June the 29th, 2022 - Continental Croatian tourism is blossoming this tourist season much like the rest of the country's tourism is, with returns to pre-pandemic levels being recorded across the board by this previously deeply hindered sector.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, continental Croatian tourism is waking up, and up in the north of Croatia, more precisely in gorgeous Medjimurje, things are almost at the level of the record year of 2019. Ivica Grudicek from HRT checked out the popular Terme Sveti Martin to see how they survived the global coronavirus pandemic, and also to see how they're managing to deal with the current problems - rising energy prices as a result of inflation and an ongoing lack of labour.

Nusa Korotaj, the general manager of Terme Sveti Martin, said that Terme Sveti Martin were a valuable asset back during the pandemic, and that now things are slowly returning to how they once were before that. As she explained, they have returned to the figures from back in 2019, and maybe the revenues will be even higher this year.

"We have to take into consideration that inflation is indeed high, so the cost side of things isn't even close to the period from back in 2019, it is a challenge for us and for all directors in the hotel industry," she emphasised, adding that before the global coronavirus pandemic, Croatian guests visiting Sveti Martin were the most numerous of all, with 60 percent of overnight stays being recorded by them, and all other overnight stays were guests from neighbouring countries. During the coronavirus pandemic and immediately afterwards, guests were mostly locals, but, as she now says, foreigners have started to return.

"We have a lot of guests from Slovenia, Austria, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Poland," said Korotaj, which is a clear indication of continental Croatian tourism making a comeback.

The rise in energy prices is having a strong impact on business, and as Korotaj noted, this is currently the proverbial cancer wound of all of the country's hoteliers and managers, especially those with thermal capacities to boast of, because they are highly dependent on energy.

"As far as the workforce is concerned, our colleagues down on the coast are having some big problems, but the situation here at Sveti Martin it is different. The vast majority of employees are local people and they have been workinb here for many years. We also have several Indians and hard-working Ukrainian women employed here,'' she said, adding that they are ready and equipped to welcome the summer season.

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated travel section.

November 5, 2021- Terme Sveti Martin has won the European SPA special jury award, proving once again that they are the leaders of continental tourism.

Namely, HRTurizam reports that Terme Sveti Martin received another global recognition and won the prestigious jury award in the "Medical Spa" category awarded by the organization ESPA (European Spas Association). ESPA is an umbrella industrial organization whose global goal is to promote spas in Europe and services based on thermal mineral water, landscape, and climate so that they are available to as many citizens and visitors as possible.

Terme Sveti Martin received this award as an authentic and unique destination in northern Croatia, which over the years has developed into "The first Healthness resort in Europe", a place for relaxation and wellness, sports, and active holidays, with first-class local and organic gastronomy in pristine greenery of nature. The resort has its foundations in the holistic philosophy of Dr. Rudolf Steiner, which encourages guests and employees to change their thinking and bad habits to maintain the balance of body, mind, and spirit and create harmony between man and nature.

This philosophy and Healthness strategy runs through the entire resort, starting from a biodynamic garden full of healthy fruits that have a beneficial effect on physical and mental health, through organic architecture that follows the gentle and wavy lines of hilly Međimurje along with the inner pool complex, all the way to one of the most healing and the oldest waters of Europe. Following in the footsteps of Steiner's words that every man has the potential to heal himself with stimulating stimuli from the environment, they pay special attention to all parts of man's existence in spas.

Terme Sveti Martin represents flourishing continental tourism in the area and the entire destination. Dedicated to local culture, customs, and traditions, but also trends in tourism, they create an excellent example from the practice of how tourism develops, and especially continental tourism.

As the most significant tourism carrier in Međimurje County, Terme Sveti Martin understands the context of the destination and networks all local stakeholders. HRTurizam believes it is an example that colleagues should follow on the Adriatic, especially large hotel chains. The employees are an important driver that makes the company different and competitive, both in the labor market and the business world.

In this way, the spas strengthen their concept, add dimension and value, and appoint their employees as ambassadors of their vision, mission, and strategy. Their employees are the bearers of successful business and the Healthness strategy itself and projects based on sustainable development and nature conservation, which is recognized not only by guests but also partners, other companies, and resorts from the same sector and most influential organizations as ESPA.

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated lifestyle section.

July the 21st, 2021 - Terme Sveti Martin recently won a prestigious European Union (EU) label, which is sure to position it even higher on the popularity scale. That being said, coronavirus remains a very real threat to business operations.

As Ana Blaskovic/Poslovni Dnevnik writes, the popular Terme Sveti Martin has become the first Croatian hotel to boast the European eco-label EU Ecolabel as awarded by the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development to products and services to encourage innovation for climate neutrality by 2050.

It was handed over to the director of Terme Sveti Martin, Igor Nekic, on Monday by the Minister of Tourism and Sport, Nikolina Brnjac.

"Market research at the global and European level has clearly shown that tourists are no longer looking for things in terms of mass alone, but sustainable and environmentally conscious tourist destinations that will provide them with authentic experiences tailored to individuals. Today, tourists at the European level are mostly looking for active holidays and services provided by health tourism,'' said Nikolina Brnjac.

In order to get their hands on this prestigious EU label, the Ecolabel, Terme Sveti Martin had to meet as many as 22 stringent criteria, from energy efficiency to rational water consumption. Croatia's much talked about national recovery and resilience programme envisions a shift towards ''green'' tourism and the concept of thermal rivieras in the continental part of Croatia, for which it has always been somewhat well known.

"I believe that through the planned investments by the end of 2025, by which time the planned investments must be completed, we will achieve the goal of Terme Sveti Martin becoming the first among many Croatian hotels to bear the EU Ecolabel label, and Medjimurje as one of the first thermal rivieras in continental Croatia,'' said the Minister of Tourism and Sport.

For Croatian tourism, offering a lot to as many guests as possible is currently the very last item on the list of; with the pandemic still an enormous threat and the entire Adriatic coast recently in orange on the ECDC list, the main question is whether last year's sudden end of the season will be repeated and whether it can be prevented at all.

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ZAGREB, 19 July 2021 - The Terme Sveti Martin hotel in Međimurje is the first hotel in Croatia to receive the EU Ecolabel after it met the relevant 22 criteria about general management, energy efficiency, the use of renewable resources, rational water consumption, reduced waste, and proper waste management.

Tourism Minister Nikolina Brnjac presented the EU Ecolabel to the hotel's director Igor Nekić at a ceremony held on Monday in the hotel located in the town of Sveti Martin na Muri, the ministry said on Monday.

The EU Ecolabel is approved by the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development for products and services that motivate innovations and contribute to the aim of the EU's climate neutrality by 2050 and the circular economy.

Congratulating the hotel on that important step towards sustainable business and a sustainable destination, Minister Brnjac recalled that market surveys around the world have shown that guests no longer look for massive tourism but that they prefer sustainable and ecologically aware destinations that provide an authentic experience and an active vacation and services providing health tourism which comprehends spas and wellness treatments.

She said that the government encourages and invests in developing green and sustainable tourism through its National Recovery and Resilience Plan and the Multiannual Financial Framework.

The Terme Sveti Martin comprises the hotel, apartments, a wellness center, and other amenities. There are more than 200 people employed in this establishment.

For more on travel in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

May 18, 2021 - The Terme Sveti Martin private social network is a daily business tool that facilitates day-to-day operations.

As hrturizam reports, it is an application of the Croatian company, the Q agency, which has united the entire communication of the company, both private and business, into one application or a closed social network. It places all company communication in one application. 

“Late last year, when we got back to work, we looked at how to increase connectivity among people in the firm and keep them informed. There was a lot of daily information, especially related to the situation around the coronavirus. We looked at how to distribute all the information within the company the fastest, and again to achieve a better connection with employees ", says Igor Nekić, director of the first Healthiness Resort in Europe - Terme Sveti Martin.

He found out about Jenz on the social business network LinkedIn, after which he contacted them and soon after that they started preparing and implementing it. After three months of use, Nekić points out that everyone in the company has accepted the new way of communication and that they see Jenz as an internal social network.

“We have been using Jenz for about three months now and everyone is thrilled. They publish and like pictures and posts from private life, so we all get to know each other better and connect, while on the other hand, we have business communication where we publish information about the everyday business - from various policies, daily obligations, changes in business, etc.… All information they automatically exit through the app and all employees have insight into key information. We look at it as an internal social business network that serves us for both official and unofficial communication," says Nekić and emphasizes that Jenz has already proven to be a very good tool and an excellent investment.

"As a young and open company, we are always open to new ideas and we look at how to follow all new trends and be different from others," says Nekić, adding that they were the first resort that introduced Jenz. This is another step towards the digitalization of their business as well as the tourism sector.

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This last weekend, on June the 15th, the north of Croatia became richer for an oasis of water-based fun- the MartiLandia Aquapark, which was opened at LifeClass Terme Sveti Martin, in Međimurje. The opening ceremony and party brought together all of those who are to thank for going through with this investment, as well as making Terme Sveti Martin one of the greatest "healthness resorts" in Europe.

The investment of over 2.5 million kuna brought to the visitors three new water slides, a standard open, an adrenaline kamikaze and a funnel, as well as the new children's water playground, and the partners were New Dieresin Contract S.r.l., a leading European company in the field of design, construction and instalation of the water slides and pool equipment from Italy, and the Croatian HJ Projekt company from Mursko Središće.

The Prefect of Međimurje County Matija Posavec said at the opening ceremony that it's important to aim for something different and new in life and in investments, which then brings results. He added that Sveti Martin brings two thirds of the tourism of Međimurje, and that every development there means the further development of tourism in Međimurje. Sveti Martin municipality head Dražen Crnčec thanked the Terme Sveti Martin team for everything they're doing for the tourism of the region, which leads to the continuous growth of tourism in the region. It also leads to the growing number of private renters around the Terme, which guarantees a stable future.

Igor Nekić, the managing director of the LifeClass Terme Sveti Martin, said that all of the investments were carefully chosen in order to increase quality, which leads to the increased satisfacion of the guests and better results. Mr. Nekić hopes that the new children's water playground will mostly attract families with children, as they're now the aquapark of the highest quality in the north of Croatia, but also the broader region which includes a radius of 150km in Slovenia, Austria, and Hungary.

The new MartiLandia Aquapark mascot is Marti the deer, as there are numerous animals around the area, and many deer, which children enjoy seeing.

Nuša Korotaj, the sales director at Sveti Martin Terme said that the European Spa Award they received last month in the category of ''Innovative Spa Concept'' will make them turn their focus even more towards the markets of the German-speaking part of Europe and the Eastern European markets (Hungary, Poland, Czechia, Slovakia).

They plan to use their healthness strategy as their selling point on those markets.

A somewhat different kind of health tourism for Medjimurje.

Total Eco Croatia continues our look at the sustainable hotels of Croatia with Terme Sveti Martin located in Sveti Martin na Muri in Međimurje County.

The Center for Halal Quality Certification has awarded the LifeClass Terme Sveti Martin hotel with halal certification, thus positioning Sveti Martin as the first Croatian spa hotel with a halal certificate.