Students explore sustainable tourism in Montenegro | News

April 2025

Sun, sights and sustainability for students on Montenegro trip

By Claire Huggins

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A mixed cohort of undergraduates and postgraduates from dietetics, global meetings and events management, hospitality and tourism all enjoyed the sun, sights and sustainability in Montenegro. Being largely free of visa restrictions, Montenegro was an inclusive choice for both our domestic and international students.

Offering beaches and water sports at the coast, with skiing and other winter sports in the mountains, Montenegro’s reputation as a holiday destination is rapidly growing. With growth comes challenges to support tourism in a sustainable way.

“Montenegro is a beautiful country with so much to offer its residents and visitors,” said Karla Keating-Nel, the University’s Deputy Head of Department for Hospitality and Tourism.
“With visitor numbers increasing, there is a balance to be struck between accommodating tourism and maintaining the natural environment that makes coming here so appealing.”

The trip offered students a change to engage in a range of activities that aligned with their respective courses, exploring topics such as sustainable practices and local specialities in food and drink.
Amongst other highlights, the group spent time in the fortified town of Kotor, which boasts one of the Adriatic’s best preserved medieval old towns and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Further afield, on the Bay of Kotor, sits a formal naval base, now an impressive ‘settlement and sanctuary’, with interesting solutions to maintaining the pristine water in the face of water pollution.
Other trip highlights included an educational visit to Europe’s largest single vineyard Plantaže, which included a guided tour, wine tasting and food pairing experience.
“Trips like this play a vital role in preparing students for their future careers,” said Liz Stratton, University lecturer in hospitality.
“It gives them the chance, not just to apply their theoretical learning in a live environment, but an environment that is unfamiliar to them as well. It’s a real test.”

"Trips like this play a vital role in preparing students for their future careers. It gives them the chance, not just to apply their theoretical learning in a live environment, but an environment that is unfamiliar to them as well. It’s a real test"

Liz Stratton Lecturer in hospitality

Forming a critical part of their ‘International Live Project Management’ module, postgraduate students attended a guest lecture by Professor Ivo Armenko (PhD), an academic, diplomat and former Minister of Tourism for Yugoslavia/Montenegro. Hosted by the Faculty of Business and Tourism – Budva, the session was joined by the events management students and covered a range of tourism-related themes, and issues with the students well prepared with thoughtful and insightful questions.

Returning to the UK and posting on Linked In, Hospitality with Tourism Management MSc student, Phasuk Surinvarangkul said: “I had the incredible opportunity to embark on an unforgettable study trip to Montenegro.
“This experience, which combined classroom learning with the real world, provided first-hand insights into a growing tourism destination.
“Thank you to Liz Stratton, Saša Bobić and Karla Keating-Nel for your commitment to enhancing our educational journey!”

Find out more about our hospitality and tourism courses.