The International Summer School “Sustainable Development of the Yachting and Cruise Industry” continued with a visit to the Port of Kotor, one of the key cruise destinations in the South Adriatic and an important case study for understanding the management of cruising ports in sensitive coastal environments.
Organised within the Interreg IPA South Adriatic project “High LEVEL and market-respondent competences for a blue and digitalized ‘Smart and skilled South Adriatic’ - SKILLS”, the visit was part of Thematic Module 2: Contemporary Management of Marinas and Cruising Ports.
The session focused on Lesson 2.2: “Efficient management of cruising ports and innovative marketing strategies. Operations, sustainability, user experience and modern marketing tools. Case study: Port of Kotor”.
Dr Tena Božović, Senior Market Analyst at the Port of Kotor, presented the topic of efficient cruise port management. Her lecture introduced participants to the operational complexity of cruise ports, including coordination with cruise lines, passenger flows, port services, safety requirements, destination readiness and the importance of balancing cruise traffic with local community and environmental considerations.
Ms Maja Danilović, PR Manager at the Port of Kotor, presented innovative marketing strategies, with a focus on destination development, B2B promotion, public relations, user experience and community-oriented communication. Participants learned how modern cruise destinations use marketing tools not only to attract visitors and partners, but also to communicate value, manage reputation and support more sustainable tourism development.
The Port of Kotor provided an excellent real-life learning environment for connecting theory with practice. Through the case study, participants discussed how cruise ports can improve operations, strengthen cooperation with stakeholders, enhance visitor experience and address the growing sustainability challenges linked to cruise tourism.
The visit also opened discussion on the specific position of Kotor as a UNESCO-protected destination and a highly attractive cruise port. Participants reflected on the opportunities created by cruise tourism, including local income, visibility and business development, while also considering challenges such as congestion, environmental pressure, cultural heritage protection and the quality of life of the local community.
Through this activity, the SKILLS project continued to promote practical, cross-border education and to support the development of new competencies for a smarter, greener and more sustainable South Adriatic Blue Economy.
Cover photo: Left: Summer School participants in front of the Port of Kotor. Top right: Dr Tena Božović, Senior Market Analyst, Port of Kotor. Bottom right: Ms Maja Danilović, PR Manager, Port of Kotor.