Beyond the Headlines – Decoding Montenegro’s Tourism Statistics in 2024-2025 and Tivat’s Resilience

Recent reports from the Statistical Office of Montenegro (MONSTAT) and the Center for Tourism Research and Development (CIRT) shed a fascinating light on Montenegro’s tourism statistics between 2023 and 2025, offering crucial knowledge for any serious investor or discerning traveler. While headline figures might initially seem to indicate a decline in overnight stays for some periods, a deeper dive, to which we pay close attention at Royal Blue Resort and Residences, reveals a more nuanced and ultimately positive story for destinations like Tivat.

The observed drop in overall overnight stays, particularly in 2024 and early 2025, has been largely attributed to a significant demographic shift: the departure of a substantial number of Russian and Ukrainian citizens who arrived in 2023, often staying in private accommodation. These individuals, initially categorized as tourists, significantly inflated the 2023 statistics. For instance, Russian visitors alone decreased by nearly 50,000 arrivals and one million overnight stays in 2024 compared to 2023, with a further drop in Q1 2025.

However, when excluding these groups, Montenegro’s core tourism trends actually show growth. This is supported by increased border crossings, a rise in visitors to national parks, and a positive trend in airport passenger numbers, particularly at Tivat Airport. In May 2025, for example, Montenegro saw a 6% year-on-year rise in tourist arrivals, with foreign visitors accounting for 86.1% of the total.

The composition of tourists is indeed changing. While traditional markets like Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the Russian Federation still contribute significantly, there’s been remarkable growth from non-European markets. Q1 2025 data, for instance, shows a staggering increase from China (+95%) and Israel (+915%). While these new markets might currently have shorter average stays (e.g., 1.5 days for Chinese tourists), their emergence signals a successful diversification of Montenegro’s tourism base. Conversely, some key Western European and Scandinavian markets saw slight decreases in arrivals, indicating a need for continued focused marketing.

For Royal Blue Resort and Residences, this useful information underscores Tivat’s resilience and its growing appeal to a diverse international clientele. Our professional approach involves constantly adapting our services, marketing strategies, and even our culinary offerings at Cielo Rooftop Bar Restaurant to cater to these evolving visitor trends. By understanding the true dynamics of the market, we ensure that the luxury experience offered at Royal Blue remains consistently high, attracting a broad spectrum of discerning guests and contributing to a profitable and sustainable future for our resort and Tivat as a whole.