The Novi Volvox and Leitner consortium plans to build a cable car, with a length of 3,918 meters, a capacity of 1,000 passengers per hour and 40 gondolas, and a travel time of 11 minutes. The starting station is planned in Kotor, and the final one on a special platform in Lovćen.
Novi Volvox and Leitner, with which the government is supposed to sign a concession agreement for the construction of a cable car Kotor-Lovćen, forecasts in its business plan that the impact on the state budget over 30 years will amount to about 79.6 million euros. euros.
Ticket prices are planned to range from 10 to 18 euros. The cheapest ticket, at 10 euros, will be paid by students, 14 euros by local residents, and 18 euros by tourists.
The draft contract states that the concession is for 30 years, the minimum investment is 24 million, and the concession fee is 15 percent of net profit.
“Of the planned 79.6 million euros, 15.2 million relate to the concession fee, 7.7 million to profit tax, the net VAT effect is projected at 33.3 million, and 23.4 million is taxes and payroll contributions,” Novi Volvox told Vijesti.
The tender for obtaining the concession for the construction of the cable car was announced on June 6 last year by the former Ministry of Tourism and Sustainable Development, and the consortium consisting of Podgorica and Italian companies was the only bidder. The previous government failed to complete this work, so the new Ministry of Economic Development (MED) continued negotiations with the sole bidder, which were completed at the beginning of this week.
The location of the concession for the construction of the Kotor — Lovćen cable car is determined by the Special Spatial Plan of Lovćen National Park. The concession provided for this project is 30 years from the date of fulfillment of the preconditions set out in the draft concession agreement. This period includes the time required for the construction of the cable car, estimated at one year, as well as the operating period of the remaining 29 years.
At Novi Volvox, they explained that they worked on three scenarios that showed the justification for investing in this project and were related to the number of passengers transported.
“The first scenario is the base forecast, which means that in the first year of operation of the cable car we will transport 400,000 passengers, and in the 10th year — 600,000 passengers. The second scenario assumes 325,000 passengers in the first year and 400,000 passengers in the 10th year. The third scenario, also the worst-case one, assumes 275,000 passengers in the first year and 375,000 in the 10th year,” the company explained.
The future concessionaire proposed, according to them, at least five percent of annual turnover plus the difference in 15 percent of annual profit. In addition, one percent of annual turnover will be allocated to sponsorship and donations.
Upon expiration of the lease term, the facility and all associated facilities become the property of the state.