The construction of a new road from Berane to Kolašin, along with the breakthrough of the Klisura Tunnel, has created significant opportunities for fully utilizing the potential of Jelovica, part of the Bjelasica mountain range.
With the completion of the road construction from Berane to Kolašin, via Lubnice, the land prices along this route on Jelovica have risen. The price per are of land in some areas has reached 12,000 euros, and prices are expected to increase further if a cable car is built on Jelovica.
“All rural households and eco-camps on Jelovica were fully booked this summer. It’s a shame we didn’t enter the winter season with the promised cable car, as it would have turned Jelovica into a true winter tourist paradise,” said locals who are increasingly building facilities to accommodate guests on Jelovica.
Jelovica, which is rapidly developing tourist accommodations, is located near the Kolašin ski resorts. Additionally, Berane is only 24 kilometers from the Kolašin 1600 ski area. This makes it clear that Jelovica should be connected to Kolašin’s ski resorts by a cable car, which would create opportunities for new ski trails. This would significantly enhance Jelovica’s appeal to mountain tourism enthusiasts. According to Novica Lainović, president of the Vinicka local community, this should be a priority for authorities responsible for tourism development in Montenegro, as the cable car would provide a major boost for the winter tourism sector.
Lainović believes that tourism revenue could be significantly increased if, with state support, the northern region of Montenegro’s natural beauty and organic food offerings were promoted more effectively.
“I believe that in Montenegro, aside from coastal tourism, there is great potential for rural and mountain tourism. It’s time for the state to recognize this and properly manage natural gems like Jelovica,” said Lainović.
In recent years, there have been announcements about the construction of a gondola that would connect Jelovica with the Kolašin 1600 ski resort. However, to date, this project has not been realized, despite the Ministry of Economic Development allocating 180,000 euros for project documentation. Local authorities have expressed concerns that the state has not shown enough seriousness regarding this development investment. This sentiment is shared by the residents of Lubnice, who strongly support the idea of building a cable car on Jelovica. They emphasize the need for projects that would prevent further depopulation of the area.
“The construction of the new road from Lubnice to Kolašin has been a major development investment. However, this road alone will not significantly stop the migration of local residents. To counteract migration, this area must be seen as one offering exceptional conditions for tourism. We support the idea of building a cable car on Jelovica, as it would revitalize the entire region and bring new development opportunities,” emphasized Miloš Raković, president of the Lubnice Local Community.
Preventing overdevelopment
The local Tourist Organization has called for an end to uncontrolled construction of various buildings on Jelovica.
“We are witnessing a real construction boom on Jelovica, alongside the road construction to Kolašin. Most of the new buildings are being constructed with solid materials, contributing to the so-called ‘concreting’ of this beautiful mountain, which represents a tremendous development potential for our municipality. This threatens to devastate the entire area in an unsustainable manner, which would be a great loss for the entire northern Montenegro. We urge the authorities to come up with a clear plan to preserve Jelovica from further destruction,” said the representatives of the Berane Tourist Organization.
