June 15, 2023 – A completely contactless hotel seems to be in the works in Osijek. This energy-independent hotel will have an automated management and catering system.
As SiB writes, the Marketing Department of the Faculty of Economics in Osijek continuously cooperates with a large number of employers. Through collaborations and joint projects, they keep introducing students to the challenges of the market and preparing them for their careers. Projects connecting theory and practice create new opportunities for students and improve the real sector.
This academic year, 2022/2023, the Department entered into cooperation with HOP IN d.o.o. They are preparing project documentation for the reconstruction, upgrading and repurposing of an existing commercial building, the administration building “Panonija”. The plan is to open a new, innovative automated contactless hotel in Osijek. In accordance with this, the students created project assignments as part of their courses, thus connecting theory with practice.
Contactless Hotel Project Task for Students
“Such projects provide great benefits for students, as they gain experience through challenging situations that they might encounter in the market. Moreover, through team work they develop skills that will be key to their professional development. On the other hand, through such collaborations, the real sector reaches fresh ideas and new perspectives. This can also serve to identify potential young talent. Project tasks require a lot of time, effort, creativity and teamwork, but when they master it, they will create a good foundation for the future.” – Helena Štimac, professor of the Department of Marketing at EFOS.
HOP IN d.o.o. will be a contactless, energy-independent hotel, which will have an automated management and hospitality service system. This will provide a unique hotel experience. Preparations are underway for the reconstruction and extension of the commercial building. A marketing plan and an investment implementation plan are coming as well. Although the hotel has not yet been built, this was an excellent opportunity for cooperation.
“Tourism in Osijek-Baranja County is on the rise. Social and sports events bring domestic and foreign tourists to Osijek and its surroundings. So much so that the city has started lacking accommodation units. Economic activities and investments also affect the increased demand. A significant drop in overnight stays during COVID due to restrictions, limited opportunities for close contact, disruption of the daily life and business helped create the idea of a fully automated hotel. The implementation of such a project, in addition to the infrastructural component of construction and equipping, also includes a branding process, an investment plan and a marketing plan. EFOS was recognized as an ideal partner. We believe in the importance of connecting the academic community with the business sector in order to jointly contribute to the development of the economy and the creation of new jobs.” – Jozef Viszmeg.
Osijek Lacking Accommodation Units
In the 1st semester, in the Marketing Management course, taught by Associate Professor Ph.D. Ivan Kelić and assistant Karla Bilandžić Tanasić mag.oec, the first part of the cooperation with HOP IN was carried out in which a total of 11 teams of students participated. The main goal of the project was to establish the foundations for creating a successful brand. That includes defining a name, designing a logo and visual identity, and choosing the appropriate tone and style of communication for the brand. The team whose members were Ira Bijedić, Mia Drenjančević, Lucija Haring and Antonela Kozić won the first place.
“On behalf of the entire team, I thank HOP IN for having us participate in designing such a project. Through several months of work with prof. Ivan Kelić and assistant Karla Bilandžić mag. oec. we had the opportunity to design a visual identity and communication channels for a real project. With such commendable projects, you can gain precious experience and highlight the knowledge and skills we learn every day. It helps make sure we apply it all in practice, but also prepare for professional challenges ahead.” – Ira Bijedić, 1st year graduate student of Marketing.
TEAM WORK MAKES THE DREAM WORK
In the 2nd semester, the students continued to work on the assignment and took the Marketing Planning course taught by Prof. Ph.D. Helena Štimac and assistant Karla Bilandžić Tanasić mag.oec. They created a marketing plan for the HOP IN contactless hotel. Seven teams presented their solutions to the client. The team consisting of Valentina Batrac, Marija Erić, Marija Dujmenović, Monika Kovač and Ana Marija Vidinović won unanimously. Both teams were financially rewarded for their efforts, work and ideas.
“The strongest feeling that I share with the members of my team is the feeling of gratitude to Prof. Ph.D. Helena Štimac and assistants Karla Bilandžić Tanasić mag. I am thankful for the opportunity and their patience. We are also grateful to the representatives of the HOP IN compan. Their enthusiasm and trust in the project motivated us to give our all to create a marketing plan for the first contactless hotel in Croatia. Thanks to joint work, effort and persistence, we mastered the task without expecting anyone to love our solution. This means we are on the right path. The real reward is the knowledge that opens the door to the development of our future career in marketing”, – Marija Erić, 1st year Marketing graduate student.
Benefits for Marketing Students
Like all the previous cases, this collaboration underlined the importance of applying theoretical knowledge in practice. These days, theory is not enough. To provide students with a real competitive advantage, it is necessary to connect higher education institutions with the real sector. The Marketing Department, as well as the entire Faculty of Economics, invest great efforts in the development of such projects. The aim is to create an experience that will be precious to students in their future careers. The Croatian Marketing Association – CROMAR also participated in this project. It gave the whole project a scientific note, which is the primary activity of this association.
“Cooperation with the Faculty of Economics in Osijek has always been of significant importance for us. The students’ opinion about this project was extremely useful and opened up new perspectives for our marketing activities. We hope that the students themselves benefited from this collaboration. They gained practical experience, developed their ideas and acquired new knowledge. Thank you once again to all students and professors for their exceptional contribution on behalf of Jozef Viszmego, Krešimir Bajamić, Larisa Roso and Tihana Čipčić.” – mentors from the real sector.
