Turkish tour operators are officially restoring Montenegro to their travel programs after the country reversed its recent visa restrictions, paving the way for a surge in Balkan tour demand in the new year.
Montenegro reinstated visa-free travel for Turkish nationals nearly two months after the regime was suspended following a knife attack incident in the capital.
However, the maximum visa-free stay has been reduced from 90 days to 30 days.
Authorities said the decision was taken as part of Montenegro’s efforts to align with European Union visa policies.
Turkish Foreign Ministry sources said Montenegro informed Ankara that visa-free entry for Turkish citizens would resume within this week.
While the exact implementation date has not yet been finalized, tourism industry representatives expect the new arrangement to take effect as of January.
Turkish tour operators hailed the move, asserting that the return of visa-free travel will breathe new life into stalled travel plans and cement Montenegro’s status as a cornerstone of Balkan tourism.
Hamit Kuk, a board member of the Association of Turkish Travel Agencies (TÜRSAB), said Montenegro’s earlier decision to suspend visa-free travel had led to a decline in tourist demand.
“Demand from Türkiye to Balkan countries is very strong,” Kuk said. “Montenegro was an easy extension of Balkan tours. With visa-free travel returning, we expect a full return to the previous system starting in January.”
Kuk noted that between 200,000 and 250,000 travelers from Türkiye visit Montenegro annually.
“The absence of visa requirements is a key reason travelers choose the Balkans. Montenegro adds diversity to these tours, and it will once again be included in Balkan tour programs after the New Year,” he said.
Tolga Tekin, international tours manager at a Turkish tour operator, recalled that during the visa suspension, tour buses carrying travelers in the region were turned back at the border, forcing companies to revise their routes.
With visa-free travel now restored, Tekin said Montenegro is once again a key destination.
“They reversed the decision quickly, as the impact would have been greater on them. This year, our agency alone carried around 25,000 travelers to the Balkans,” he said.
