December the 9th, 2020 - Yet another praiseworthy ranking for a Croatian hotel even during a year which has challenged their very operation as Mali Losinj's Boutique Hotel Alhambra is listed among the top ten hotels in Europe.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, the Boutique Hotel Alhambra, a unique hotel located in beautiful Mali Losinj that has continued to delight guests from all over the world with its luxurious atmosphere, was ranked by the readers of Luxury Lifestyle Magazine among the ten best hotels in all of Europe. As part of the prestigious Readers' Travel Awards 2020, among the best in the Best hotel in Europe category lies the Bellevue 5 * hotel, another award-winning representative of the Losinj Hotels & Villas brand, a hotel group that is also the only Croatian representative in the company of the best European hotels.

The Luxury Lifestyle Magazine is a professional publication for the discovery new luxury destinations, gastronomic delights, exclusive locations and the top brands that inspire travellers from all over the world to explore destinations and hotels they've never visited before. The Readers' Travel Awards provide the publication's readers the opportunity to single out those tourist facilities that have left the strongest impression on them, with the aim of highlighting the unsurpassed gems of the global tourism industry and rewarding excellence in a number of categories. Readers were able to vote for their favourites after the nominations were reviewed by an expert committee, according to strict criteria.

Surrounded by the intoxicating scent of ancient pine trees and elegantly adorning Cikat bay, one of the most beautiful in the region, the luxurious Boutique Hotel Alhambra is housed in an Austro-Hungarian Art Nouveau-style villa built in 1912. It is a member of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World group, one of only two Croatian members of the American network of leading tourist entities Virtuoso and one of the five Croatian representatives of the Traveler Made community. The Boutique Hotel Alhambra offers a high level of privacy for guests who want to enjoy an escape from everyday life, with the offer of organised transfers, the rental of luxury cars and boats to travel and experiences designed according to the personal preferences of the guest. The world-class Alfred Keller restaurant is known for its indigenous seasonal ingredients and delicacies, and the unique Cube Spa Alhambra is a top wellness oasis where guests can indulge in a range of body treatments and rituals, from cleansing baths to detoxifying scrubs and wraps, enjoying the benefits of natural essential oils.

''We're very honoured that the readers of LLM, many of whom we've had the pleasure and privilege of hosting in our hotel, chose us among the ten best hotels in Europe. Our daily mission is to serve the most demanding wishes of our guests with a commitment to consistently create and provide an unforgettable experience in all aspects, exceeding their expectations. All praise goes to our dedicated team who have always gone above and beyond to fulfill the promises we give to our guests. We'd also like to thank our guests and readers for voting for us and we look forward to their return to the Alhambra and to our beautiful island,''  said Andrea Glavan, the director of the Boutique Hotel Alhambra.

The impeccably designed Bellevue 5 * hotel, which recently won the prestigious title of the best Spa hotel in Croatia according to the World Spa Awards, in the Spa Clinic which stretches over 2500 m2 and is the largest in the whole region, provides an excellent wellness haven where guests can enjoy integrated fitness, wellness and beauty programmes, complemented and treated by world-renowned brands such as Bastien Gonzalez, 45 Degrees, Forlle'd Japan, Pharmos Natur and Valmont.

The luxury collection of the Losinj Hotels & Villas hotel consists of the Alhambra Boutique Hotel, the Bellevue Hotel and three ultra-luxury villas - Villa Augusta, Villa Mirasol and Villa Hortensia, all of which located along the gorgeous coastline.

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September the 12th, 2020 - The Croatian tourism industry has taken blow after blow ever since the coronavirus pandemic broke through into the country back in spring this year. Croatian camps and hotels have had an extremely difficult time in drying to decide when to open, how to adapt to the epidemiological measures, or whether to bother opening their doors at all.

Despite the temendous amount of woes which plagued (and quite literally) tourism in Croatia, which is an economic branch of vital importance, accounting for around 20 percent of the country's GDP, the Croatian tourist season actually recorded far better results than were ever initially expected back during those dark lockdown-dominated days and weeks. With travel restricted and everything up in the air as the virus spread, many Croatian camps and hotels thought that there would be no season to speak of whatsoever, and the predictions from those in the industry were dire.

As summer arrived, flights began operating again and more and more Croatian camps and hotels began opening their doors. This was aided by Croatia's previously excellent epidemiological picture when compared to other countries in Europe, especially the terrible situations in both the United Kingdom and nearby Italy, and for the most part, the calculated risk of opening Croatia up to tourists paid off, resulting in a far better season than anticipated and a decent income level.

Now that the season is all but over and the cases of infection have begun to climb rather dramatically, just how well did Croatian camps and hotels actually perform when we look at the real figures?

As Poslovni Dnevnik/Marija Crnjak writes on the 11th of September, 2020, this year, Croatian hotels accounted for about 44 percent of last year's turnover during the summer season, with revenues that are 5 to 15 percent lower than physical indicators, according to a survey by the Croatian Tourism Association, which was revealed recently at a press conference at the Ministry of Tourism by Veljko Ostojic.

This shows that there was price pressure, to which some hotels responded. Croatian camps had better demand, they realised 57 percent of last year's overnight stays.

Minister of Tourism Nikolina Brnjac revealed that in the season, Croatia realised 5.2 million tourist arrivals, which is 54 percent of the level of traffic from 2019, from 39.8 million overnight stays, or 62 percent of last year's traffic.

This is significantly better than expected from the rest of the Mediterranean. The director of the Croatian Tourist Board, Kristjan Stanicic, revealed that the CNTB's revenue this year will be around 200 million kuna, which is 150 million less than last year, but he pointed out that this will be enough for the campaigns that are being prepared for 2021.

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As Novac writes on the 25th of August, 2020, back at the end of July, a completely renovated Valamar Parentino Hotel 4 * (formerly known as the Valamar Hotel Zagreb) was opened in Porec, Istria, specialising in active and fun family holidays. The hotel boasts 329 accommodation units and in the peak season it can accommodate over 1,100 guests. It also employs about 140 employees.

The investment in the Valamar Parentino Hotel worth an enormous 113 million kuna is the largest investment of the Imperial Riviera for 2020. Valamar Riviera is a leading Croatian travel company that manages the entire Imperial Riviera portfolio, and Valamar Parentino Hotel has become the seventeenth tourist facility bearing the well known and respected Valamar Hotels & Resorts brand.

The Valamar Parentino Hotel is a new family-oriented oasis that provides entertainment for children and a high quality holiday for parents. The excellently equipped Maro Mini and Maxi playrooms for children of different ages, outdoor cinema screenings, a multimedia game lounge, a soft play room, and entertainment with day and evening programmes for children are just some of the possibilities offered by Valamar's Super Maro programme for children up to 12 years of age.

The main Mediterraneo restaurant serves gourmet delicacies using local ingredients, while the Oliva Grill restaurant offers simple dishes which are perfect for a light lunch or dinner.

The offer also includes Sun & Spa - Valamar's signature wellness programme, two heated outdoor pools, water slides and a shallow baby pool. The family pebble beach - Val Parentino Family - offers a range of facilities such as the Splash Beach Bar and La Pentola Trattoria Italiana, famous for its hand-made pasta and pizza offerings.

For those who want an active holiday, there is also a Stay Fit programme, tennis courts and a Music & Fun entertainment programme with a very rich and impressive offer.

Photos can be views by clicking on the above link.

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Croatian hotels were closed for a long time, and as things begin to re-open in attempt to save what remains of 2020's season, one of the most luxurious Croatian hotels announces the opening of its doors.

The coronavirus pandemic has turned the world on its head, and tourism is one of the most heavily affected industries across the globe. Croatia, which relies heavily on tourism as it makes up 20 percent of the nation's GDP, has been far from immune from the virus' negative consequences.

As Novac/Jozo Vrdoljak writes on the 8th of August, 2020, Adriatic luxury hotels is set to open their fifth hotel in the gorgeous Dubrovnik area. Hotel Bellevue will receive its very first guests this year on August the 11th. In addition to Hotel Bellevue, Hotel Excelsior, Hotel Dubrovnik Palace and Hotel Croatia in Cavtat and Hotel Odisej on Mljet have also opened their respective doors.

"The operational procedures in our hotels have been fully adjusted to comply with all of the prescribed measures and recommendations for the operation of Croatian hotels during the COVID-19 epidemic, as issued by the Croatian Institute of Public Health, with maximum effort placed on maintaining the expected level of luxury hotel service," reads a statement from Adriatic luxury hotels.

To quickly recall, Hotel Bellevue was completely reconstructed in April last year after the renovation that began on the last day of October of the previous year. In the complete reconstruction of rooms and apartments, the company has invested an impressive 400,000 kuna in each room, which is the first significant investment made within Hotel Bellevue since its opening back in 2006. The hotel boasts 115 rooms and 14 luxury suites with the Lovor Presidential Suite.

The redesign saw the complete renovation of the reception area and the area of ​​the Spice Lounge bar and restaurant Vapor with its terraces overlooking the bay. The investment, which included fundamental changes to all accommodation facilities and part of the hotel's interior, created a boutique hotel with stunning panoramic sea views. The Boutique Hotel Bellevue, is carved high into the rocks above Miramare Bay. The Portuguese design studio Tereza Prego was hired for the project, specialising in interior design of exclusive hotels and residences. After the renovation, in addition to the existing restaurants Vapor and Nevera, a new The Wine bar was also renovated.

The company to which it belongs is a leading hotel company based in Dubrovnik. Its brand has six hotels of the highest category under its belt: Hotel Excelsior, Villa Orsula, Hotel Bellevue, Grand Villa Argentina, Hotel Dubrovnik Palace, Hotel Kompas, Hotel Croatia Cavtat, two luxury villas: Villa Agave, Villa Sheherezade, Hotel Supetar in Cavtat and the only hotel - Odisej on the island of Mljet.

Photos of the aforementioned hotel can be viewed by clicking the link in the first paragraph of this article.

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ZAGREB, May 25, 2020 - Over the weekend 133 hotels and 65 campsites have been opened, the Croatian Tourism Association said on Monday, adding that it was necessary to launch targeted promotional campaigns in key markets as soon as possible.

"A good epidemiological situation is a basis for achieving results this year and we are among the best in Europe in that regard. We must use that to the maximum in the period ahead," HUT director Veljko Ostojic said, underlining the need to "intensively communicate with key markets to attract guests."

He said it was necessary to finalise agreements simplifying and expediting the entry of tourists from key markets and launch coordinated and targeted promotional campaigns there.

Campsites and more hotels are expected to be opened in Istria, Kvarner and Dalmatia by the end of this month, while the majority of hotels are expected to be open in June.

May 13,  2020 - The Croatian Institute of Public Health (HZJZ) has published recommendations for the operation of hotels and rentals in Croatia. 

HRTurizam reports that in accordance with reactivating certain activities based on looser measures, it is recommended that hotels and rental activities act per the following recommendations.

1. General rules and conditions for hotel premises
- Physical distance. During their stay in the hotel, visitors must adhere to a measure of physical distance of 1.5 meters concerning other visitors, unless they are members of the same family or group.

- Disinfectant. At the entrances of hotel premises (lobby, reception, sports, and recreational facilities, counters for payment of services) and in the work area of ​​employees it is necessary to install dispensers with disinfectant (based on alcohol in a concentration of not less than 70% or other means suitable for use on the skin with declared virucidal action).

- Visible notices and informing guests. At the entrances of the hotel premises in a visible place, it is necessary to place information on hygienic procedures or place information with guidelines on proper behavior and protection measures in the rooms where guests stay, or give this information to guests upon check-in or put an information leaflet in the accommodation unit. The telephone number of the responsible person in the hotel is available in the accommodation unit, who then takes contact with the health care institutions in case of COVID-19 suspicion. 

- Maximum number of people on the premises. Observe the rules of the maximum number of persons allowed in certain areas following the defined criteria of physical distance of 1.5 meters to other visitors, unless they are members of the same family or group.

- Paper towels and disposable material. It is necessary to provide a sufficient amount of paper towels and other disposable materials, means and equipment for cleaning, washing and disinfection.

- Waste disposal. It is recommended to place a rubbish bin with appropriate lids in all public areas inside the hotel.

- Protective equipment. It is necessary to provide a sufficient amount of protective masks and gloves for employees entering the guest accommodation units (eg maintenance staff, cleaners, etc.).

- Adhere to all general and hygienic measures. Instructions for cleaning and disinfection are available at the following link:

Persons suspected or suffering from COVID-19: HERE

2. Reception, lobby and other public spaces

- Ventilation. Ventilate all areas regularly.

- Reception hygiene. Disinfection of reception areas at regular intervals (eg every hour), and disinfect the area of reception and check-out of guests (contact areas) with a higher frequency than other reception areas.

- Physical distance at the reception. Ensure sufficient distance between reception staff and guest and staff, reduce check-in / check-out time below 15 minutes (which is the definition of close contact) or, if this is not possible, place partitions (made of Plexiglas or similar material that provides the required sanitary distance). The maximum number of people in the reception area is regulated and limited in accordance with the measures of physical distance of 1.5 meters.

- Informing guests and staff. Reception staff should be sufficiently informed about COVID-19 to be able to carry out the assigned tasks without difficulty and to prevent the possible spread of COVID-19 within the institution. They should be able to inform guests inquiring about the hotel's policy regarding the implementation of preventive measures or other services that guests may request (for example, medical and pharmacy services available in the area or in the facility itself, telephone numbers of emergency epidemiologists, etc.).

- Application of technology. Emphasizing online / booking check-in and check-in from home (the option is to find the technical possibility of direct guest registration on the e-visitor), contactless payment, payment by proforma invoice, self-scanning of documents, etc. (where applicable and possible).

- Check out. Advise guests to announce their check-out plans in advance so that bills can be prepared on time and avoid being delayed at reception.

- Currency exchange and ATMs. Prefer where it is possible to change and withdraw money at ATMs located on the outside / outside the reception. ATMs are located in public areas that are covered with a disinfectant dispenser.

- Elevators. Set up safety instructions, including the maximum number of guests allowed at one time, in front of and inside the elevator. Elevators are located in public spaces with disinfectants, and the distance from the max. number of users of each elevator should be made unless the users are part of a family or share a common accommodation unit.

- Conditions for maintaining the hygiene of sanitary facilities. Increased cleaning, disinfection and ventilation of public sanitary facilities every two hours (and more often if necessary), increase the number of employees for daily cleaning in each sanitary facility. Limit the simultaneous use of sanitary facilities in accordance with the size and prescribed sanitary conditions.

- Business centers/conference rooms. Mandatory disinfection of tables and all equipment after use. Respect for the physical distance of 1.5 meters between individual groups of guests.

- Children's facilities. Ensure work in the manner prescribed by the operation of kindergartens and playgrounds in cities. Recommendations are available on the HZJZ website.

- Equipment availability. If necessary, provide guests with available thermometers and protective masks and gloves (on request).

3. Food and beverage service areas and commercial facilities

Shops and catering facilities in the hotel should operate in accordance with the decisions of the Civil Protection Headquarters and the existing recommendations for these activities outside the hotel.

Instructions for catering facilities available HERE

4. Accommodation units

Cleaning frequency of accommodation units. Cleaning and change of bed linen and towels will be done in accordance with existing standards, informing guests that if they want, the rules of cleaning and change of bed linen and towels can be arranged differently, or adjusted to guest requirements (eg only on arrival/departure room is cleaned and changed towels and bed linen and to eliminate the principle of changing towels and bed linen and cleaning during the stay of guests).

- Cleaning of surfaces and sanitary facilities. All surfaces that have come in contact with the guest (nightstand, table, chair, coffee table, any furniture, amenities, telephone, remote control, etc.) must be cleaned with a suitable detergent and disinfectant. Cleaning of all bathroom surfaces must be given special attention when changing guests.

- Bed linen and towels. Used bedding (bedding and towels in the bathroom) must be stored in a closed container separate from the cart with clean bedding; dirty and clean bedding must always be separated and must not come into contact.

- Informing guests. Ensure that information/instructions on new room cleaning and linen change procedures are clearly visible and accessible to guests.

5. Recommendations for hotel staff

General protective measures. Avoid close contact with people who show symptoms of fever, cough and / or difficulty breathing. Avoid touching the face, mouth, nose and eyes, shaking hands and close conversation, and maintain social distance. When coughing or sneezing, cover your mouth and nose with an elbow or tissue to be immediately thrown in the trash and wash your hands. Wash your hands regularly with soap and water and / or use an alcohol-based or other skin-friendly disinfectant with virucidal effects according to the manufacturer's instructions.

- Maximum protection of customers and hotel staff. If possible, install a protective barrier at the serving point and at the cash register, which will physically separate the cashier from the customer. Contactless credit card payments should be encouraged. During their stay in the hotel, visitors must adhere to a measure of physical distance of 1.5 meters in relation to other visitors, unless they are members of the same family or group.

- Daily body temperature measurement. Staff should take their body temperature before arriving on the morning shift. If the body temperature is higher than 37.2 ° C in the morning, if the person feels sick or has any signs of illness (applies to all symptoms and signs of illness, not just respiratory diseases), they should contact their superior and not come to work until the competent family doctor is called.

- Two-shift operation. If possible, organize the work twice, so that there is at least an hour between the first and second shifts, which will be used to clean and disinfect the surfaces during routine cleaning. The surfaces shall be disinfected by wiping with an alcohol-based disinfectant in a concentration of not less than 70% or another agent suitable for use on the skin with declared virucidal action according to the manufacturer's instructions.

- Staff awareness. Before starting work / opening, educate staff about all measures that are being implemented.

6. Technical service and maintenance

- Water use and chlorination. Maintaining the hygienic conditions of the pool water (bathing water) and ensuring the smooth operation of the water treatment device is carried out in the usual way. Concerning pool water, it is possible to use the maximum permitted concentrations of chlorine.

- Textile washing and dishwashing equipment. It is necessary to check the proper functioning of the equipment for washing dishes and laundry, especially the working temperature, as well as the correct dose of chemicals for cleaning and disinfection.

- Air conditioners, heating and ventilation devices (HVAC). Pay special attention to monitoring the condition of the filter and maintaining the correct condition of the air exchange rate indoors. The proper functioning of equipment for ventilation, air exchange and dehumidification of indoor pools should be checked. Increased ventilation of hotel spaces is recommended, for example, by increasing the number of ventilations, by increasing the percentage of outside air circulating in the system.

- Dispensers and other devices for disinfectants. Regular inspections should be carried out to ensure the proper functioning of the soap and disinfectant device. It is recommended to put the hand dryers out of order and replace them with disposable paper hand towels. Defective units should be repaired or replaced quickly.

7. Pools, beaches and sports - recreational and other service activities

- Pools and beaches. Separate deck chairs in such a way as to ensure physical distance from in relation to other visitors unless they are members of the same family or group. The hotel staff must disinfect the deckchairs several times a day, and certainly after guests leave the deckchair and another guest wants to use it.

- Recreational sports. In the spaces provided for recreational sports indoors, the instructions "Recommendation for training and sports-recreational activities in indoor sports facilities during the COVID-19 epidemic" published on the HZJZ website are applied.

Cosmetic services. Instructions available HERE
Massage services. Instructions available HERE

- Wellness and saunas. Limit the number of people, especially in closed facilities (eg wellness) and spaces, in accordance with the available space. It is recommended to put all wet saunas out of function. Dry saunas, such as the Finnish sauna, can continue to operate. Ventilate, clean and disinfect all surfaces in hallways and toilets more frequently.

8. Receiving associates and unannounced guests

- Associates. The arrival of other persons (eg couriers) should be organized in such a way that before the arrival of that person, the phone is announced and the temperature is measured.

- If the body temperature is higher than 37.2 ° C in the morning, if the person feels sick or has any signs of illness (applies to all symptoms and signs of illness, not just respiratory diseases), they should contact their superior and not come to the hotel until the competent family doctor has been contacted by telephone.

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May 2, 2020 - How are Croatian hotels preparing for the 'new normal'? A look at what we can expect this year. 

HRTurizamHRTurizam reports that the COVID-19 pandemic has hit the tourism sector hardest. Recovery can only be counted when a vaccine/cure is found, and it will probably take 2-3 years, if not longer, to return to the current global tourism trends. One thing is for sure - tourism will be different and will go through three phases.

The first phase is until a vaccine or cure is found, the second phase will be recovery, and after a couple of years, the stabilization or return of tourism to the 'old ways' will begin. However, we can only hope it'll be tourism with new sustainable and healthy foundations - smarter, more sustainable, healthier and more human.

In the first phase, at least until the vaccine is found, there will be tourism that is contradictory to itself - full of various restrictions, avoiding crowds, and without contact and interaction with the hosts.

The new categorization of hotels, as well as all other standards, follows. While we can make some predictions, at the moment, no one knows for sure exactly how hotels will work in the future.

As we know, the Croatian Government has decided that in the third phase of loosening of measures (May 11), catering facilities in accommodation capacities will be allowed, but only for users of accommodation. Interestingly, hotels do not have a ban on work, but of course, in a situation where tourism has stopped and everyone is in self-isolation, it is logical that hotels are closed because they have no guests.

When it comes to reception, there should be no major changes other than keeping a distance, but the whole process can be digitized through a stand-alone check-in - that the guest does not need to check-in at the reception and can unlock the room themselves with a cell phone or via a hotel application.

Some of the main challenges will certainly be how restaurants function. Buffets are no longer an option, and significant changes are expected in this area. The question arises as to what measures and how the use of hotel pools will work, which is one of the critical places, i.e., where all the guests gather in one place. Deck chairs and beaches will definitely need to be disinfected. Fitness halls, elevators, congress halls, stair handrails are also some of the critical places. But what measures will be taken by epidemiologists is yet to be seen.

Bernard Zenzerović, UPUHH: Everyone in the sector is aware that this season will be marked by a fight for every tourist 

While waiting for the decisions and recommendations of the National Headquarters for the tourism sector, Goran Rihelj of HRTurizam spoke with Bernard Zenzerović of the Croatian Employers' Association (UPUHH) on how hoteliers see functioning in this challenging time and what their suggestions are to the Headquarters.

“Guest access will certainly change this season and adapt to new circumstances. In all business segments, maximum sanitary standards and the necessary social distance will have to be ensured. We, in coordination with our members, other national hotel organizations from Europe and our colleagues from professional associations in Croatia, have developed proposals for adapting operational procedures to the new situation," said Zenzerović.

The Croatian Tourism Association (HUT), which brings together leading hoteliers, including UPUHH, has already submitted its proposals to the Ministry of Tourism, which will be forwarded to the Croatian Health Institute and the National Civil Protection Headquarters for consideration.

"I hope that in this way, we will help the competent Croatian services, which must formally adopt a framework in which hotel operations will be organized, and thus we invite them to do this as soon as possible so that everyone can be together as soon as possible to receive guests."

What is most important at the moment is that the Headquarters make recommendations and measures as soon as possible so that tourist entrepreneurs, both hoteliers and all other accommodation providers and catering establishments, can be better prepared for the coming period.

We are pleased with the positive signals about the possibility of opening the borders of our main markets, as well as the image of Croatia as a "corona-free" destination, recognized by the media and our partners in the EU markets, said Zenzerović, adding that everyone in the sector is aware that they will fight for every tourist, every day.

”Everyone in the sector is aware that this season will be marked by a fight for every tourist, every day. Our common goal should be to ensure maximum security for guests and employees in these specific conditions, but at the same time to provide guests with a positive experience and a comfortable vacation, since this is the basis of tourism. ”

On the other hand, we can look at what measures the world players have introduced - Marriott and Hilton.

Marriott has established a global cleanliness council to combat the. COVID-19 pandemic at the hotel-level and further enhance the company's efforts in the area.

Marriott's Global Cleanliness Council is focused on developing the next level of global hospitality standards for cleanliness, standards and behavior that are designed to minimize risk and increase safety for both consumers and Marriott associates, points out Arne Sorenson, President and CEO of Marriott International, and adds:

"We are grateful for the confidence our guests have shown us over the years. We want our guests to understand what we are doing today and plan for the near future in the areas of cleanliness, hygiene and social distance, so that when they walk through the door of one of our hotels, they know our commitment because health and safety is our priority. It is equally important to us that our associates know the changes we are making to maintain their health while serving our guests."

Marriott is introducing electrostatic spray disinfectants throughout the hotel. Otherwise, electrostatic spray technology uses the highest classification of disinfectants recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) for the treatment of known pathogens. In addition, the company is testing ultraviolet light technology to disinfect guest keys and devices shared by associates.

Marriott's food safety program includes enhanced sanitation guidelines and training videos for all operating associates that include hygiene and disinfection procedures. In addition, the company is changing its operating practices for dining in rooms and devising new approaches to buffets.

Hilton, on the other hand, will remove pen and paper from the rooms, and supplement it with digital devices that will be available on request, will place wipes at the elevators so that guests can clean the call button each time, as well as unlocking the rooms via mobile smart locks.

Also, Marriott and Hilton have agreed to cooperate with the Mayo Clinic on all hotel facilities in America. 

Singapore was the first to introduce concrete measures for hotels, using the SG Clean certification

Thus, the hotel must implement the "SG clean" program, which states, among other things, that the process of measuring body temperature and monitoring COVID-19 symptoms in an employee must be provided, have a procedure ready for resolving COVID-19 cases should an infection occur, and managing seating arrangements to ensure a safe distance between at least one meter of tables and between the seats.

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What can Croatian hotels do to ensure the safe functioning of their businesses as COVID-19 continues to lurk? Unfortunately, all the disinfectant in the world can't help the hole that has been blown into the domestic economy, but some patching up might be possible.

The coronavirus crisis is continuing to wreak havoc with the global economy, with tourism and travel among the hardest hit industries in the world. Croatia, which has been relying far too heavily and even more too exclusively on tourism for many years, enjoying a three-year boom and seeing tourism make up about 20 percent of the country's entire GDP, has had quite the economic shock.

Could Croatian hotels have thought up a way to function, make money and help to patch up at least a small part of the economy? As Poslovni Dnevnik/Marija Crnjak writes on the 24th of April, 2020, the Croatian Tourism Association has submitted a concrete proposal to the Croatian Government for the alteration of operational procedures in Croatian hotels and camps that ensure the maintenance of high health and hygiene standards.

The plan is to open Croatian hotels and camps on May the 11th, 2020, if this relatively decent epidemic situation within Croatia's borders persists.

"It's crucial that the operational framework of all tourism service providers creates quality conditions for the realisation of the season, in as much as is possible under these changed conditions," stated Veljko Ostojic, director of the aforementioned tourism association.

They thanked Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic for his personal engagement and contact with the prime ministers of the countries which are Croatia's main emitting markets for finding ways to travel as an essential precondition for the realisation of this year's tourist season, which would otherwise be lost, and for all members of the Croatian Government who are working hard to think of how they can to encourage tourism traffic in 2020.

They are convinced that despite all the restrictions, they are ready to make the best of this tourist season, or what might be left of it.

Make sure to follow our dedicated section for all you need to know about coronavirus in Croatia.

August 20, 2019 - Hotels in Dalmatia achieve the best results after experts analyze the success of hotels in Croatia for Slobodna Dalmacija. 

“Hoteliers did well in the first half of the year according to all available data, and according to the announcements, this trend continues in July and August. I think 2019 will be a very good business year for hoteliers in terms of revenue, and those with 4 and 5 stars did better in the first six months of this year than last year.

The specificity of this peak season is that it is asymmetrical, it has shifted in 15 days in terms of time, business and traffic for a lot of reasons, but it will not significantly affect the operation of hotels. There is a trend that 4 and 5-star hotels are doing fantastic, and those who are worse off and have not seen an investment are operating in a market that is looking for lower prices, so their financial results are significantly worse. Because you cannot get a customer with higher-spending power if you have poor quality,” says professor Zdenko Cerović, a Ph.D. from the Faculty of Tourism and Hospitality Management in Opatija, who co-authored the Benchmarking (Business Analysis) study of the Croatian hotel industry until the beginning of July this year.

Together with him, hotel operations in the first part of this year were also analyzed by Dr. Sandra Janković and Sonja Hvaliček.

The material analyzes the operations of 114 Croatian hotels from all coastal regions and the continental part of the country, with a total of 23,500 rooms, which is more than 40 percent of the total hotel capacity in Croatia. Data on occupancy, prices, revenues and earnings were found for 25 hotels in Istria, 26 in Kvarner, 46 in four Dalmatian counties and 17 continental hotels. Key revenue management indicators by region say that in June alone, as in the first six months of this year, hotels in Dalmatia are doing the best. 

In June, they achieved an average price of 139 euro per room, which is 15 euro more than hotels in Istria and almost 40 euro more than hotels in Kvarner. Also, the total income per night in hotels is the highest in Dalmatia - in June, it was 103 euro per night, which is 16 euro more than the average of Croatia. In the same month, the income in Istrian hotels per night was 80 euro, while in Kvarner 77 euro, according to the data. 

“Such financial results are completely logical given that Dalmatia has a long season and good prices in hotels, and a great deal has been invested in hotels in Zadar, Šibenik, the Split region, the Makarska Riviera, and the islands to Dubrovnik. Dalmatia has made a step up in the quality of its hotel offer in a number of hotel houses, followed by good prices, the growing season, and good income. Since April, the monthly accommodation revenue per available hotel room in Dalmatia has been the highest in the country due to the highest average room rates,” explains Cerović of this year's hotel business in Croatia.

Asked if the revenue of hotels would be affected by the fact that part of their capacity was put into "last-minute" sales at lower prices due to slow sales, Cerović replied that this would not affect the hotel’s income because it didn’t happen often enough to affect their earnings.

“Although the story of the need to invest in quality in our tourism is already known, all the way to birds on branches, nevertheless, the exact data best confirm how significant the value for money is in revenue. Specifically, revenue management indicators by the category of the hotel in the survey show that total revenue per night is by far the highest in 5-star hotels, reaching 154.20 euro per night in June. At the level of all six months, it is 114 euro per night, and for comparison, the revenue per night in 4-star hotels in June was 80 euro, while in 3-star hotels it was 49.5 euro. And the average room price also depended on the category of accommodation, so in June, 5-star hotels sold for 206 euro on average, 4-star hotels had an average price of 103 euro, and 3-star hotels in June had an average price of 67.4 euro. 

This does not mean, of course, that Croatia should have only the highest category hotels, but the 3-star hotels must be modernly decorated, equipped and renovated, and thus can achieve better prices and higher revenues in its category, experts say. Guests want to know that they have not overpaid, and everyone goes into a financially monitored category and looks for the best service for that category. Nobody can say today ‘it doesn't matter what kind of hotel I am, I will always have guests’, because that is no longer the case, as the financial results of investing in hotels and resting on laurels show best. "

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As Poslovni Dnevnik writes on the 4th of May, 2019, Vukovar Mayor Ivan Penava and the CEO of the Swiss company Immo Invest Partner, Džek Djordić, signed a contract on the sale of the Dunav (Danube) Hotel in Vukovar on Saturday, and the Swiss company has thus announced the construction of a new four-star hotel, in which it will invest a massive 200 million kuna.

"This is a strategically important property in Vukovar, the building of the former Dunav Hotel, which has attracted a lot of interest from the public," stated Penava, pointing out that the building is located in an extremely valuable location at the very mouth of the Vuka along the Danube, but also because it involves a building that has not been in function for nine years now.

He added that the city, owing to the fact that the hotel had remained totally out of use for a long time, bought the former Hotel Dunav in order to sell it to a hotel business that had already established its branch office in Vukovar. The city will do everything to make the investor feel welcome with their investment which is strategic and considered to be at the state-level.

Deputy Mayor Marijan Pavliček recalled that the City of Vukovar had purchased Hotel Dunav for 10.3 million kuna, while a price of 10.7 million kuna was asked for at the public tender, and the aforementioned Swiss company offered 11.3 million kuna and paid the difference in accordance to the higher requested price.

"The investors are obliged to collect all of the necessary permits in the next eighteen months after which the parcel will be handed over to their ownership, after which a seven-year legal deadline for the construction and commissioning of the facility comes into force," Pavliček said, adding that the investors have promised a significantly shorter implementation deadline, more specifically until the year 2023.

Pavliček emphasised the fact that this is the biggest investment after the Homeland War in the tourist sector of Vukovar, which will open up welcome new jobs.

Immo Invest Partner's CEO Džek Djordić announced the construction of a four-star hotel with about 120 rooms, 240 beds, and which will include several restaurants, offices and a multimedia space in which about 200 million kuna will be invested, and the hotel should be open in 2023.

Immo Invest Partner Board Member Petar Đorđić thanked the mayor and his deputy for their engagement in the realisation of this deal and said that all those involved are great optimists and that the entire investment will be realised within the anticipated deadline.

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