• četvrtak, 24 jul 2025

DEG: Impossible to compete with Swiss and Italian ski-centres

DEG: Impossible to compete with Swiss and Italian ski-centres
Zabljak can become only a regional winter tourist centre because of the lack of ski lifts and illegal construction, said DEG expert Johann Friedrich Engel at yesterday#s presentation of the new plan of tourism development in Montenegro. "A few ski lifts in Zabljak is too few for international winter tourism. In the town there is not much charm and uncontrolled construction must be stopped". He said that Swiss and Italian centres were too developed to find local centres as competition. Engel said that DEG was yet to begin working on development of winter tourism in Montenegro. The main problems of our tourism are inaccessibility, vital environment protection, hotel capacities and undeveloped sale system. "Air ticket from Frankfurt to Podgorica costs 650 DEM, and to major rival, Mallorca, 200 DEM and in season 440 DEM. Montenegro needs one central airport and greater frequency of flights to make tickets to European cities cheaper, since then tourists would spend more money on hotels," said Engel. He said that advantages of our tourism were climate, sandy beeches and different cultures. Hotel capacities must be prepared for a long season. They would insist on private economy which gives individual colour to tourism and brings innovations. Engel claims that sojourn in Montenegro could not be booked at present. Beside the sale system, good and skilled tourist journalists, lobbyists, politicians and interesting tourists are needed, on which the press would write. "Ecological consciousness is not accepted as an advantage in Europe. Tourists would not come because you want to protect your vital environment - that is taken for granted," said he. Engel announced readiness of German Government to assist in education of cadre for which the plan of activities would be prepared.