Zagreb Airport has failed to find investors for the construction of a new hotel and commercial business center as part of the planned “airport city,” valued at approximately €40 million. After an international public call was issued in September, no investors responded to the tender, and the repeated call did not generate interest either.
– The call that was published was part of the usual two-stage tender process, in which interest is expressed in the first phase, followed by documentation acquisition and formal offer submission – explained the director of Zagreb Airport Ranko Ilić.
The tender was published in printed and electronic editions of Poslovni dnevnik, Večernji, and Jutarnji lists, and was additionally promoted through the largest digital platform in the hotel industry – Hospitality Investor.
– An email invitation was sent to 5,783 addresses worldwide, targeting investors, hotel chains, and consultants in the hotel industry – Ilić states.
The response, he says, was above average for this type of advertisement – 32.2 percent of emails were opened, and there were a total of 97 visits to the Zagreb Airport website where the tender conditions were posted. However, there were no concrete applications.
– Unfortunately, even in the second repeated call, we did not receive any expressions of interest. To express interest, it was necessary to submit an appropriate application and pay an amount of €5,000 as proof of serious intent – emphasized Ilić.
Let us remind you, the project envisions the construction of a hotel of at least midscale international category or higher, with additional facilities such as restaurants, conference halls, clinics, and other commercial spaces. The investor would receive the right to build for 50 years with the possibility of extension for another 49, and the selected partner would be required to complete the works within three years of obtaining the building permit.
