Aminess Gourmet Lab: top chefs, new culinary skills and a focus on profitability in the F&B segment
Nearly 60 years of experience in the hotel industry, strong growth of the premium portfolio and the development of proprietary operating systems have enabled the tourism company Aminess Hotels & Resorts to make a strategic step forward in recent years, changing the way the hotel industry develops in Croatia and the region. Back in 2022, Aminess established a separate management company, Aminess Hospitality Group, thereby beginning to systematically transform its own knowledge, processes and operating standards into a scalable model for managing hotels, resorts and campsites that it does not own.
Today, the total Aminess portfolio consists of 33 properties across 12 destinations, which includes 24 self-owned hotels and properties, and nine properties managed through Aminess Hospitality Group. In the coming period, the company plans to place an even greater emphasis on developing asset-light operations through operational management and franchise models, with a medium-term goal of reaching more than 30 partner properties in Croatia and the region.
"In Western markets, the roles of property owner and hotel operator have long been clearly separated. Owners invest capital in project development, while specialised operators manage the hotels, develop the brand and improve standards. This asset-light model is rapidly arriving in our region as well, and Aminess was among the first to recognise and systematically develop it. It is precisely this model of cooperation with established operators like Aminess that more and more financial institutions and banks recommend when financing hotel projects, because it is extremely difficult for independent hotels today to ensure long-term competitiveness due to high labor, energy and distribution costs, challenges in finding quality employees, and ever-increasing guest expectations," explained Mladen Knežević, President of the Management Board at Aminess.
Operational management and franchise models
The operational management model implies that Aminess Hospitality Group takes over the complete management of a hotel or resort on behalf of the owner – from sales, marketing and revenue management to product development, operating standards, human resources, digital systems, quality management, procurement, employee training and day-to-day operations.
Such a model is particularly interesting to investors and property owners who want to retain ownership of their real estate, while entrusting operational management and business development to an experienced hotel operator. In doing so, Aminess assumes responsibility for commercial and operational results, business optimisation, revenue enhancement, cost control, and the continuous improvement of the guest experience and the property's market position.
On the other hand, the company also offers a franchise model, on which it places a special strategic emphasis, allowing partners to access the strength of the Aminess system while retaining ownership and a certain degree of operational autonomy. Partners gain access to Aminess's sales and distribution channels, loyalty programmes and existing guest base, CRM systems for guest relationship management, centralised marketing, revenue management, quality standards, employee training, centralised procurement, digital tools and continuous operational support.
The unique feature of this concept is that it encompasses not only hotel brands such as Laurel, Younique, Aminess, Vival, Maradiso, Style Camping and Planet Camping, but also developed restaurant and outlet concepts like 7 Seas Restaurant & Bar, Half 8 restaurant, the 'Il Cantuccio' trattoria and La Gradele, which can be implemented within partner projects. In this way, partners do not just receive a recognisable hotel brand, but a comprehensive operational solution that covers accommodation, gastronomy, sales, marketing and guest experience management.
"Given that the Croatian and regional hotel industry will undergo strong consolidation and professionalisation in the coming years, our goal is to create one of the leading regional hospitality platforms that brings knowledge, security and long-term value to partners. Our goal is not just to manage properties, but to help owners increase the value of their investments, improve their market position and achieve sustainable business results. Our strategy includes further regional expansion, new partnerships, our own investments and acquisitions, as well as the continuous improvement of the entire portfolio of properties," Knežević pointed out.
