Family Accommodation continues to record growth, and this form of micro-entrepreneurship generates revenue of nearly two billion euros annually, it was highlighted on Tuesday at the 3rd Family Tourism Forum, which gathered more than a thousand participants from Croatia and abroad in Zadar. The President of the Family Tourism Association at the Croatian Chamber of Economy (HGK), Nedo Pinezić, emphasizes that the goal of the gathering is to educate and bring together providers of hospitality services in households and network them with Croatian producers and suppliers of products and services for family accommodation. As part of the event, around 100 domestic producers will be presented as part of the Buy Croatian campaign, specifically those whose products and services are of the greatest interest to hosts of tourist family accommodation.
– Family accommodation is experiencing constant growth. At this moment, there are 74,000 citizen households providing accommodation services in Croatia and about 5,000 craftsmen. Half a million beds belong to citizens, while 175,000 belong to craftsmen and companies. This means 650,000 beds, which is more than 50 percent of the capacity and tourist traffic in Croatia, said Pinezić.
The Vice President of HGK for Tourism, Trade, and Finance, Josip Zaher, points out that Croatian family accommodation accounts for more than one-third of the total number of overnight stays.
– However, what is even more significant is that this form of micro-entrepreneurship generates revenue of nearly two billion euros annually, and it is estimated to contribute 100 million euros in investments each year, making it extremely important for Croatian tourism and the economy, Zaher stated.
In response to a journalist’s question about whether a recategorization of existing accommodation capacities is needed, Pinezić explains that renting and hosting are two different concepts.
– Those who entered this business as renters because they see short-term high profits through real estate construction and renting on the market have entered a different business, the business of real estate speculation. And that is not our business, he said.
He also believes that categorization is an outdated way of managing the tourism offer.
– Today we talk, and the whole world talks about labeling, branding, catering to the guest, and all their needs expressed through their lifestyle and leisure activities. The stars are no longer important. A wired telephone line is not important, but wi-fi, free internet is; a golden sink is not important, but a bicycle storage, which costs several thousand euros, is. It is not important that the bathroom has 50 square meters, but it is important that you accept the guest and their pet, emphasizes Pinezić.
Today, he adds, there are a hundred market niches and different reasons for travel, and accommodation needs to adapt to them, which can only be understood by the profession, not bureaucracy.
– We advocate that state structures do not interfere in the market but prescribe minimum conditions for the functioning of accommodation. And we give the profession the task of monitoring contemporary events, demand, educating accommodation owners, hosts, helping them to be better recognized in the market, to host guests, and for those guests to return, said Pinezić.
Participants of the Family Accommodation Forum, organized by HGK from November 15 to 17, will discuss, among other things, legislation, tax changes, residence fees, parafiscal levies, destination management, as well as the importance of branding family accommodation under the label Authentic Croatian Household, etc. This year, for the first time, a specialized project “Buy Croatian – Croatian Product for Croatian Tourism” is organized as part of the Forum. According to announcements, the Minister of Tourism Gari Cappelli will open this event on Wednesday.
