Montenegro declares itself Covid-free, woos tourists
Less than two months after detecting its first infection, Montenegro is the first country in Europe to declare itself coronavirus-free, a success story the tiny country hopes will lure tourists to its dazzling Adriatic coast this summer.
For weeks hotel staff have been raking empty beaches as the pandemic kept away visitors who would normally be arriving by plane, cruise ship and car this time of year.
But finally, there is a sliver of hope after Montenegro announced it no longer has any active cases of Covid-19. Tourism operators have already seized the opportunity to brand Montenegro as “Europe’s First Covid-19 Free Country” in videos promoting its stunning natural beauty, with beaches snaking along the south and rugged mountains in the north.
In picturesque Kotor, a medieval walled city nestled in a mountain-ringed bay, locals have been spared the virus entirely, with no known cases reported.
While tour agencies are still expecting a tough season, there is hope this sterling health record will soften the blow on an industry that accounts for more than a fifth of GDP and 19% of the workforce.
“Safety is something people are looking at the most,” said Ana Nives Radovic, director of the local tourism organisation in Kotor.
“They now are looking for a destination where people feel safe, respect some rules and where they can be assured that (the host) will not allow anything bad to happen to them,” she added.