Unframed Tourism: It's time to turn numbers into values

When perception changes, the market changes too.

For years, Slavonia has been labeled as a region without serious new hotel infrastructure. But this year may be a turning point. Not because someone is announcing a project, but because two key ones are already in operation – and very successfully.

Hotel Matera in Čepin and Hotel Ranch Ramarin The Garčin area is not just an investment. It is a prime example of what long-term strategic thinking, knowledge of the area and a deeper connection to local identity mean.

And most importantly: the market recognizes this.

Materra sends a clear message – a holistic approach to hospitality is no longer a niche, but a necessity. HOLMES model (Harmony, Organic, Local, Mindfulness, Experience, Sustainability) shows that today's guest is looking for much more than a room - they are looking for a feeling, peace, an experience that brings them back to themselves. The occupancy rate above 60% only confirms that continental tourism should no longer bear the title of "alternative".

Hotel Materra is not just a beautiful project – it is proof that the hotel product in Slavonia can function 365 days a year. It's about specific "proof of concept" for all those who claimed until now that continental Croatia is not profitable for investment. Materra is not based on the summer season, nor on the sea, nor on events - but on a well-designed strategy, a clear identity and a strong local connection. This is the key to sustainability. And that's why Materra is sending a message to the market: The time for alibi is over – Slavonia is ready, but also market-ready.

/ / / Hotel Materra sends a clear message to the market with its occupancy: Slavonia is ready for serious investments

/ / / Ranč Ramarin opens hotel: when a family vision becomes the foundation of sustainable tourism in Slavonia

In the same tone, Ramarin Ranch is a story that takes us back to the basics: family, vision, sustainability. The new hotel on the ranch is just a continuation of a decade of work and confirmation that Slavonia is not insufficiently attractive - it has just been invisible on investment maps for a long time. When a destination grows with a family that has been building it for generations, then tourism has meaning. And roots.

While Slavonia is slowly but surely positioning itself on the investment map, travel trends are becoming increasingly clear on a global level, which are no longer a matter of desire, but of habit. The Mastercard report and Airbnb analysis clearly show that experience became currency, and authenticity – a condition.

The traveler no longer chooses a destination, but an experience?

Prema Mastercard's Travel Trend Report, European travelers are no longer looking for an escape from everyday life, but connecting with yourself and spaceNature, local gastronomy, wellness and cultural activities are becoming the main motives for travel - not despite economic uncertainty, but precisely because of it.

More and more travelers want their travel to have meaning. Both personal, emotional, and long-term. Travel is no longer an impulse, but a deliberate decision.

On the other hand, Airbnb research shows that the searched word this summer is – proximityLocal vacations, smaller places, spontaneous bookings and escapes to nature are becoming the dominant pattern.

More than 40% of total consumption occurs in the immediate vicinity of the accommodation, which opens up a huge space for all local service providers. In addition, authentic cuisine is becoming the main gastronomic motif, not the stars and names of chefs. More and more travelers are choosing destinations for the local food they want to try – not for the attraction they have to “do”.

The common denominator of both reports? The traveler no longer chooses a destination, but an experience. And if a destination isn’t ready to offer that experience, someone else will. Airbnb already knows this and is expanding its offering towards “experiential services” and the everyday needs of travelers. Mastercard measures this and clearly shows: emotional value and personal relevance are becoming the main drivers of tourism spending.

Also, the Airbnb is redefining its business model – is no longer just a platform for booking accommodation. With new services (massages, cooking, guides, even hairdressers) and a redesign of the application, it is trying to position itself as lifestyle tool, not only as mediatorTheir focus is on so-called “everyday services” and a larger share of total tourist spending – which exceeds the price of accommodation three times.

Compare that to Mastercard: while the former shows where travelers want to connect emotionally, the latter tries to capture all those emotions - and monetize them. Some measure value, others try to convert it.

41 new hotels with 5.450 rooms opened in Europe in the first quarter of 2025

And while the entire sector is (again) celebrating growth in numbers and new hotel openings, it is important to remember that the number of beds does not automatically mean more value - at least not for the local community.

U first three months of 2025. is open in Europe 41 new hotels, while more are expected by the end of the year 314 new properties and over 42.000 roomsOn the one hand, this confirms the vitality of the market, but on the other hand it raises a key question: where does Croatia fit into this dynamic, and more importantly: where is Slavonia? If everyone concentrates on well-known locations, who will be the first to recognize the advantage of regional dispersion and authentic experiences?

In this context, Osijek-Baranja County is increasingly stepping out of its own shadow. After being included among The 10 warmest regions in the world according to the Booking.com Traveller Review Awards, it also recorded explosive growth of interest and searches, especially from Denmark (+737%) and the United Kingdom (+185%). It is particularly interesting that the interest is growing the most solo traveler, which additionally confirms the change in the motivation of travel - individuality, peace, nature and true experience.

But all of this remains just PR without one thing: local economy that knows how to capitalize on interestAnd here we come to the key message of this week:

Tourism without farmers is just a transfer

If a local hen doesn't lay an egg with a story, then the egg is worthless. Because the number of tourists means nothing if local family farms, winemakers, olive growers, processors and waiters don't grow with them.

One restaurant with a local menu doesn't just offer a meal - it takes care of ten families who stay in the village. And when someone asks why Slavonia should be a destination, the answer is simple: because it has a story, it has people and it has a product. Everything else can be learned. Authenticity cannot be bought.

Only if Blue and green Croatia meet on a plate, we can talk about sustainability. And it is no longer measured only in the number of overnight stays, but also in the number of eggs produced, kilograms of carrots, liters of milk, and smiles that remain with the guest. That's why: It's time to stop looking at numbers in isolation. And to finally start talking about value.

That's why it's more important than ever – build authentic products. A hotel that uses local resources. A restaurant that does not copy, but interprets. Tourism that does not encourage imports, but the distribution of local value.

Ultimately, as we said last week: Tourism is not just a transfer. It must be a transformation. If we don't build it with a vision and in collaboration with the space - it remains a number. And a number without context is never a result.

In a week when numbers are measured, platforms are redefined, and applications are spread, Slavonia is being built. And it shows: that it's not about the place, but about the approach.

Unframed Tourism – weekly editorial review by HrTurizam & Goran Rihelj

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