Beaches in Budva were crowded during the weekend, while hotels still lack guests even though quite many of them are still closed. Hospitality owners are pretty pessimistic when it comes to the forthcoming summer season, and no one knows how it’s going to look like.
Podgorica residents mostly enjoyed the beaches during the weekend, while there are no visitors at all on weekdays, beach tenants say.
Beach equipment (sunbeds and sunshades) will be free of charge by 10 June. Owners of the restaurants say they will ‘survive’ somehow, but that they don’t expect to earn some money, meaning on not just this year but the next one as well, but there are maybe chances if we promote ourselves as the coronavirus-free destination.
There won’t be an increase in the employment rate
“Our goal is to hire the least number of employees possible and recruit people from Montenegro. We managed to cover our losses over the past two months, we reduced salaries by 30 per cent, but fired no one. My colleagues face big problems when it comes to the job retention. We all must demonstrate solidarity and try to get over this whole situation, as I hope the whole region, as well as Europe will recover from the consequences of the virus next year,“ says Mr Luka Vučković, director of the restaurant ‘Mocart’ from Budva.
People can’t wait to travel
Budva resident, Mr Ivica Osmić, who has been an entrepreneur for 10 years, is upbeat about the whole situation and thinks that there will be tourists, as people can’t wait to travel.
“People can’t wait to have a holiday. I believe that we can do something in the second part of the season and during the post-season. We have already started with the preparations.“
