Piperska bb
20 000 Podgorica
Montenegro
- Environment/Sustainable development
Vision & Mission:
CSTI promotes responsible travel to Montenegro - its long term goals are increased employment and increased income in tourism sector through promotion of the natural beauties, outdoor activities and existing establishments; increased public awareness and involvement of local businesses and communities in creating plans and strategies for development of the area they live and work in.
Our Vision:
"The tourism industry generates prosperity and peace for Montenegro's citizens while preserving the wild beauty of its environment."
Our Mission:
The Centre for Sustainable Tourism Initiatives is the driving force for the development of the tourism products in Montenegro. By following the principles of responsible and sustainable tourism, we will economically regenerate the regions, reduce poverty and attract investments.
•We provide active community leadership by supporting and coordinating local, regional and cross-border tourism development programs;
•We work with ministries, local self-governments, tourism organizations, tourism service providers, agencies, associations, international tourism and development organizations and other tourism stakeholders.
•We share and encourage the exchange of tourism know-how and foster cooperation and collaboration amongst our partners;
•Together with our partners, we implement innovative tourism initiatives that continually raise quality standards and improve the competitiveness of the industry.
CSTI Activities and Results:
CSTI is a small but devoted team; over the first two years they have achieved significant results in all four target areas. Their emphasis on the distinct competencies of an NGO and a business allowed for a comprehensive approach to tourism development in the north – responding to the market demands of today while anticipating the needs of future.
Strategy and Planning CSTI has stayed in-step with strategy and planning efforts on the local and national level while simultaneously working with community leaders and local entrepreneurs in the northern municipalities to improve their short and long term planning.
Recognizing the importance of tourism as a strategic economic development tool, the Ministry of Tourism and Environmental Protection of Montenegro led a 2007 revision of the National Tourism Master Plan. CSTI actively represented the interests of northern constituents, contributing to the greater inclusion of priorities for tourism development in the north in the final document.
CSTI built reputations as results-oriented organizations, resulting in their frequent collaboration with the government sponsored National Tourism Organization (NTO) on promotion and activity implementation. The Hiking-Biking Initiative, detailed below, provides a clear illustration of the relationship forged between the NTO and CSTI – and the resulting benefits for the north.
Following their involvement in developing the Master Plan and the inaugural Hiking-Biking tour, CSTI was invited to take part in Ministry-led, public-private working groups to strategize and implement the Hiking-Biking Initiative and to establish a credit line for tourism stakeholders.
CSTI mapped tourism assets in northern Montenegro, visiting more than 400 natural and cultural attractions, tourism businesses, NGOs, and associations. This process led CSTI to identify entrepreneurial leaders in the tourism sector and capitalize upon their talents during pilot tours.
Early on CSTI conducted market analyses to better understand global trends in tourism and relate them to potentials in the north. CSTI then identified priority market segments including adventure and eco/cultural tourism. Already, CSTI is taking the next steps in attracting customers in these segments by building partnerships with highly regarded international tourism associations and tour operators.
The lack of data in relation to tourists, expectations, habits and overall satisfaction is another obstacle to tourism development. In response, CSTI completed the first in-depth opinion survey(s) focused on the north. Surveyors interviewed more than 1,000 tourists traveling to both the mountains and the coastal areas providing CSTI and its public and private partners with a better understanding of regional and international visitors to Montenegro.
Product and Service Development By leading the design of products and services in the north CSTI gained valuable insights into how best to link supply and demand in this nascent market.
When developing tours CSTI worked directly with tourism entrepreneurs to adapt products and services to meet the needs of consumers. CSTI has worked with dozens of individual small lodging and service providers to guide their preparations to serve foreign visitors. After developing 5 initial Pilot Tours for the 2006 season, MA has since conducted more than 60 tours and conferences ranging in size from 2 to 40 people and typically involving up to six tourism entrepreneurs per trip.
After receiving certification training from the British tour operator, Exodus Tours, CSTI hosted a familiarization trip for 8 Exodus-certified guides to test tours developed by CSTI. Based on their experience, Exodus selected two tours for inclusion in their catalogue which is viewed internationally. The first tour is an 8-day trek throughout Montenegro, focusing on the north; the second is an 11-day regional discovery tour that includes Montenegro, BiH and Croatia (Dubrovnik). The tours can be viewed at http://www.exodus.co.uk/brochure-request.html (see pages 47 and 50).
Screen shot of www.cstimontenegro.org.