Pical Resort officially opened with numerous dignitaries and an impressive entertainment programme
Valamar offers a new partnership model to hotels and campsites in Croatia which, by contracting sales and marketing services, can become part of the largest sales and marketing system in Croatian tourism.
Valamar is a leader among tourism companies not only in Croatia but also globally in terms of direct sales strength. Valamar generates over 450 million euros in total annual revenue, of which around 65 percent is achieved through direct sales to individual guests thanks to continuous investments in digital technologies, marketing, loyalty programme and revenue management, whilst bookings made through Booking.com account for only about 10 percent. Given that global OTA platform commissions reach up to 18 percent, increasing direct bookings represents one of the greatest potentials for reducing distribution costs and increasing the profitability of hotel and campsite operations.
With the introduction of the Partnered with Valamar service, selected hotels and campsites will for the first time gain access to the Valamar.com platform, the largest independent accommodation booking platform in Croatia, which attracts over 7 million visitors annually and generates 250 million euros in individual booking value across Valamar hotels, resorts and campsites.
Partnered with Valamar is a cooperation model that allows hotels and campsites to retain their own identity, brand and independent management, whilst Valamar takes over sales, revenue management, digital marketing and distribution. Valamar's partners also become part of the Valamar loyalty programme offer, which already has nearly 800,000 members, achieving better visibility in key markets, a higher share of direct bookings and reduced dependence on global distribution channels, all without major investments in their own technology, marketing and sales capacities.
"In Croatia, there is a significant number of top-quality hotels with authentic character and an excellent guest experience. We want to enable them access to the largest domestic platform for direct accommodation sales and we want to present them to Valamar's loyal guests, among whom as many as 30% are repeat visitors, with complete preservation of their identity and independence," said Ivana Budin Arhanić, member of the Management Board at Valamar.
She added that through cooperation, partners also get the option of contracting additional Valamar services such as product and service development, preparation for opening new hotels, food and beverage enhancement, staff training or supporting services like laundry and procurement. "The knowledge and quality of professional management in tourism, as one of Valamar's key advantages, become accessible to independent tourist facilities as well, whereby in the long term we create added value and stronger quality of the tourism offer in Croatia."
Partnered with Valamar is intended for investors or owners of successful four-star and five-star hotels or campsites with a minimum of 50 accommodation units in attractive tourist locations that regularly achieve high guest satisfaction ratings and offer quality amenities such as restaurants, pools and wellness, sports, MICE and family holiday facilities.
For partners who wish to operate under one of Valamar's brands, a franchise model has also been developed, requiring full implementation of the brand's products and services, namely design and service standards, as well as integration into Valamar's operating system. Thus, Valamar offers partners multiple forms of cooperation – from "Partnered with Valamar", which allows retaining own identity while using Valamar's sales and marketing infrastructure, to complete integration into one of Valamar's brands.
Today, Valamar manages 37 hotels and resorts and 15 camping resorts in Croatia and Austria. Valamar welcomes over 1 million tourists annually. Through continuous investments in portfolio development, people, service quality and destinations, Valamar successfully achieves double-digit annual business growth and is recognised as a leader in the sustainable development of Croatian tourism.
