Kotor in Montenegro is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and draws thousands of tourists, who come to visit its winding, narrow streets and medieval architecture, and stunning Romanesque churches
A beautiful European seaside resort is said to be struggling to cope with the influx of tourists after 500 cruise liners flocked to its harbour
The coastal town of Kotor in Montenegro is becoming increasingly busy due to the surge in visitors, with locals becoming concerned about the impact on the environment. The town is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is located near the limestone cliffs of Mt. Lovćen, which is famed for its winding, narrow streets and medieval architecture. It is also home to several stunning Romanesque churches. Kotor also has a more modern claim to fame as it featured in the 2006 James Bond film, Casino Royale.
While many fly in to Montenegro and make the trip to Kotor by land, a huge portion of the visitors arrive on the hundreds of boats that dock in the harbour each day. Up until recently, the town had charged a €1 fee for cruise ship visitors to enter the town, which has now been increased.
This year, the town is bracing for an additional 500 arrivals. On one day alone, 5,000 tourists stormed the town after pulling up on cruise ships. The town itself only has a population of 23,000. The UN has previously drawn attention to the damage the cruise ship arrivals are causing to the marine environment.
The UN’s GEF Adriatic Project reports: “Although the population size increase [in Montenegro] is relatively low, the number of tourists drastically increases every year, which poses a significant burden on local sewage capacities and increases the costs of their construction and maintenance.”
Scientific advisor at Montenegro’s Institute of Marine Biology, Milica Mandic, said: “Such a number of cruisers requires a study to determine the maximum environmental load.” Over the past year, locals in several popular British tourist hotspots have been seen holding widespread protests due to the negative impacts of tourism on their towns. Local Kotor tourism director, Jovan Ristic said: “The life of our neighbours is becoming increasingly difficult during the tourist season. All similar tourist destinations are working on reducing or selecting passenger ships and seriously collecting excursion fees.”
