German association of tour operators and travel agencies (DRV) awarded Montenegro’s project entitled “Wilderness Hiking & Biking in Montenegro” at the 61st annual DRV congress in Daegu, South Korea.

DRV, as a leading tourism association since1987, assigns "Eco-Trophy" awards to the best sustainable eco-tourism projects aimed at protecting environment and resources, reducing environmental pollution and promoting sustainable tourism.

On receiving the award, Minister of Sustainable Development and Tourism Predrag Sekulić welcomed it as an acknowledgement for Montenegro’s environmental and tourism efforts and an incentive to make it recognised in the Mediterranean in the field of sustainable and nature-based tourism.

Within the nominated project “Wilderness Hiking & Biking”, Ministry of Sustainable Development and Tourism and National Tourism Organisation of Montenegro have prepared a tourism concept that can be sustained by both nature and society. Starting from the Tourism Master Plan and Tourism Development Strategy by 2020, pedestrian trails, historic trade routes and hiking trails have become a part of national network of mountain trails, a distance of 6,000 km, which are meant for nature lovers. Intensive work has also been done in arranging these routes and preparing guides and other promotional materials which present the outstanding natural beauty that the trails pass through.

In addition, some interesting initiatives have been launched, such as educating visitors by ecological and cultural thematic paths for environmental and cultural values protection.