December the 14th, 2024 – The well known Mövenpick hotel brand set up here in the Croatian capital, and now it is set to open its doors in Novi Vinodolski.
As Radmila Kovacevic/VL/Poslovni Dnevnik writes, following a very long decade spent in pre-bankruptcy proceedings, the well-known tourist resort Hoteli Novi finally got a new owner in December last year. One year later, it’s also set to get a well-known umbrella brand.
The news will be announced at the so-called brand reveal of the new franchise which is scheduled for Tuesday next week. It is currently unofficially circulating that the brand we’re talking about is Mövenpick. This respected Swiss hotel management company, owned by Accor, manages about a hundred facilities in various countries. A hotel under the Mövenpick brand can be found here in Zagreb, one is currently being built in Split, and the third Mövenpick complec, according to available information, will open its doors in Novi Vinodolski.
Exactly one year ago, the Novovindolski tourist complex was purchased by the Slovenian investment fund ECM Partners. Back then, fund representatives stated that “the resort is in a good position to take advantage of the growing appetite of its main European clients for higher-class residences”. The new owners specifically emphasised that they are aiming for year-round business, focusing on the largest wellness facilities in the region and the offer of congress tourism. Slovenian
ECM otherwise has experience with tourism, having been involved in this sector through several investments. They also own and manage Sava Hotels, which includes hotels in Bled, in Slovenian spas and along the coastline. They acquired the Novovinodolski resort fro B2 Portfolio, a subsidiary of B2 Capital, which was the mortgagee. The media wrote at the time that Hoteli Novi was sold for 45 million euros.
The Novovinodolski tourist complex spans about 30 hectares down by the sea, half of which is built on. The current capacity is about 1,500 beds. Despite the fact that the resort has been operating in recent years, the capacity has changed from year to year. This season it has operated without major changes, and with Mövenpick setting up in Novi Vinodolski, stronger traffic and as such more income is expected.
Business models have changed at Hoteli Novi over the past several decades, but without much success to speak of. At one time, they were taken over by Bruno Orešar and partners, and the complicated decade long pre-bankruptcy procedure certainly didn’t help the company return to its former glory. It is hoped that the arrival of the Mövenpick brand in Novi Vinodolski will help to raise the area to a new level.
