NEW ICONS Conference Held in Bar: A Milestone for Women Entrepreneurs in Tourism
Bar, Montenegro – June 5, 2025 – The international conference NEW ICONS – New Icon Women in South Adriatic Tourism, organized by BSC Bar in partnership with CNA Bari (Italy), MoliseVerso2000 (Italy), and NUCLEUS (Albania), was successfully held on June 5 at Hotel Princess in Bar.
The event brought together over 50 participants, including women entrepreneurs, representatives of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and partner institutions from Montenegro, Albania, and Italy. The conference served as a platform for presenting business experiences and exchanging knowledge in the fields of tourism, digital transformation, and women’s entrepreneurship.
During the event, SMEs from all three countries showcased their businesses, shared success stories, and discussed the challenges and opportunities of operating in the tourism sector. Special emphasis was placed on digitalization, international networking, and access to finance for women-led businesses.
A key highlight of the conference was the signing of the Agreement for the establishment of the NEW ICONS International Cluster, formalizing the commitment of partner institutions to continue working together beyond the project’s completion. The cluster aims to support women entrepreneurs in the South Adriatic region through joint initiatives, cross-border collaboration, and shared resources.
The conference also included the presentation of the Action Plan for enhancing women’s participation in the tourism sector and encouraged active involvement from local entrepreneurs in shaping this new regional partnership.
The NEW ICONS project is supported by the INTERREG IPA South Adriatic 2021–2027 programme, promoting regional cooperation and gender equality in business.
