Kotor plays a major role in Montenegro’s tourism industry and is a popular destination for tourists from Russia, the United States, Spain, Austria, in particular. Special attractions include the city’s architecture, fortifications, and various festivals, such as an annual children’s theater festival in early July. In 2019, it welcomed over 250,000 tourists.
In June 2021, the first and only public aquarium in Montenegro, Aquarium Boka, opened in Kotor. It is the organizational unit of the Department of Marine Biology of the University of Montenegro, a unique institution in Montenegro that combines research and education to promote and practice effective conservation of marine animals. In the first three months, the aquarium was visited by more than 8,000 people.