Vienna, 27 March 2025 – UNIDO Director General, Gerd Müller, and the Minister of Tourism of Montenegro, Simonida Kordić, signed a project document to support the transition to a tourism Industry 4.0 in Montenegro. As the project is funded by the Government of Slovenia and the Slovene Enterprise Fund (SEF), the signing ceremony took place in the presence of the State Secretary of the Ministry of Economy, Tourism, and Sport of Slovenia, Matevž Frangež, Permanent Representative of Slovenia to UNIDO, Melita Župevc, and SEF Director, Maja Tomanič Vidovič.
UNIDO Director General Gerd Müller emphasized the project’s significance: “UNIDO is proud to have a long-standing partnership with Montenegro and we recognize that tourism is vital to Montenegro’s economic development, offering immense potential to strengthen value chains and attract investment.”
The project aims to accelerate the digital transformation of Montenegro’s tourism sector by fostering technological innovation, enhancing competitiveness and developing high-value tourism experiences.
Minister Kordić welcomed the partnership, stating: “Tourism is a key contributor to Montenegro's GDP and digitalization offers unique opportunities for enhancing the capacities of local industries to meet the growing demand. We highly value our close cooperation with UNIDO and Slovenia and look forward to expanding these efforts further.”
Drawing on Slovenia’s expertise, this initiative will enhance the resilience of Montenegro’s tourism sector and unlock new economic opportunities, ensuring Montenegro remains a dynamic and attractive destination in the digital era. Beyond advancing digitalization in tourism, the project will support traditional and cultural industries with a digital platform designed to foster sustainable growth while preserving Montenegro’s rich heritage.
State Secretary Frangež noted: “Within our development cooperation with UNIDO in other countries, Slovenia boosts the advancement of industries, supports local communities and advocates for the international business linkages. Today, we discussed ongoing joint activities and future priorities for cooperation, including biotechnology, green hydrogen, water management and artificial intelligence.”
UNIDO remains committed to advancing sustainable industrial development across the Western Balkans, leveraging strong partnerships, such as that with Slovenia, which is built on a shared vision of innovation-driven economic development.
For more information, please contact:
Solomiya Omelyan
Chief, Regional Bureau for Europe and Central Asia
s.omelyan@unido.org