Montenegros beaches empty! Tourism in the crisis - what is behind it?

Montenegros beaches empty! Tourism in the crisis - what is behind it?

Budva, Montenegro - Montenegro's beaches are terrifyingly empty in the high season, which presents the country's tourism industry with massive challenges. According to Kosmo , even popular beach trains like Zanjice are surprisingly abandoned at times, which are usually heavily frequented. Especially shots from Budva that were distributed on social networks show deserted promenades and unused deckchairs. The decline in tourist numbers has been noticeable since 2024 - especially the arrivals from Germany and Russia have dropped in recent years. While the situation took a dramatic turn in 2025, many coastal towns are fighting for economic survival.

The causes of this crisis are diverse and range from excessive prices to rising competition from neighboring countries to a striking call Montenegros as an attractive travel destination. Montenegro Business also reports about political instability and deficits in the infrastructure that Minder the appeal. These factors lead to stagnation in the tourism sector that plays a key role in the country's economic growth.

political instability and infrastructure problems

dr. Rade Ratković, professor of economy and tourism in Budva, finds that tourism cannot thrive without political stability and favorable business conditions. Political unrest and poor transport send negative signals to potential vacationers. Especially in Budva, where internal conflicts within the local government worsen the conditions for tourism, the image of Montenegros suffers as a safe travel destination. Bad management of tourist infrastructure and long waiting times at the limits contribute to rejection by travelers.

The landscape of organized tourism, which is crucial for the recruitment of high -quality guests, shows significant defects. The juxtaposition of formal and informal accommodation providers complicates the legal generation of revenue. According to Balkaneu , increasing value added tax rates and inflation could lead to many providers migrate to the informal sector. This development has direct negative effects on the quality of visitors and could ultimately lead to considerable economic losses.

economic challenges and the future outlook

The Montenegrin Ministry of Finance has revised its growth forecasts for 2025 to 3.5 %, which reflects the current economic challenges. A connection between the falling number of tourists and economic stagnation is becoming increasingly clear. The aging of the infrastructure in Montenegro not only led to the dissatisfaction of vacationers, but also burdened the local economy. These are further indicators that the tourism sector, as one of the most important pillars of the Montenegrin economy, urgently needs reforms to remain competitive.

The leadership, however, relies on investments in airports and roads to improve the connection and diversify the tourist offer. It remains unclear whether these measures are in time to compensate for the losses that have already occurred. A coordinated effort between the government, local authorities and industry is required to address the structural challenges and to regain Montenegro as a sought -after destination.