Croatia
Oiling the wheels for incentives at Croatia ’ s Villa Nai
OLIVE OIL PROVIDES THE RAISON D ’ ETRE AND THE NATURAL MARKETING LUBRICANT , SIMON GEORGE FINDS DURING HIS STAY AT THE EXCLUSIVE ISLAND PROPERTY IN CROATIA
illa Nai is an exclusive five-star property built into a hill surrounded by
V olive trees that is situated
on Croatia ’ s Dalmatian island of Dugi Otok ( Long Island ), a 40-minute speedboat ride from Zadar , and is open from April to October . Its compact size and secluded location – the hotel offers eight bedrooms ( five deluxe and three suites ) and a spa – makes it ideal for complete buyouts ( weddings and incentives ) where privacy is all important . Management places a special emphasis on sustainability ( locally sourced food , reducing the use of plastic and there is a private desalination plant ).
Villa Nai ’ s raison d ’ etre Olive oil provides the hotel ’ s rationale – the olive grove on which it is built dates back centuries and the end product , organic , high-quality extra-virgin olive
Above : Villa Nai oil , provides the hotel ’ s key marketing thrust while regularly scooping up international awards . After a tour of the property , which only opened in July 2021 , including a visit to where it produces its own olive oil , all of which is hand produced , CMW sat down with general manager Maksim Juričić to ask about the latest MICE developments .
Big rebound in bookings Juričić acknowledged that the hotel had been affected slightly at the start of the 2022 season by the situation in Ukraine , which saw some American booking cancellations / postponements , but that is now a thing of the past – the US , in fact , is Villa Nai ’ s second biggest market after the UK – and the hotel has seen a three-fold increase in bookings this year .
Asked what he put this improvement down to , Juričić said : “ We ’ ve had really great coverage in the media . Last year we had almost 50 % of bookings from people who contacted us directly after reading about us . We are a member of the Leading Hotels of the World . We have won some contracts with travel agents and have become a member of American Express ’ s Fine Hotels + Resorts . Villa Nai is a tiny property , a little off the beaten track , it offers unique
Above : Simon George
architecture and , of course , we have the olive oil story .”
There is no dedicated event space at the hotel but there are areas that can be converted ( i . e . the restaurant or the cigar lounge for executive board meetings ). Villa Nai is in the process of building its own helipad to fly in guests from Split or Zadar airport and has just received planning permission to build three villas near Žman a short drive away on the coast that will have their own pier and be serviced by the hotel . The hotel also has plans to tap into the high-end yacht charter segment ( super yachts ) given the region ’ s sailing attractions , by offering a combination of sailing ( one week ) and staying at the hotel ( one week ) which could have MICE appeal , Juričić said .
Inflation in Croatia is running at about 6 %. Asked about its impact , Juričić flagged that while it had increased its room prices modestly , in line with the sector , and that it was having to adapt its budget for cost inflation where food and some spirits are concerned , the hotel is operating in a sector that is not especially price sensitive . Even though Villa Nai is very self-sufficient , supply ( i . e . premium spirit brands ) could be an issue given it is on an island , although the situation is improving . The hotel is also endeavouring to change the perception that Villa Nai is difficult to get to when , in fact , there is a regular ferry service from Zadar , the hotel ’ s own speedboat and for the well-heeled , the helicopter option in two months ’ time . n
26 / CONFERENCE & MEETINGS WORLD / ISSUE 125