Valamar Riviera has signed an agreement with the Trade Union of Tourism and Services of Croatia and the Trade Union of Istria, Kvarner and Dalmatia, providing Valamar employees with new benefits, including the 13th salary in the net amount of 5,000 kuna. Valamar will pay the 13th salary to all permanent employees and all workers who will work for the company for at least ten months in 2019. The 13th salary will be paid by December 2019, reports Večernji List on February 20, 2019.

Valamar has also granted its employees a minimum net salary of 5,000 kuna for all employees who perform the full monthly numbers of hours. As for seasonal workers, Valamar will pay a special bonus for the season between 1,200 and 2,000 kuna net, depending on the number of months worked, out of which 500 kuna net will be paid to all employees with the pay for the month of July. In addition to the guarantee of a minimum net salary of 5,000 kuna for all employees, the 13th salary and special bonuses during the season, Valamar will pay a Christmas bonus in the net amount of 2,000 kuna to all permanent employees in 2019.

Due to the benefits offered to its employees, Valamar is the only tourism company that has entered the list of Top 20 employers in Croatia and was rated as the best employer in tourism. Each year, Valamar creates between 300 and 500 full-time positions and offers excellent opportunities for career development, with a developed system of internal and external training.

The improved benefits for Valamar employees have been welcomed by social partners led by the Trade Union of Tourism and Services of Croatia and the Trade Union of Istria, Kvarner and Dalmatia. Eduard Andrić, the president of the Trade Union of Tourism, said: “Valamar continues to increase the wages from year to year, through the negotiations with the trade unions which is the only way to prevent the labour force from moving abroad, which has so far created a considerable shortage of workers in the tourism and hospitality industry.”

Marina Cvitić, the president of Trade Union of Istria, Kvarner and Dalmatia, emphasised: “Valamar is one of the first tourism companies to recognise the problem of the lack of tourist workers and accordingly take action to ensure a sufficient number of seasonal workers, as well as to keep the full-time workers. Over the last three years, the salaries have risen by over 20% on average. The agreed payment of the total non-taxable amount of 7,500 kuna a year to most permanent employees and those who will work longer than ten months will mean an increase in annual income of up to 10%, so we do not doubt that these workers will be satisfied. This is how responsible employers behave towards workers who are the key to their success. I must also point out that the employer fosters social dialogue, while the continuous improvement of the position of both permanent and seasonal workers is a result of constructive dialogue and respect for the views of social partners. "

Translated from Večernji List.

More news about Croatian tourism can be found in the Travel section.

November 11. 2018 - The road has been long and complicated, but Valamar seems to be one step closer to its plan of transforming Stari Grad's ailing hotels into a 4-star paradise.

An important milestone for the future of the hotels of Stari Grad on Hvar this week, as the Zagreb Stock Exchange reported on Valamar Hotels announcement that the court has accepted the bankruptcy plan of the Helios hotel group submitted by Valamar and PBZ. Speaking to sources familiar with the discussions, it seems that the high trade court is expected to ratify this decision early next year, after which Valamar can move forward with its plans to completely redevelop Stari Grad's hotels which are located in prime positions in the historic island town. 

If Valamar does succeed with its plans, it will be a major boost for Stari Grad, which is slowly emergy as a high-quality destination with a focus on quality not party. Mayor Antonio Skarpa recently prohibited the opening of any more hostels in Stari Grad, and the Valamar 4-star hotels would be one of three great additions to the town's hospitality scene, should they all come to fruition. 

On the other side of the bay, close to the main ferry terminal, construction on the luxury Olive Bay Resort, a residential complex with two boutique five-star hotels, has already commenced, while the 140 million euro Brizenica Bay resort, complete with the Four Seasons brand, is seemingly making a little progress, with an agreement on the access road finally signed. Should all three projects come to fruition, and with Stari Grad's intention to avoid being branded as a party destination, the future of luxury tourism on Hvar may move more from Hvar Town to central Hvar

For the latest news and features from Stari Grad and the island of Hvar, follow Total Hvar. 

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