According to Serbian Economist, low-cost carrier Wizz Air will open its first hub in Montenegro at Podgorica Airport on March 30, 2026, and begin a phased rollout of 17 new routes to European cities. This was announced by Montenegro’s airport operator, Aerodromi Crne Gore.
According to the published information, the new flights will be introduced gradually from late March through mid-June. Among the announced destinations are Malmö, Paris-Beauvais, Hamburg, Maastricht, Catania, Bratislava, Barcelona, Basel, Rzeszów, Rome, Baden-Baden, Cologne, Ljubljana, Poznań, Vilnius, Gdańsk, and Wrocław.
As previously reported, Wizz Air will station two Airbus A321neo aircraft in Podgorica. According to the company’s estimates, the new base will create about 80 direct jobs and generate approximately 700 indirect ones, as well as increase tourist and business traffic through the capital of Montenegro. Back in October 2025, the carrier stated that the launch of the base and new routes is expected to add about 1 million seats per year.
For Podgorica Airport, the project also has infrastructure significance. Aerodromi Crne Gore previously announced plans to invest €21 million in equipment and modernization in 2026, with the main focus on Podgorica, where traffic is expected to grow by approximately 50%, in part thanks to the Wizz Air hub.
https://t.me/relocationrs/2483
Revenues to local budgets from the tourist tax for January–February 2026 amounted to 72.5 million UAH, which is 25% higher than the figure for the same period in 2025 (58 million UAH), according to the State Tax Service of Ukraine (STS).
According to data published on the STU website, the largest revenues were traditionally generated by tourist-attractive regions: Kyiv took the lead (16.2 million UAH). Significant amounts were also received in Lviv Oblast (15 million UAH), Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast (11.8 million UAH), and Zakarpattia Oblast (5.9 million UAH).
“The tourist tax is an important source of revenue for local budgets. Thanks to these funds, communities have the opportunity to develop infrastructure, improve tourist sites, support the hospitality sector, and create comfortable conditions for both guests and residents,” the STU emphasized.
The agency reminded that the taxpayers of this fee are Ukrainian citizens, foreigners, and stateless persons who are temporarily staying in accommodations (hotels, hostels, guesthouses, etc.). Tax agents are business entities that provide temporary accommodation services—they are the ones who calculate and remit the fee to the budget.
Tourists spent a total of 3.09 billion nights in hotels, hostels, and rented apartments in the European Union in 2025, according to final estimates from the EU’s statistical office.
This is 2.2% (66.4 million) higher than the 2024 figure and represents a record.
At the same time, the number of overnight stays by foreign visitors increased by 3.4% (49.7 million) last year, while for EU residents, this figure rose by 1.1% (16.7 million).
An increase in tourism activity was observed in 24 of the 27 EU member states. The most significant growth in tourist numbers was recorded in Malta (by 10.1%) and Poland (by 7.2%), while the number of overnight stays in Luxembourg decreased by 2.4%, in Romania by 1.7%, and in Ireland by 0.4%.
The most popular tourist destinations for foreigners were Spain (513.6 million overnight stays), Italy (476.9 million), France (471.7 million), and Germany (442.1 million). The least popular destinations were Luxembourg (3.6 million), Latvia (5 million), and Estonia (6.7 million).
According to Serbian Economist, Iberostar has opened sales for its new Iberostar Selection Montenegro property on the Bar Riviera coast. The promotional offer is tied to the period of stay from May 1 to October 31, 2026, which indicates a launch at the beginning of the summer season.
Iberostar is located on the seafront and has direct access to a private bay/beach; The property is approximately 9 km from the old town of Bar, and the distance to Podgorica and Tivat airports is 45 km and 57 km, respectively. The hotel is located in the coastal area of Ratac, between Bar and Sutomore, and is advertised as “new for 2026.”
The key focus of the project is on leisure and wellness infrastructure. There will be indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a 3,700 sq m spa complex (saunas, hammam, steam room, cold room, massages and treatments), and a gym with sea views. In terms of accommodation, Iberostar is promoting rooms and suites with views of the Adriatic, as well as options with private amenities, such as terraces with jacuzzis and categories with private or swim-up pools.
Dining will include several formats, from the main restaurant to à la carte, cafes, and beach bars. An all-inclusive option and the Star Camp children’s program are also announced.
Iberostar is expanding its presence in the Adriatic through existing hotels in Montenegro, including Iberostar Waves Slavija and Iberostar Waves Bellevue in the Budva area.
https://t.me/relocationrs/2367
Tourism should become a tool for Ukraine’s economic recovery, and a significant increase in the volume of Ukraine’s tourism industry is possible after the end of the war and complete security stabilization, according to Natalia Yakimenko, director of the travel agency “I’ll fly wherever I want!”
According to the annual study by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), by 2035, the contribution of travel and tourism to Ukraine’s GDP could grow 1.5 times to $16.1 billion, exceeding the pre-pandemic 2019 figures, when this indicator was 620.4 billion UAH ($15.5 billion, 6.3% of GDP). The global tourism market has already managed to recover after the decline due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the war in Ukraine is still preventing tourism from being fully utilized as a tool for economic development.
“A 1.5-fold increase in foreign tourism is possible primarily after the end of the war and complete security stabilization. An important factor could be the restoration of the possibility for men to travel abroad freely, as many families are currently unable to travel together. The market will also be supported by the potential return of Ukrainians from abroad, as people who have lived in other countries for some time will retain the habit of traveling,” Yakimenko commented to the Interfax-Ukraine agency.
She stressed that a necessary factor is the restoration of direct air links, which will make travel to and from Ukraine easier and more affordable. “Provided there is economic growth and income stabilization, demand may recover fairly quickly,” Yakimenko said.
The Ukrainian hospitality industry has significant potential for growth in volume and an increase in its share of the economy as a whole. For comparison: according to WTTC data, the contribution of travel and tourism to global GDP was $11.7 trillion in 2025, which is 7.3% more than in 2024 and 13.6% more than in pre-pandemic 2019. Travel and tourism accounted for 10.3% of the global economy, up from 10% in 2024 but still below the 10.5% recorded in 2019. In 2025, the sector supported a total of 371 million jobs worldwide (10.9% of jobs), compared to 356.6 million (10.6%).
As for Ukraine, last year tourism accounted for 5.2% of GDP, reaching UAH 413.1 billion ($10.3 billion), which is 15.2% more than in 2024, but 33.4% less than in 2019.
According to Yakimenko, the average vacation check in Ukraine is already growing, our compatriots travel less often but go for longer periods due to complex logistics, and more often choose more comfortable hotels and better infrastructure. “Many customers consciously avoid mass budget resorts and destinations with many Russian tourists, even if it is more expensive. After prolonged stress, people want a full rest and emotional recovery, so they are willing to invest more in one trip,” she says.
There is a trend toward job recovery: in 2024, 766,700 people were employed in the industry (6.2% of all jobs in Ukraine), which is less than in 2019 (1.15 million, 6.9%), but 21.9% more than in 2024. At the same time, women make up the majority of those employed in the industry — 61.1% — and the share of young people under 24 is also significant (6.7%). Only 8% are high-paying jobs.
“Traditionally, more women work in tourism—this is a feature of the service industry. Young people are also actively involved, as the market requires flexibility and quick adaptation. At the same time, there is a growing focus on corporate social responsibility—companies are creating opportunities for veterans and internally displaced persons,” Yakimenko said, outlining labor market trends.
By the end of 2025, foreign tourists will have brought 58 billion hryvnia ($1.4 billion) to the domestic economy, which is one and a half times more than in 2024, but 61.3% less than in 2019. Domestic tourism is more stable – in 2025, it generated UAH 287.2 billion ($7.2 billion), which is 11.6% more than in 2024, but 16% less than in 2019. Overall, foreign visitors accounted for only 12.6% of the total in 2025. Business tourism also accounts for a small share (5.3%), with leisure tourism accounting for the bulk of tourist traffic (94.7%).
According to WTTC forecasts for the next decade, the share of tourism in global GDP will remain stable at around 11.5%, the total volume will grow to $16.5 trillion, and the number of jobs will increase to 461.6 million.
As for Ukraine, according to the WTTC’s analytical conclusions, by 2035 the industry will generate about 6.1% of GDP, with an estimated volume of $16.1 billion. Between 2026 and 2035, up to 400,000 new jobs will be created, bringing the total number of jobs to 1.16 million. In terms of revenue, foreign visitors could bring in $4.8 billion in 2035, while domestic visitors could bring in $8.7 billion.
According to Yakimenko, the trends that intensified in Ukraine after 2022 will continue. In particular, quiet resort destinations, beach and wellness vacations are now more popular, there is less spontaneity (the demand for short trips of up to 3 days and hot tours has completely disappeared), and the share of solo trips has increased. Themed trips are also popular (fitness tours, gastronomic tours, trips with influencers, retreats, etc.). “Separately, we see the prospect of developing inclusive tourism: our agency is actively researching this area and forming a list of hotels and destinations that are convenient for people with disabilities, because after the war, the demand for accessible recreation will only grow,” said Yakimenko.
Tax revenues from the tourism industry in 2025 amounted to UAH 4 billion 426.2 million, which is 50.6% more than in 2024, according to the annual report of the State Agency for Tourism Development of Ukraine (DART).
As SART Chairwoman Natalia Tabaka said during the presentation of the report, excluding companies under KVED 79.90 (booking services), tax revenues grew by 35.7% last year to UAH 3 billion 987.8 million.
According to SATA, the total number of taxpayers at the end of the year was 20,700, including 3,700 legal entities (+5.3%) and 16,900 individual entrepreneurs (+20.7%). The overall growth in the number of taxpayers in tourism in 2025 compared to 2024 was 17.6% (excluding KVED 79.90 – 7%).
According to the report, local budgets received UAH 359 million in tourism tax in 2025, which is 31.5% more than in 2024. The leaders in terms of revenue were Kyiv (UAH 70 million), Lviv region (UAH 63 million), as well as Ivano-Frankivsk (UAH 46 million), Zakarpattia (UAH 31.9 million), Cherkasy (UAH 28.5 million), and Odesa (UAH 20.3 million) regions.
It is noted that for 2025, DART was allocated funding from the state budget in the amount of UAH 22.8 million. At the end of the year, cash expenditures amounted to UAH 15.6 million, and returns to the budget amounted to UAH 7.1 million. The agency exceeded its plan in terms of international events (15 held, compared to 8 planned) and licenses issued (24 issued, compared to 15 planned).
