Tapping into the increased appreciation for nature following the digital restrictiveness of the pandemic, the tiny Balkan country of Montenegro, which allows foreigners to invest in property via its citizenship by investment programme, unveils a new global campaign showcasing its natural beauty, from dense green forests and wild mountain rivers, to powdery ski slopes and 117 beaches.
Unveiled in November by the National Tourism Organisation of Montenegro, the campaign aims to bring to life the relationship between nature and people and showcase its importance in a restrictive digital world.
Inspiring travel to Montenegro, when possible, ‘Nature & Me’ focuses on the need for people to embrace nature as a break from the virtual world we have been forced to live in before and during the pandemic.
“Whilst the digital world has helped us see people during this pandemic, nothing beats your interaction with nature; your meet meeting the waves and the ability we have to travel and to embrace the natural world,” the director of the National Tourism Organisation of Montenegro, Zeljka Radak Kukavicic, explained during the launch of the campaign video, which features travel experiences from across Montenegro.
The video, which can be viewed by clicking below highlights the untouched natural beauty of the country, reminding people that nature is our friend and encouraging travellers – and potential citizens – to think of the natural environment of Montenegro as a relative they will one day reunite with.
“The months behind us were a challenge, but also a lesson,” added Zeljka, “maybe it’s time to look with fresh eyes at the world around us, maybe it’s time to disconnect from some old digital habits and remind ourselves that man and nature are inextricably linked”.
Surge in property development and investors via citizenship
The campaign comes on the back of a rise in tourism in the country (an increase of 30% yoy pre-pandemic) and a considerable surge in property development, both in the north and south of the country. In fact, before Covid kicked in, tourism accounted for 32% of GDP (2019).
Located on the Balkan Peninsula, Montenegro, which has been dubbed ‘the new Croatia’ offers a stunning yet affordable destination both in winter (as a skiing destination with many resorts) and in summer (with its stunning Adriatic coast and one of the Med’s best marinas – Porto Montenegro). With a coastline of more than 180 miles long, it delivers 117 beaches, as well as caves, canyons, national parks and mountains.
This is really good news for those wishing to invest in tourism real estate via the country’s Citizenship by Investment programme, which is the newest CBI Programme on the block (launching November 2019), and which witnessed a 142% surge in applications in the first quarter of 2020.
Becoming a citizen of Montenegro requires a minimum investment of €350,000 (€100,000 donation and €250,000 investment in property), and there are currently plenty of property investment options to choose from, with the programme having recently updated its list of development projects. There are now 11 government-approved property projects foreigners can invest in via the CBI Programme.
The list of 11 approved projects are located both in the northern and southern parts of the country, with a minimum of €250,000 investment required in a less developed area or northern region and a minimum 450,000 in a more developed area like the capital Podgorica or beach resorts like Porto Montenegro.
Investors can choose to invest in a ski resort room in the northern town of Kolasin, Montenegro’s main mountain resorts, or in a managed residence in a five-star property development located at the luxury waterfront and yachting paradise of Porto Montenegro. The latter, named Boka Place, is a development spread across five buildings and designed around a central square, blending the boundaries between fitness, wellness and hospitality. When complete, it will feature a diverse selection of eateries, retailers and public spaces, as well as 213 managed and private residences, ranging from studios to private apartments to three-bedroom duplexes and penthouses, and will be home to the first SIRO 360 Vitality Hub, a new fitness-infused hotel concept.
Aside from the obvious natural beauty of the country, seen in the video campaign, there are many benefits to becoming a citizen of this tiny Balkan country. Conveniently located (in Europe and on the Adriatic coast), it is set to become a member of the EU by 2025 (giving you the power of an EU passport), boasts a growing GDP (4.9% in 2019) and offers low taxation.
With an application processing time of around three months, and a passport ranked 44th worldwide (up two places in Q4 2020 than Q1) giving visa-free access to 124 countries, including Russia, the EU and Turkey, the Montenegrin CBI Programme is set to run in its current form only until December 31, 2021, with a citizen cap at 2,000 investors and family members.
For more information about Montenegro and its CBI Programme, read our country profile by clicking here