On 7 February 2025, The Ministry of Tourism and the Eco-Fund, in cooperation with the Ministry of Energy, and with the support of the European Union, have awarded subsidies in the total amount of EUR 2.5 million to 15 hotels across the country, under the Program for Incentivizing Energy Efficiency in the Hotel Industry.
This is successful completion of the most demanding part of an extremely important project that showed that Montenegro can and must follow the path of sustainable development, responsible management of resources and strengthening competitiveness in tourism.
Minister of Tourism Simonida Kordic said: “This donation from the European Union is not only financial assistance, but also a strong message of trust in our vision and commitment to sustainable development. The support of international partners has enabled us to achieve specific results: reduced energy consumption in 15 hotels; increased comfort of guests due to the fact that energy-efficient facilities offer better living conditions; as well as a reduced carbon footprint, which contributes to the preservation of natural resources and strengthening of Montenegro’s ecological image.”
“Our focus is on reducing energy consumption and CO2 emissions, which not only contributes to environmental protection, but also increases the competitiveness of the Montenegrin tourist offer on the international market,” said the Minister of Ecology, Sustainable Development and Northern Development, Damjan Culafic.
“The Ministry of Energy, as the coordinator of the implementation of support packages for overcoming the energy crisis, provided from the European Commission, advocated that the allocated funds should be committed to the implementation of programs and projects that have sustainable results, and the support to energy efficiency in the tourism sector, as the most important branch of the Montenegrin economy, is an excellent example,” said the representative of the Ministry of Energy, Bozidar Pavlovic.
Drasko Boljevic, Executive Director of the Eco-Fund, emphasized: “This program represents a significant step towards creating a more sustainable and energy-efficient hotel sector in Montenegro. Through the implementation of innovative technologies and the use of renewable energy sources, we will not only reduce costs for our hotels, but we will also contribute to the preservation of the environment and improve the competitiveness of our tourism at the international level. This project is just the beginning, and I am sure that the results will be visible in upcoming years, both for the hotels and for the entire community.”
Hotels had the opportunity to receive subsidies worth 60,000 to 200,000 euros, and special rewards were given to hotels who work throughout the year, as well as to hotels who operate in the north of the country, which development is among the priorities of the current government.
The aim of this program is to improve energy efficiency, reduce energy consumption and contribute to the sustainable development of tourism through the application of new materials and technologies. The expected results include the introduction of innovative technologies, as well as the training of employees for efficient energy management.