Logistical problems of establishing a dispersed hotel concept in Slovenia and Montenegro

Name of the project: Logistical problems of establishing a dispersed hotel concept in Slovenia and Montenegro

Project client: ARIS Public Agency of the Republic of Slovenia for Research and Innovation

Time frame: 1. 1. 2025 – 31. 12. 2027

Project coordinator: UM Faculty of Logistics

Participating organizations: University of Montenegro Faculty of Tourism and Hospitality

Brief summary of the project:

The way of applying circular economy guidelines in the development of sustainable rural tourism models, such as the concept of the dispersed hotel, and discovering its potentials in Slovenia and Montenegro is a complex and specific, as it is based on the opinions, needs and views of several groups of stakeholders: rural household owners, decision-makers at local level, experts and representatives of relevant state bodies etc. In such a value chain, the local population has a special role and their views must be taken into account in solving the logistical problems of setting up a dispersed hotel. Logistics play a necessary role in integrating the natural and cultural resources of rural areas into the concept of a dispersed hotel, and must be strategically planned to ensure that all the tourist resources, the future elements of the dispersed hotel concept, are easily accessible to all the interested parties (local people, local residents, tourists). In this context, the initial hypothesis of the research is: The concept of dispersed hotel represents a real alternative to mass tourism in Slovenia and Montenegro, if it is based on the strengthening of human and social capital, and has a significant impact on the sustainable management of the rural area, if the appropriate logistical support is used. The research is based on two methods. The first method implies a theoretical approach, which identifies the specific logistical problems in the establishment of the concept in both countries (ageing rural population, lack of skills, inadequate infrastructure, etc.), based on a review of the literature and available material (statistics, rural development planning documents, tourism potential of both countries, etc.). The second method uses empirical qualitative-quantitative approach in order to highlight the specificities of the selected areas for the creation of a dispersed hotel concept with selected tourism development stakeholders and local people in both countries.