and beverage service, as well as the provision of additional services, such as transportation and organization of free time. When we take all of this into consideration, then we conclude that there is still a lot of work to be done - Chamber of Commerce of Montenegro (PKCG) said.