The town lies huddled at the foot of Mt Lovcen, at the farthest end of the Bay of Kotor and, although palms and olives surround the Old Town, the high mountains casting their shadows give it a mysterious and memorable look.

A small marina of the city of Kotor is based just in front of the main city gates (where the vegetable and fish markets are held) and the mighty 20-metre ramparts that shield Kotor’s Old Town from the waterfront. Kotor marina attracts many big cruisers and luxurious yachts from early spring until the end of autumn. This is the view of the marina in the evening hours. The photo is taken from the terraces of Galion Restaurant, a famous fish restaurant with the splendid view of the town.

Apparently, that same website has been instrumental in capturing some of the same sense brilliance in “this small but fabulous destination.” Late last year, it was awarded the country’s Wild Beauty Award 2010 for Best Tourism Website.

The Montenegro Adventures team accepts their Wild Beauty Award 2010 for Best Tourism Website in Montenegro

“We are aware that our work has just begun, and we have so many plans for the future. We hope that we will be able to attract a growing number of independent travellers to Montenegro, to explore new markets. But we still have a lot to learn – the whole project is a big learning exercise for our team,” said Slavica Vukcevic, Executive Director of Montenegro Adventures. “The plan is to expand by working with a much larger number of accommodation providers, and to add various other products and services, but also we would like to post more content about different regions, traditions, culture, events, etc. We have been listening intently to all the feedback we received from our clients and will respond to many of the given suggestions in the next year.”

Wild and Beautiful

First organized in 2005 by the National Tourism Organization of Montenegro under the auspices of the President of Montenegro, the Wild Beauty Award was created with the aim of improving the image of Montenegro by promoting excellence and raising the quality of the county’s tourism sector. The awards cover everything from hotels, tourism companies and campaigns to events, projects, websites and more.

The 2010 award ceremony was held in the Government House (Vladin Dom) of Cetinje, the historic capital of Old Royal Montenegro. The building was built in 1910, the same year in which Montenegro was proclaimed a kingdom, making the awards of 2010 part of a centennial celebration.

Despite the importance of the year, the awards this year were relatively understated. In a break from routine, the National Tourism Organization decided to donate part of the resources budgeted for this occasion to the Rijeka Crnojevica community, which suffered terribly during recent floods.

King Nikola and Queen Milena in front of the Vladin Dom of Cetinje on August 28, 1910, the day of the proclamation of the Kingdom of Montenegro

Montenegro Adventures

Montenegro Adventures was established by the Centre for Sustainable Tourism Initiatives (CSTI), a local Montenegrin NGO founded as a lasting actor in the development and promotion of tourism in Montenegro. CSTI went on to develop more than 40 unique tours, most of them adventure-based or eco-cultural in orientation, some in remote parts of the country; high-quality promotional materials; and strong partnerships on the ground with local communities, national government bodies and key organisations abroad.

As demand for CSTI-developed tourism products grew, two needs were identified. First, independent travellers and small groups were asking to travel, but, second, “All of our tours were just sitting around unused,” said Vukcevic. “We had tested the tours – advertised them, taken a few people and journalists on them – and we thought local operators would carry on the tours. But they didn’t.” And so, Montenegro Adventures was born.

Whereas CSTI is an NGO that develops responsible and sustainable tourism products, Montenegro Adventures is a for-profit tourism agency that sells those products. However, their desired end result – using sustainable and responsible travel practices to improve the quality of life in Montenegro, preserve cultural heritage and protect the environment – is refreshingly the same.

Montenegro Adventures went on to sign a contract with the International Finance Corporation (IFC is a member of the World Bank Group) and whl.travel, for which it is the local partner in Montenegro and oversees three accommodation- and tour-booking destination portals covering Montenegro’s capital city of Podgorica and its surrounding mountains, the elegant seaside Budva and southern Montenegro and the Bay of Kotor.

The Montenegro Adventures and its three associated whl.travel websites were honoured with the Wild Beauty Award 2010

Looking Ahead

It was “during our work on these destination-management portals that we realized how important it is to cooperate with different institutions and businesses,” explained Vukcevic. “So far we have invested huge effort in travelling throughout Montenegro, working on different products and services, and working with different accommodation providers. In 2011, we plan to focus on transfers and tours, but also we would like to continue supporting the efforts of local tourism organisations and event organisers to promote local traditional events throughout Montenegro.”

As a young but conscientious company with lots of momentum, Montenegro Adventures is also committed to improving the business environment in Montenegro. “We are a relatively new company (almost a startup), but we think helping to streamline administrative processes and promote operational improvements for the benefit of all small and medium enterprises is a must,” concluded Vukcevic. “For that reason, we are actively participating in several working groups organised by the National Tourism Organization or the Ministry of Tourism, such as the Hiking and Biking Development Project, the Montenegro Convention Bureau and, lately, the MOA (a very informal name for a group of Montenegrin outdoor agencies). We have also recently been recognized by SNV (the Dutch Development Organization) as one of their ‘local capacity builders’ – trainers/consultants active in different projects related to enhancing the economic potential and capacity building of small enterprises in the tourism sector.”

At the centre of the Riječka nahija is Riječka Crnojevica, a tiny settlement on a river of the same name leading to Skadar Lake. Many Old Royal Montenegro villages like this are deserted or reduced to one or two families. The project will visit all of these villages to identify anybody with any products that can be made market ready.

Sadly, today, despite its incredible cultural and historical importance, its proximity to other major attraction (like the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Kotor and its famous bay, Skadar Lake National Park and the Ostrog Monastery) and its beautifully preserved environment, the Old Royal Montenegro district is disused, neglected and its local population is in serious decline.

But that may all be about to change thanks to a contract signed between the Delegation of the European Commission in Montenegro and the Centre for Sustainable Tourism Initiatives (CSTI).

From the top of Mt. Lovćen, a symbol of Montenegrin freedom since the villages on its slopes were never been conquered by either Austrians or Turks, the whole of Old Royal Montenegro is visible.

A Heritage Treasure Trove

Old Royal Montenegro covers the broad area between the Zeta River, Skadar Lake and the Bay of Kotor and consists principally of rural communities and the old historic capital of Cetinje. Apart from in Cetinje and the Mt. Lovćen area, which are historic highlights of Montenegro, the infrastructure of traditional buildings and historical sites in the district is however in terrible disrepair and the local populations, which have retained a distinct culture, one based on age-old traditional values and lifestyles, are diminishing in number. All this is now the focus of an effort to inspire new life and opportunity through travel and tourism.

For the next 18 months, CSTI will be leading a project to identify the district’s traditional and cultural tourism products, stimulate and upgrade tourism services, develop concepts for new tourism products that take advantage of the unique local attributes, and work to improve knowledge and raise awareness of the cultural heritage opportunities in Old Royal Montenegro (as well as throughout the country).

The project’s target groups are local producers of traditional products (wine, honey, cheese, ham, souvenirs, handicrafts etc.), owners of the old authentic stone buildings, traditional restaurants and more. Where possible, particular heed will be given to the needs of young people and women within the target groups with an eye toward increasing their involvement.

“[Signing the contract] was a huge event for both organizations,” said Slavica Vukcevic, Executive Director of Montenegro Adventures, the commercial subsidiary of the CSTI and the whl.travel local connection in Montenegro. “We are extremely interested in developing new tourism products in this rural area, which, while quite underdeveloped, is full of tangible and intangible heritage of great importance to the future of tourism in Montenegro.”

Really Going Local

Foremost in many project partners’ minds is the preservation of cultural heritage as a crucial component of identity and self-understanding, qualities that help anchor a community in its past and give it meaning in the present.

This was reflected in a comment made by Mr Leopold Maurer, Ambassador of the European Union to Montenegro, in his speech at the contract signing: “The European Union attaches great significance to the activities carried out by civil society organisations and acknowledges the important role that a well-organized, functioning and strong civil society can play in strengthening pluralism, democracy, human rights, social inclusion, rural development, cultural dialogue and creativity, not only in the EU but also in all those countries striving to join EU.”

Svetlana Vujicic (left), Executive Director of CSTI, signs the contract with Mr. Leopold Maurer (centre), Ambassador of the European Union to Montenegro, and representatives from the Monetenegro Ministry for European Integration.

Given that, the CSTI project aspires to improve cooperation and cultural exchange between constituencies in the region at all levels; share best practices, especially those constructive in recognising and attaining ethno-cultural diversity through environmentally and culturally sustainable development; and showcase the unique culture of the region as one of its main attractions and an opportunity for economic advancement.

The ultimate goal for the region is to give it a new sense of vitality as a living cultural area, thus triggering positive change and creating a platform for future development.

Not yet catalogued but certainly well known are the district’s unique cultural practices and arts that, on a small scale, already attract the curiosity of tourists and provide opportunities for tourism and economic development. The challenge to CSTI will be to further invigorate these qualities without destroying the existing feeling or violating the interests of the locals.

Abandoned structures like this are all too common along small village roads throughout Old Montenegro. Some have been sold to foreign investors, who turn them into summer houses.

“For that reason, learning exchange and improving the knowledge from EU stakeholders and especially on sustainable development approach is the core value of this proposal,” says a concept note describing project.

That same concept note identifies the expected results as including the following:

• a tourism/cultural heritage inventory of at least 100 assets that will be shared among the participants, local and national authorities and international organizations working in the region;
• a core group of 15 motivated stakeholders who will gain and later share the experience of how to revive traditional ways of life/customs/cultural heritage in the community;
• proposed thematic routes that connect the district’s highlights and involve the assisted stakeholders.
• an awareness-raising campaign that will include a documentary, press releases, workshops/trainings.

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Situated in the southeastern Europe, the Balkans is fast becoming one of the most popular destinations for intrepid travellers. It’s a region of incredible untouched nature, delectable cuisines, rich historical lands begging for exploration and understanding, cool ocean breezes across golden sandy beaches, awe-inspiring mountain peaks dotted with centuries-old villages and genuinely friendly and smiling locals. The Balkans is also now quite a safe place to travel, so there’s no excuse not to visit this wonderful part of the world.

The Stari Most (Old Bridge) of Mostar, Bosnia-Herzegovina, spans the Neretva River. Originally built during the Ottoman era, it was destroyed during the Bosnian-Herzegovian War and then rebuilt according to the old design and using as much of the recovered original stone as possible. The bridge and surrounding historic neighbourhoods are now a World Heritage Site.

Bringing new Balkan travel experiences to visitors in the region has been one driving mission of the International Finance Corporation Advisory Services in Europe and Central Asia (IFC is a member of the World Bank Group), along with the WHL Group and local stakeholders. Working together since 2008 to develop tourism market readiness and infrastructure, these partners have, through a Balkan Hotel Market Access Program, succeeded in improving access to the region for independent travellers who prefer to book and pay for services online.

The project targeted eight destinations in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Albania for which Web-based travel portals were developed. In each destination, a local operator was carefully selected to own and operate the website, with follow-up support in technical development and web marketing provided by whl.travel (part of the WHL Group). It was not all about building websites though; the hard work fell to the local stakeholders, who worked directly with small accommodation owners unfamiliar with new technologies and therefore more reliant on traditional marketing. Despite the obstacles, Sarajevo and Medjugorje in Bosnia and Herzegovina; the Bay of Kotor, Budva and Podgorica in Montenegro; and Tirana and Shkoder and the Albanian Alps in Albania are now directly connected to the global e-marketplace.

A screen shot of the Tirana, Albania, website

After just one year of operation, the Web portals made possible by the Balkan Hotel Market Access Program had already generated over €105,000 for small accommodation and tour operators in the region. With over 150,000 unique visitors and some 620,000 page visits, the project had far exceeded expectations. The ongoing impact of the project is now also expected to be significant, having spurred commercial development in new destinations across Slovenia, Serbia, Croatia, Macedonia and further destinations in Albania.

“We managed to achieve all program objectives and the project has been recognized by the IFC management as successful and efficient with significant impact on regional tourism development,” praised Denis Mesihovic, IFC Program Coordinator. “The fact that the program revenue for the first year of the operations was three times higher that the program budget and expenses speaks for itself.”

This is no time to rest on one’s laurels though. “While giant strides have been made with the development of the region’s first online e-commerce enabled booking portals, there is still quite a bit of work that can be done at the product level,” said Zachary Rozga, CEO of WHL Consulting (once a WHL Group company), the entity that managed the project for IFC. “As with many new and emerging tourism destinations, targeted assistance needs to be delivered to the individual hotels, B&Bs and guesthouses on issues like pricing and commissions, digital content development and e-commerce distribution.”

I’m always favourably surprised by how many people have heard of Montenegro. For such a Lilliputian nation, it seems to have outsized celebrity, although, sadly, still seldom as a place worthy of holiday consideration. Having been an attractive vacation retreat as recently as the 1980s, Montenegro until just a few years ago had fallen off the radar as a tourist destination for anyone outside the region. Despite remaining more or less aloof during the Balkan hostilities of the 1990s, Montenegro’s tourist infrastructure and reputation suffered as did the entire region’s: gutted by a decade of flying bullets and political barbs.

Montenegro Adventures and Green Visions guides atop Bobotov Kuk

Today, however, Montenegro is at last reaching new travel audiences. Unlike some of its neighbours – Montenegro shares borders with Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Kosovo and Albania – Montenegro declared its independence in 2006 without its armed forces firing a shot, which sent a clear positive message to travellers. Even before then Montenegro had felt free to pursue an agenda that included redeveloping tourism assets and services throughout the country.

One pair of organisations, however, set its sights on the rich natural endowment of the country’s little-visited and under-serviced north, like Durmitor National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site with numerous mountain peaks over 2,200 metres and stunning glacial lakes and breathtaking canyons carved by the Tara and Piva rivers. All this was looked at with a careful progressive eye toward keeping in step with sustainable-tourism principles and best practices. And, although the north of Montenegro continues to be a primary focus, the shared area of activity for these two organisations has expanded to encompass the whole of the country, equally enthralling both at its mountainous heights and along its 73km of beaches.

A hiker enjoying a photographic view on Durmitor Mountain

Centre for Sustainable Tourism Initiatives (CSTI)

In 2005, with funds from USAID, the international humanitarian and aid organization CHF International founded a local Montenegrin NGO called CSTI as an lasting actor in the development and promotion of tourism, particularly in the north, an area rich in unspoiled natural and historic attractions.

“The needs were clear and simple,” said Christopher Brown, Director for CHF International in Montenegro during a speech in December 2008. “Tourists had to be aware of the region as a tourism destination and adequate service had to be made available upon their arrival. In response, CSTI went to work on promoting the region, developing services and building the capacity of tourism personnel.”

Bikers on a Montenegro Adventures 14-day pilot biking tour designed by CSTI in cooperation with the National Tourism Organization

The results were outstanding: more than 40 unique tours, most of them adventure-based or eco-cultural in orientation, some into remote parts of the country; high-quality promotional materials; and strong partnerships on the ground with local communities, national government bodies and even abroad with partners able to assure visitors. On-site work was directed at tourism providers to help them improve hospitality, tour and transport services; knowledge was shared with ministries and major tourism organisations helping keep development strategies and support inline with expectations; and word of Montenegro’s beauty has begun to reach more and more ears all across the globe.

Montenegro Adventures

As demand for CSTI-developed tourism products grew, two needs were identified. First, independent travellers and small groups were asking to travel, but, second, “All of our tours were just sitting around unused,” said Slavica Vukcevic, Executive Director of Montenegro Adventures. “We had tested the tours – advertised them, taken a few people and journalists on them – and we thought local operators would carry on the tours. But they didn’t.”

And so Montenegro Adventures was born, a subsidiary wholly owned by CSTI and sharing its ideals, knowledge base and resources, but distinct in both organisation and mission. Whereas CSTI is an NGO that develops responsible and sustainable tourism products, Montenegro Adventures is a for-profit tourism agency selling those products. The end result – using sustainable and responsible travel practices to improve the quality of life in Montenegro, preserve cultural heritage and protect the environment – is refreshingly the same.

Part of the whl.travel Family

In June 2008, Montenegro Adventures accepted support from the International Finance Corporation (part of the World Bank Group) as part of the latter’s Balkan Hotel Market Access Program, designed to open the Balkan region to new markets. This brought Montenegro Adventures to whl.travel, the fast-growing global grassroots network of travel websites. Through whl.travel, three new accommodation- and tour-booking destination portals for Montenegro were launched, covering the capital city of Podgorica and surrounding mountains, elegant seaside Budva and southern Montenegro and the Bay of Kotor.

CSTI and Montenegro Adventures leading a National Geographic tour through the Tara River Canyon

In just four short years, through businesses like CSTI and Montenegro Adventures, Montenegro has put itself back on the map. So for your next summer holiday, don’t let larger countries distract you. From the top of Bobotov kuk (Mt Durmitor) to the Tara River Canyon or the medieval town of Kotor on its eponymous bay, Montenegro is one of the Balkan’s – and Europe’s – rediscovered gems.

For more information about Montenegro, including accommodations, tours, activities and lots of insider tips, contact your local whl.travel connection: the team from Montenegro Adventures at www.montenegro-adventures.com.

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Want to learn more SUMMER IN THE BALKANS? Read about Albania and Bosnia & Herzegovina.