Doing business in the time of COVID-19

Abstract

Damage caused to tourism by the new coronavirus pandemic, as well as the quarantine measures introduced as a part of the response to this pandemic, is almost immeasurable.

In the long run, the most significant fact is that the impacts and damages done to tourism are not purely economical in their nature, but also impactful on the tourists’ behaviour and habits and especially on the emergence of new expectations by both tourists and tourism providers.

Meanwhile, local communities in rural areas are much less prepared and less resistant to the possible emergence and spread of the virus in the community.

Therefore, the aim of this brochure is to educate the accommodation providers in rural areas on how to prepare their households for the arrival of tourists, how to meet their expectations and offer them the safest possible accommodation and full enjoyment in accordance with traditions and world-renowned hospitality and, at the same time, enable the best possible utilization of their accommodation capacity potential, and the households themselves.

These guidelines are aligned with the recommendations of the Ministry of Health and Public Health Institute of Montenegro at the time of its publishing (July 2021), the guide to safety and health protocols for COVID-19 of the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Economic Development and allow household owners to apply for the participation in the Safe Travel Program of the National Tourist Organization, helping them to get the COVID-19 safe destination label.