Small Croatian family hotels see opportunity in national recovery and resilience plan

Hotel Borovnik (Photo: Hotel Hotel Borovnik)

Green and digital business have become a necessity if we want to be competitors in the tourism market, it was pointed out at a two-day meeting of owners of family small hotels and representatives of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports at the Hotel Santa Lucia in Split

SPLIT, February 4, 2022 – All family members are involved in their business, they employ an average of 25 people, most of them work all year round, they promote local and indigenous products and focus on sustainable tourism. Family and small hotels respond faster and easier to the demands of modern travellers and are the initiators of new trends in tourism – it was concluded at two-day meeting of representatives of the Board of the National Association of Family and Small Hotels with representatives of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports.

In the unique ambience of the Split Hotel Santa Lucia, advisor to the Minister of Tourism, Igor Radić, and director of the Directorate for Sustainable Development and Competitiveness of the tourist destination, Slavko Štefičar, presented the owners of family and small hotels in Croatia with investment opportunities in tourism products with emphasis on the National Recovery and Resilience Plan.

Hotel Korana Srakovčić (Photo: Archive hotel)

Green and digital 

“The green and digital transition of tourism is the focus of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, in which the tourism sector should use 2.2 billion kuna in grants by the end of 2025, of which 1.25 billion kuna is planned for the private sector. After the public tenders, which are expected to be announced by September this year at the latest, the evaluation of project proposals and the selection of projects for funding will follow. 

All selected projects should be completed by the end of 2025, which means that only ready-made projects will be able to apply for the public tenders, ie those that will be able to guarantee that their implementation can begin immediately after the approval of funds. In this regard, it is important to start preparing project proposals in a timely manner and thus obtaining all the relevant bases and permits,” said Slavko Štefičar.

Family and small hotels see this plan as an opportunity, especially when it comes to their new Eco Green Hotel project. 

“Green business for hoteliers means competitiveness and great savings, and more and more guests are looking for environmentally friendly accommodation. In addition, in this way we contribute to the decarbonization of the planet. Our hotels, as well as the entire economy, are facing an ever greater crisis, some of the hoteliers are burdened with loans, demand is reduced in the early pre- and late post-season, and energy is extremely expensive. Therefore, if we want to maintain the status of a leader in tourism, investments in such an offer and facilities are necessary,” concluded Šime Klarić, President of the National Association of Family and Small Hotels.

Hotel Borovnik (Photo: Hotel Hotel Borovnik)

There are more investment opportunities

The program of recovery and resilience is not the only possibility of investing in the contents and offer of the tourism sector, pointed out the representatives of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports.

“The National Recovery and Resilience Plan represents the beginning of a strong investment cycle in the Croatian economy, while the tourism sector is not neglected, which is confirmed by the fact that the Ministry of Tourism and Sports is responsible for sustainable, innovative and resilient tourism. funds. 

In addition to the National Plan, the tourism sector will soon have access to funds from the Operational Programs for the period 2021-2027, the programming of which is underway. Also, the tourism sector has at its disposal funds from other various programs, such as the “Competitiveness of the tourism industry” program, whose funds, we hope, will grow from year to year. These efforts by the Ministry of Financial Security should make our tourism more sustainable and resilient,” said advisor to the Minister Igor Radić.

Radić thanked the leadership of the National Association of Family and Small Hotels for all activities so far through which the association has represented the specific interests not only of small family hoteliers, but also tourism as a whole, as evidenced by the new initiative of the Association – Eco Green Hotels.

“We hope that the Association will be a valuable partner in its future activities and that it will contribute to the strategic turn of Croatian tourism towards sustainability,” said representatives of the Ministry.