PM Marković in Ulcinj: This is victory of modern vision of development of Montenegro's tourism and economy

Ulcinj, Montenegro (18 May 2018) -- Prime Minister Duško Marković said in Ulcinj that new resorts like Holiday Villages Montenegro are positioning Montenegro at the top of world's tourism, that the impressive investment project that enriched the area of the Great Beach in Ulcinj suggests that the Great Beach and probably Ada will be a new high-quality tourist destination, adding he is hopeful that this example, which promises hundreds of new jobs, will be an incentive for new successful projects.

"We have restored the Hotel Bellevue and raised it to the level of a 4-star hotel by constructing the Hotel Villages Montenegro," noted the Prime Minister congratulating on the undertaking to one of the co-owners of the Karisma Hotels Group Ljubo Krstajić.

The Prime Minister recalled that renowned Karisma Hotels and Resorts and one of the leading operators in the world – TUI stand behind this project.

"By working on this project with TUI, we permanently introduced Montenegro into the catalog of the most powerful global operators. I believe that this hotel, and the Ruža vjetrova Hotel, operated by Karisma since 2016, with new investment and development plans, will create 500 new jobs in 2018 and 1,800 beds that will be managed by Karisma. Such an approach will make Montenegro become a prestigious tourist destination in this region and beyond," the Prime Minister underscored, adding that renowned hotel brands are present in Montenegro such as Amman, Iberostar, Regent, Hilton and Ramada, and soon One & Only, Ritz Carlton and Chedi.

The Prime Minister recalled that investments amounting to more than EUR 3 billion are being realised in Montenegro, and that these are the largest investment projects in the Mediterranean.

"Thanks to this approach, thanks to such credible partners, we achieved a record tourist season last year, we surpassed that one of 1987, over two million tourists visited Montenegro. We also achieved record financial results. But what is very important is to ensure continuity and that the first quarter of this year shows that we have growth in tourism of 20%, that on 4 May this year we had 40,000 tourists, which is 111% more than in the same period last year. Tourism, therefore, decisively influenced our last year's growth of 4.4%, which is one of the highest growth rates in Europe. I believe that in the first quarter of this year, we may have a growth of 4%, to which tourism will also make a contribution," the Prime Minister stressed.

He added that this project gives Montenegro a new value and new beauty.

"Today we can say to those in Ulcinj and Podgorica, those who did not believe us and those who doubted that we did a good thing for Montenegro, that we did a great thing for the Montenegrin tourism, that we did serious things for new jobs creation and new opportunities for our young people. I believe that this investment will be an incentive for the new ones and that there will be even more such opportunities in the coming years," concluded Prime Minister Duško Marković in Ulcinj at the ceremony marking the completion of works at the Holiday Villages Montenegro.

The lease agreement of HTP "Ulcinjska rivijera" AD complex was signed on 25 September 2017 between the State of Montenegro and HTP "Ulcinjska rivijera" AD, in the capacity of the Lender, and Consortium consisted of Karisma Hotels Adriatic Montenegro DOO, Karisma Hotels & Resorts Corporation LTD, Karisma Resorts International SA, Karisma Operating Holding SA de C.V., Karisma Hotels & Resorts de las Americas LTD."

Hotel Holiday Villages Montenegro is a family hotel offering four restaurants, bars, and swimming pools, one of which is for water sports and recreation, a splash pool with water attractions for children and a quiet adult pool.

TUI Group owns 1,600 travel agencies and leading portals, six tourist airlines with 150 aircrafts, more than 300 hotels with 214,000 beds, and 16 cruise ships. The integrated offer serves 20 million people in 180 regions.

In financial 2015/16, TUI Group, with 67,000 employees, generated EUR 17.2 billion and achieved an operating result of one billion euros.

PUBLIC RELATIONS SERVICE OF THE GOVERNMENT OF MONTENEGRO