August 19, 2020 - After Austria and Italy put Croatia on the "red list", i.e., introduced mandatory COVID-19 testing for anyone returning from Croatia, Falkensteiner reacted proactively and introduced a free coronavirus test (PCR test) for guests inside its facilities two days ago. 

HRTurizam reports that this is a great move that especially benefits foreign tourists, who can now be tested in the safety of their accommodation. This avoids many questions, especially for families with children, such as: Where can I find a testing clinic? How do I get there? Is it safe? Is it crowded?, which is further emphasized in a crisis situation.

“In order to facilitate the return of our guests from those two countries, we decided to donate COVID-19 tests, and in cooperation with the Institute of Public Health, organized daily visits to the resort to take samples on the spot, so guests do not have to go to the Zadar Institute," Falkensteiner pointed out.

For those guests who do not want to be tested in the hotel, i.e., in Croatia, Falkensteiner has provided a discount of 50 EUR per person, so that guests can be tested in their countries, and thus covers the cost of testing. 

Measures in Falkensteiner hotels in four languages

Falkensteiner's reaction to the COVID crisis and the preparations before the hotel opened should also be highlighted. For the needs of the guests, through a video and website (in four languages: Croatian, German, English and Italian), they explained all the procedures, gave answers to key questions and epidemiological measures they took to make guests feel safe. All information can be found HERE.

Falkensteiner should be used as an example for all as an excellent case study of crisis communication, i.e., making crisis decisions in hotel management. If Falkensteiner only looked at the profit, because the cost of testing is certainly an unplanned cost, they might have earned a few thousand euros more this season. However, with this decision, they have definitely profited in the long run. This is not a cost, but an investment and, logically, a human reaction. 

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July 7, 2019 - How do big resorts minimise the inevitable environmental projects that tourism brings? A look at the approach from Falkensteiner Punta Skala, a little north of Zadar. 

One of the most intriguing tours I have seen on my rounds along the Croatian coast this summer was during a stay at Falkensteiner Iadera in Petrcane, near Zadar.  

The resort, the largest successful foreign investment on the Croatian coast and opened in 2011, lies on an idyllic peninsula free of neighbours in around 15 hectares of land. That sense of space and greenery and immersion in nature is one of the first and lasting impressions I had on my first visit a couple of years ago. Falkensteiner, in an effort to protect and preserve this divine slice of Dalmatian heaven, engaged international experts to come up with a complex eco-friendly structure to minimise the ecological footprint of the resort. And that unusual tour is a look 'behind the scenes' at how Falkensteiner does it. 

You can view our plant, technical rooms and other areas that are normally closed to the public under the guidance of a trained professional. Our team at the front desk is available for registrations and information.

I didn't have time to do the tour this time, but will on my next visit, but I was sufficiently curious to research the subject a little further. As some hotels are championing their environmental credentials by stopping the use of plastic straws (bravo!), the system put in place by Falkensteiner is fascinating, and it largely contributed to the resort being one of three initial hotels and resorts to be awarded the UPUHH Superior Sustainable Hotel Certificate for its efforts in sustainability and environmental protection. 

Of particular interest was the use of water in the resort. A water treatment plant supplies the resort with the water needed for daily use on the holiday peninsula and generates energy for heating and cooling. In addition, a completely organic purification system helps to preserve the environment. 

Water pump: Seawater is pumped out of the sea and into the plant at a constant temperature.Water pump: Seawater is pumped out of the sea and into the plant at a constant temperature.

Energy generation: The seawater is used for cooling (in the summer) and heating (in the winter) in the hotels and the apartment complex. This reduces the need for fossil fuels.

Desalination system: Part of the seawater is desalinated using an osmosis system and can be used as drinking water. The remaining water is diverted back into the sea.

Purification system: Wastewater is cleansed using a completely organic purification system and is stored with the collected rain water and the greywater from the swimming pools. The impotable water is then used for flushing toilets and for watering the gardens.

I can't imagine the expense of putting in such a system, but it is obviously a long-term investment which will pay off with the better protection of the natural goodness that attracts people in the first place. 

One of the attractions of the Falkensteiner resort is that it is largely car-free. On arrival, park your car in the centralised garages and then roam and enjoy the beautiful natural setting. The resort has also been very welcoming of the electric vehicle revolution, and there are four Tesla charging points. 

Falkensteiner Iadera was a very popular two-night stop on the 2018 Nikola Tesla EV Rally, when around 50 Teslas and other electric vehicles spent a relaxing 48 hours in Petrcane. 

As with other hotels trying to improve their sustainability and reduce waste, from this season, Falkensteiner Punta Skala no longer uses disposable plastic, and its recycling system has been enhanced so that now everything is recycled. 

And while I am sure there is still much more that can be done, it is encouraging to see some hotel groups taking the lead in protecting the environment and natural beauty that makes the Croatian coast so special. 

To learn more about the Falkensteiner Punta Skala resort, visit the official website. 

A new kind of festival is coming to Croatia this September: Meet Hotel Operations Weekend.