On 11 and 12 November, Poreč hosted the 28th Hoteliers’ Congress, and with it the 3rd Hotelska kuća scientific and professional conference, organised by the Faculty of Tourism and Hospitality Management and the Association of Employers in Croatian Hospitality (UPUHH). The conference once again brought together academics and leading hotel industry professionals, reaffirming its role as a platform for sharing knowledge, experience and fresh ideas on the future of the hotel sector.
This year, 34 authors presented 16 scientific and professional papers, offering new research, examples of good practice and practical solutions to the challenges facing today’s hotel industry.
Members of the Faculty also played an active part in the Hoteliers’ Congress programme. Assistant Professor Ivana Ivančić, PhD, gave a talk on the future of luxury hospitality, while Associate Professor Krešimir Mikinac, PhD, explored how the food and beverage department is evolving from an operational function into a source of strategic value for hotels. He also moderated a panel discussion on whether a Michelin-starred restaurant within a hotel is a prestige cost or a value generator. Associate Professor Marina Laškarin Ažić, PhD, led a panel on pricing and demand resilience in uncertain times, and Associate Professor Tomislav Car, PhD, moderated a panel on artificial intelligence and its growing impact on hotel operations. The discussions featured representatives of Croatia’s leading hotel companies, once again highlighting the value of dialogue between academia and industry.
We were especially pleased to see our students take part in the Congress. Student Jana Krivošić joined a panel on the expectations of younger generations in the job market, which was moderated by student Matea Starčević. It was a chance for young people who are just entering the workforce to share their own perspective on the future of work in hospitality.
We would like to thank the Association of Employers in Croatian Hospitality for a successful partnership, as well as all the authors, speakers, moderators, panellists and participants whose knowledge and experience made the conference a success and helped further strengthen the ties between academia and the hotel industry.
We look forward to seeing you at the next Hotelska kuća conference!