Applications Open for the STAR Residency Program for Digital Nomads

Thanks to the financial support of the European Union, within the STAR project—which promotes tourism and attracts digital nomads to rural cross-border areas of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro—we are opening applications for the Digital Nomad Residency Program taking place from April 15 to May 15, 2026.

The Residency Program is designed as a one-month curated stay and work experience in Herzegovina and Montenegro, with a strong focus on rural tourism. Participants will primarily stay with local tourism operators in rural areas and use their services, following a schedule that combines work, local experiences, nature, and community engagement.

Program and STAR Project Objectives

The STAR project contributes to the sustainable development of tourism by creating the conditions needed to attract digital nomads as a new target group to Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro. Through project activities, the capacities of tourism operators are strengthened, a cross-border tourism product for digital nomads is developed, and awareness is raised among both the general public and digital nomads about the potential of these countries as attractive destinations for this type of tourism.

What Participants Can Expect

The program is dynamic and content-rich, involving frequent travel across both countries. Over the course of one month, participants will stay in multiple locations and visit a range of destinations in Montenegro and Herzegovina.

According to the program plan, participants will visit:
Podgorica, Mojkovac, Kolašin, Šavnik, Žabljak, Plužine, Nikšić, Herceg Novi, Kotor, and in Bosnia and Herzegovina: Ravno, Stolac, Čapljina (Hutovo Blato), Ljubuški, Mostar, and Grude.

More information about the Residency Program is available via the document.

What’s Included

Selected participants will have key costs covered, including:

• travel expenses
• local transportation
• accommodation and meals during the stay
• planned activities according to the itinerary

The program is fully funded through the STAR project, covering travel, accommodation, and activity costs.

Selection Criteria

We are looking for digital nomads who can contribute to the visibility of destinations and local operators through high-quality content and active engagement within the nomad community. Selection will be based on:

• reach and quality of social media presence
• activity and engagement within the digital nomad ecosystem (platforms, events, communities, content)

Willingness to travel across the region is essential. A valid driver’s license and readiness to drive, as a key part of logistics, are mandatory.

Participant Responsibilities

Selected participants will be expected to:

• document their stay through authentic content promoting the cross-border region and local operators
• participate as speakers at meetups in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro
• deliver agreed promotional content (e.g., social media posts, blog/article, photo and video content) and take part in media appearances as planned by the organizers

Applications

The application form is available via the link.

Application deadline: March 11, 2026.

The project is co-funded by the European Union through the IPA III CBC Programme Bosnia and Herzegovina – Montenegro 2021–2027.