Croatian Real Estate Newsletter SPECIAL EDITION Volume 95, June 2014 TOPIC OF THIS ISSUE: Interview Jan-Claudio Rahn, Hotel Manager, Valamar Dubrovnik President Hotel 5* CREN Patrons:
TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. PRESENTING Valamar Group Company Profi le 03 2. TOPIC OF THIS ISSUE Valamar s First 5* Hotel 04 Interview Jan-Claudio Rahn, Hotel Manager, Valamar Dubrovnik President Hotel 5* 04 Croatian Real Estate Newsletter, June 2014. 2
1. PRESENTING VALAMAR GROUP The Valamar group is the leading tourism group in Croatia, encompassing 10 percent of the country s categorised accommodation capacity. Its hotels, apartment villages and campsites are situated on the Adriatic coast and can simultaneously accommodate up to 42,000 guests. Its assets are mostly owned by Riviera Adria d.d. from Poreč, Croatia s biggest tourism company when it comes to income and facilities. Another member of the group is Puntižela d.o.o. from Pula. The total value of the tourism assets is approximately HRK 3 billion. Picture: Overview of Valamar Performance in 2013 Picture: Valamar Holds 10% of Total Categorized Accomodation in Croatia With a 76 percent interest, the majority owner of Riviera Adria d.d. is Valamar Adria Holding d.d., whose stock is among the most liquid on the Zagreb stock exchange market and has been included in the Crobex 10 index. The strategic majority stockholder of Valamar Adria Holding through the umbrella company Valamar Grupa d.d. is the Austrian investment company EPIC. The group s tourist facilities are managed by Valamar Hotels & Resorts, the leading Croatian tourism management company. It manages a total of 39 facilities on the Adriatic coast, mostly family-oriented, with four or three stars. It includes 22 hotels, seven apartment villages and ten campsites in Istria, Dubrovnik and the island of Krk. Valamar Riviera new name of the merged company On June 12, 2014, the Management Boards of three key holding companies of the Valamar group signed a merger agreement proposing to merge Valamar group d.d. and Valamar Adria holding d.d. to Riviera Adria d.d. It is expected that the merger process will be finalized over the next few months. Upon registration of the merger, the joint company would operate under the name Valamar Riviera d.d. Croatian Real Estate Newsletter, June 2014. 3
2. INTERVIEW Jan-Claudio Rahn Hotel Manager, Valamar Dubrovnik President Hotel 5* VALAMAR S FIRST 5* HOTEL Valamar Dubrovnik President 5* a complete Dubrovnik holiday experience All rooms and public areas of the hotel are oriented towards the sea, providing stunning and unforgettable views of the Elaphiti islands Dear Mr. Rahn, thank you for this opportunity. As an introduction, please be so kind to briefly introduce yourself. My name is Jan-Claudio Rahn, I am half Spanish (Canary Islands) and half German, 49 years old and married for 24 years (with the same lady! :-). I am a proud father of 2 teenage daughters (17 years + 14 years) and I am from Freudenstadt, Black Forest, Germany. My hobbies are my family, horseback riding and skiing. You are a newly appointed General Manager of the Valamar Dubrovnik President Hotel. The Hotel has recently undergone a complete renovation and it is ready for the new season. How do you see the hotel s potential for this year and what will be your main goal as the Hotel Manager? Photo: Valamar Dubrovnik President Hotel outdoor pool Located in one of the most beautiful cities in the world, the Valamar Dubrovnik President has redefi ned the meaning of a glam Dubrovnik holiday by becoming Valamar s fi rst 5* hotel and one of the best hotels in the Mediterranean. After a complete change of appearance and detailed refurbishment, it now offers the ultimate conditions for an unforgettable holiday and the most comfortable stay not only in the hotel but in the city of Dubrovnik in general. With its unique location on the beach at the very tip of the verdant and meditative Babin Kuk peninsula, only a few minutes from the enchanting Old Town, the hotel offers not only spectacular views but also an unparalleled feeling of harmony with nature and the crystal clear sea. My main goal with all of my team for this season will be to eliminate all construction and operative deficits so that our sales team has the possibility to place and sell our property on the market with all given opportunities. Why would somebody choose to spend their vacation in Valamar Dubrovnik President Hotel? What is your strategy for attracting guests? What is the USP of the hotel? Croatian Real Estate Newsletter, June 2014. 4
The total capacity of the Valamar Dubrovnik President was increased by 111 units and two brand new accommodation wings were added in order to offer 286 spacious and modern rooms, 5 suites and a Presidential Suite. All rooms are oriented towards the sea, providing a stunning and unforgettable view of the Elaphiti islands from each and every terrace. All hotel facilities have been completely renewed and upgraded in order to ensure an even more pleasurable stay, including the reception, lobby, accommodation, restaurants, bars, beach, Wellness & Spa zone with a fi tness centre and an indoor swimming pool. The hotel now also has a brand new outdoor swimming pool with a sundeck and bar as well as a new main entrance with covered and uncovered parking places. Dubrovnik has its own airport and is only a two-hour flight away from Great Britain, Germany, Austria, France and Spain. The destination of Dubrovnik itself and the very unique and calm location of the new Valamar Dubrovnik President Hotel with all its facilities are simply breathtaking. In fact, all 292 rooms have their own terraces and a spectacular view of the Adriatic Sea. Which guests will you focus on? What is your target group? From my point of view, our main focus must lie on our individual guests followed by high class meeting groups and product presentation on an exclusive level. What do you think will be the biggest challenges for you in Valamar Dubrovnik President Hotel? Photo: the amazing view from the outdoor pool of the Valamar Dubrovnik President Hotel The dining options and gastronomy of the hotel were already renowned for their multiple award winning breakfast in the show cooking restaurant (in 2007 and 2009), and now they will take you one step further. Your gastronomic explorations continue in the Bistro restaurant on the beach where various themed evenings are held in the evening with the very best Dalmatian and Croatian delicacies and a great entertainment programme. This is the place where guests can revel in the wonders of Dubrovnik and forget all their worries by basking in the view of the Elaphiti islands and enjoying the scrumptious delicacies. The hotel also has a congress hall for up to 400 persons as well as three smaller halls. Thanks to the congress capacity and the large outdoor terraces with spectacular sea views, Valamar Dubrovnik President is also one of the very best places for a picture perfect wedding. And last but not least, the hotel is also well suited for couples who wish to rekindle the romance in their lives with rooms decorated with fl ower petals, breakfast served on the room terrace or balcony, private candlelight dinners, intimate treatments for two at the Wellness & Spa centre and a whole string of other romantic surprises. Hotel beloved by both domestic and international dignitaries Since 1976, when it fi rst opened its doors, Dubrovnik President was always one step above all other hotels in Dubrovnik as the only de luxe hotel of its time. Its spectacular cascading design, almost completely immersed in nature, was the work of one of the greatest US architects, Edward Durell Stone, creator of numerous grand buildings across the globe and some of the most iconic buildings in America, including the Museum and Gallery of Modern Art in New York and the National Geographic Museum in Washington. In the former Yugoslavia, the Dubrovnik President hotel was an unmissable stop for Josip Broz Tito, and the Presidential Suite was always ready in case he would decide to drop by, not to mention that there was never a shortage of his favourite whisky, the 21 year old Chivas Regal Royal Salute. Throughout the years, the hotel was visited by numerous other domestic and international dignitaries and delegations as well as members of various Royal families such as the Danish Queen Margrethe II, who was, reportedly, absolutely blown away by the beauty of Dubrovnik. The Valamar Dubrovnik President Hotel created more than 100 additional jobs and my biggest challenge will be to help my colleagues and employees of our hotel, to internalize the five star philosophies in our thinking and doing. You have extensive experience in the hotel industry all over the world. What are the cultural similarities and differences in hotel business in different countries? All of my colleagues in the past have more or less had the same hotel ardour which cannot be taught; you are born with it. Otherwise, you are just doing the job, but not living the profession. In different countries, I have worked with different religions, rituals, behaviours and different languages. I had to respect and adapt to all of these circumstances to become the leader of the team over there. Continuing with comparisons, what are the differences and similarities between guests and their expectations in the countries you have worked in? There are not that many differences. Some guests prefer the Canary Island because of the yearly good climate, others the heat wave of Egypt and Sinai, Croatian Real Estate Newsletter, June 2014. 5
cultural offer of the city is amazing. The disadvantage is that I had no time to visit any of them during my three months here ;-) What would you say will be your biggest contribution to the everyday function and the overall business success of Valamar Dubrovnik President Hotel? To always be at the disposal to our esteemed guests and, of course, to our employees, as well as to stand by my word and actions. On the other hand, the biggest challenge is to get everything done when the day has only 24 hours. Photo: New team of the Hotel Valamar Dubrovnik President In your opinion, what initiatives would start attracting more tourists to Dubrovnik in the offseason? and again others the diverse seasonal climate here in Croatia. First of all, my guests expect service orientated, friendly, polite and professional hosts. You have worked in and managed both resorts and city hotels. Which do you prefer and why? What are the main differences between those two jobs? I clearly prefer to manage resort hotels. The personal contact with my guests is very important to me, to hear and to see how they feel, what we can improve, where our deficits are and what we are good at. As a GM in city hotels, everything is more anonymous. Dubrovnik is a famous tourist hotspot and has a world-renowned brand. What are the advantages and disadvantages of managing a hotel in such a destination? The advantage is the diversity of guests we have in our hotel. All of them want to see the old city of Dubrovnik and the I believe that creating nice and attractive packages, including hotel facilities, with very good value for money, together with all our partners in the tourism industry here in Dubrovnik and surrounding areas is the right way to go. What kind of restaurant and banqueting experience will the Valamar Dubrovnik President Hotel offer? Our target is to have the best hotel breakfast buffet, at least here on the Photo: the beautiful sunset at the terrace of the Valamar Dubrovnik President Hotel Croatian Real Estate Newsletter, June 2014. 6
Photo: Valamar Dubrovnik President Hotel luxury room Photo: Valamar Dubrovnik President Hotel lobby Dalmatian coast. Furthermore, our main restaurant s dinner buffet has an outstanding value for money and our new Beach Bistro offers a high class range of fresh fish in a relaxed atmosphere of the hotel s beautiful new beach. Looking at your references, we can see that you have worked in different hotels and resorts in different countries. Is there one that stands out or that you are particularly proud or fond of? Actually, there is. The hotel Backmair Weissach in Rottach-Egern in the valley of Tegernsee at the South of Munich in Germany, which is a member of the Design Hotels of the World. What is your working philosophy? Always be open, honest and fair to everybody. As someone who has been in the tourism sector for many years, how do you see Croatia s tourism perspective? Where do you think our focus should be? From my point of view, with its new membership in the EU, Croatia has a great opportunity for the future. Beautiful countryside, unique coast, humorous inhabitants and a high quality of domestic food and beverage products are all prerequisites for success in tourism. Our focus must lie on the sound professional education of the very highly motivated young people for our hotel industry. What is the most crucial challenge in the hospitality industry today? I strongly believe we have to take care and motivate our employees in a way they feel pleased and ensure they do not lose ambition for this intensive business. Everybody knows that only a satisfied employee works properly and the results are happy, returning guests. Photo: Management and Supervisory Boards Members of Valamar with the Minister, County Prefect and Mayor Photo: Valamar Dubrovnik President Hotel opening ceremony Croatian Real Estate Newsletter, June 2014. 7
PUBLISHER: Filipović Business Advisory Ltd. Trg bana Josipa Jelačića 3/V 10000 Zagreb Croatia Tel: +385 1 481 69 69 Fax:. +385 1 483 80 60 e-mail: cren@filipovic-advisory.com It is our wish that the Croatian Real Estate Newsletter / CREN be a source of speedy and quality information for all who are active in the real estate sector developers, planners, contractors, mediation agencies etc. Please send your comments, proposals and opinions to cren@filipovic-advisory.com to help us improve CREN and make it the leading medium on the Croatian real estate market. Editorial staff: Vladimir Filipović editor-in-chief, Natalija Kordić, Tanja Marković, Bojana Mikelenić, Marija Noršić and Petra Škevin. Croatian Real Estate Newsletter, June 2014. 8