HELM Kotor Summer School
Building Skills for Sustainable Yachting and Cruise Tourism
The HELM Kotor Summer School began on 29 June 2026 at the Blue Economy Training Centre of the Institute of Marine Biology, University of Montenegro.
Organised within the Interreg IPA South Adriatic SKILLS project, the international programme focused on the sustainable development of the yachting and cruise industry. Its opening module explored how tourism, environmental protection and local development can support each other.
Understanding a changing industry
The first thematic module, Sustainable Development of Nautical and Cruising Tourism, brought together three complementary perspectives.
Dr Tena Božović, Port of Kotor, introduced the foundations of nautical and cruise tourism. Her lecture covered the cruise industry, destination development, market trends and the sustainability challenges facing coastal destinations.
Dr Ilija Moric, Faculty for Tourism and Hospitality, University of Montenegro, examined global supply and demand in nautical and cruise tourism. He explored how technology, emerging destinations, climate change and safety are shaping the sector’s future.
Dr Milica Mandić, Institute of Marine Biology, University of Montenegro, connected coastal and maritime tourism with the wider blue economy. Her lecture addressed environmental pressures, sustainable tourism strategies, aquaculture, mariculture and opportunities for local development.
Connecting tourism with the blue economy
Together, the lectures showed why nautical and cruise tourism must be considered alongside marine ecosystems, coastal communities and other maritime activities.
For South Adriatic destinations, long-term competitiveness depends on balancing visitor experiences and economic opportunities with environmental protection and local needs. Professionals need the knowledge and skills to understand these relationships and make informed decisions.
Learning across borders and disciplines
The opening day brought together participants from Montenegro, Albania and Italy, creating space to exchange experiences across countries and professional backgrounds.
For me, this is the value of practical, cross-border education: helping people understand tourism, maritime operations, environmental protection and innovation as parts of one connected system.
My thanks to the lecturers, colleagues, partners and participants who contributed to an inspiring start to the programme.
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