The Montenegro Convention Bureau, operating under the National Tourism Organisation of Montenegro, is once again showcasing the country’s offerings at IMEX 2025, held from May 20 to 22 in Frankfurt.
Montenegro’s presence at this leading European trade show for the global business events industry aims to position the country as an attractive and diverse destination for hosting various types of business events, including conferences, congresses, corporate meetings, and incentive travel.
During the three-day event, representatives of the Montenegro Convention Bureau are holding numerous meetings with event organizers from the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Germany, Belgium, Portugal, Austria, Spain, Albania, and Serbia, as well as from more distant markets such as Canada, the United States, India, China, Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Costa Rica, Morocco, the United Arab Emirates, and others.
The Director of the Montenegro Convention Bureau, Aleksandra Maksimović, shared the following after the first day of the trade show:
“The Montenegro Convention Bureau continues to strategically develop business tourism by aligning with global trends that prioritize authenticity and personalized participant experiences. Participating in events like this is essential for promoting our destination and building relationships within the business tourism sector. That’s why it’s especially important that we have the opportunity at this trade show — together with our bureau members — to present Montenegro as a destination that combines professional service, inspiring natural beauty, and a strong local identity — qualities that today’s business travelers increasingly value.
Numerous meetings with international hosted buyers and the strong interest in organizing events in our country confirm that Montenegro is strengthening its position on the business tourism map.”
Maksimović also pointed out that over the past year, 48 bureau members have been certified, including travel agencies, hotels with conference and congress facilities, venues for special events, local tourism organizations, and a congress center — all of which meet high international standards for hosting business events.
Through the Incentive Measures Program, non-refundable financial support is being provided to boost MICE tourism. This includes expanding conference capacities, organizing international events, and supporting promotional activities of bureau members. Their offerings are featured on a dedicated, specialized website.
The development of this type of tourism is extremely important for extending the tourist season and increasing tourism revenue. Business travel typically takes place outside the peak tourist season, and spending by business travelers is significantly higher than that of the average tourist. According to the latest report by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) for the 2024–2034 period, business travel spending in Montenegro is projected to grow by 3.8%.
Montenegro attracted attention at the Frankfurt fair as an appealing destination for business travel. Among those who expressed interest was Richard Savage from the UK-based travel agency Specialised Travel, who emphasized the importance of establishing cooperation with Montenegrin representatives.
"I made a point of coming here specifically to speak with representatives from Montenegro because we haven’t worked together before, but we are very interested in doing so. Interest in Montenegro as a destination seems to be growing in the UK, and this trip has been very valuable for gathering information.”
“I think many people have stopped by Kotor for maybe 24 hours like I did on a cruise, but they've never ventured inland or truly gotten to know the country — and that's exactly what we need,” said Savage. “That’s why we’re truly grateful that you’re here at the fair.”
Montenegro also made a strong impression on representatives from more distant markets, including João Paulo Teco from the Brazilian agency Strategic and Creative Planning Travel Solution.
“My impressions of Montenegro are that it’s truly a beautiful country — you have nature, culture, history, stunning lakes, mountains, and great potential. I believe people from Brazil would love to visit Montenegro,” he said.
Edil Omeragić from the agency Montenegro Concierge DMC emphasized the importance of participating in this fair, noting that it represents an exceptional opportunity to establish new business connections and promote Montenegro as an attractive MICE destination.
“We’re very pleased to be participating this year at the most important MICE trade fair in Frankfurt, where there is truly a high level of interest in Montenegro among international partners. Montenegro is increasingly recognized as an authentic and appealing destination for business and incentive travel,” said Omeragić.
At the National Tourism Organisation of Montenegro booth, the country’s offerings are being presented by members of the Montenegrin Convention Bureau. These include travel agencies Explorer, Meridian, Montenegro Concierge, Venn Tour Balkan, and Congress Travel; hotel groups such as Montenegro Stars Hotel Group, Hyatt Regency Kotor Bay Resort, Lazure Hotel & Marina, The Chedi Luštica Bay, and Avala Resort & Villas; the Montenegrin Music Centre (a key congress venue); as well as the local tourism organizations of Herceg Novi and Podgorica. The Montenegrin Chamber of Commerce is also supporting the participation of the tourism sector at this event.
The IMEX fair in Frankfurt, now in its 23rd edition, brings together over 4,000 event organizers from around the world and connects them with more than 3,000 exhibitors, with the goal of fostering collaboration and creating enhanced business event experiences.
