Vlatko Matković: The host can show the guest an Ilok that they won't find on the internet

Perhaps one of the greatest values ​​of a local host lies precisely in what cannot be easily found online.

Today, a guest can research almost everything before arriving: where the main attractions are, which restaurants are the best rated, where to taste wine, what to visit and which route to take. But there is another destination layer which is more difficult to search. Stories about the people who lived there, everyday life, hidden places, local habits and details that are often known only to the people who live in that area.

It is precisely this role of the host that is well demonstrated. Holiday house Weinrauch in Ilok, whose owner Vlatko Matkovic.

This is an old Srijem, or Swabian, house, about 150 years old, where the idea of ​​accommodation from the beginning was not just to offer guests a place to sleep. The house, its history, former residents, furniture and large yard have become part of the story that the Matkovićs tell their guests.

That's why, as soon as the tag was launched, Local Host Croatian Tourist Board, decided to apply. The procedure, in their experience, was not complicated, and the project philosophy itself fit naturally into what they were already doing.

"We signed up because I think we are the embodiment of Local Host.", says Vlatko Matković with a laugh, adding that this approach was one of the reasons why they started renting in the first place.

"We didn't want to just rent it out. The house is an old Srijem, Swabian house and I don't think its ambiance is compatible with just renting it out. We're really working on presenting not only the house but also the history of the locality and that former way of life." says Matković.

A 150-year-old house is not just accommodation, but part of the Ilok experience

Weinrauch differs from some of the modern holiday homes on offer. It does not have a swimming pool, jacuzzi or sauna, but it has a plot of approx. 1.700 square meters in the city itself, a large courtyard and, above all, a house whose space bears traces of former life in Srijem.

They tried to adapt the furniture to the character of the house, and they tell guests about its history, location, previous owners, and the people who lived in it. Even the large yard, as Vlatko says, has its own "secrets" and stories.

How interesting such an approach can be for guests was shown when they had foreign visitors who were so intrigued by the photos of the house on the internet that they wanted to hear the whole story. "They came specifically to hear the story of the house's history. The photos they saw on the internet intrigued them so much that they wanted to learn more. We took them through the entire house and the tour lasted a good hour. They had a lot of questions, it was interesting for them, and for us too." adds Matković.

It is precisely in such an example that the difference between the property where the guest stays and the accommodation that becomes part of the destination experience can best be seen. Sometimes the attraction is not just what is outside the accommodation. The story can begin right outside his front door.

Each guest receives a "Starter Package" or a small welcome package. 

And at Weinrauch, it starts at the table.

Guests are prepared upon arrival small welcome pack who jokingly call their "starter package"Depending on the time of arrival, you can find cured meats, cheeses, cracklings and especially crackling, which is a local bread with bacon on it and is typical of Ilok, and the guest also receives wine from one of the Ilok winemakers and a souvenir from the house.

"We welcome guests with Ilok cracklings and our, as we call it, 'starter package', so that people have something to snack on when they come back from their travels. We always leave them a souvenir of the house and wine from an Ilok winemaker." says Matković, emphasizing that it is not a grand gesture, but precisely such details tell the guest something about the space they have arrived in upon arrival.

we offer čvarkara (a cake with bacon, typical for Ilok, they call it čvarkara)

"Because the first contact with accommodation simultaneously becomes the first contact with Srijem and Ilok." emphasizes Matković.

The Internet provides information. The host provides context

Perhaps the most important part of a Local Host's role comes when a guest begins to explore a destination.

In the case of the Matković family, there is an interesting combination of local and professional knowledge. Martina is a tour guide, while Vlatko is from Ilok, so they can offer guests information that goes beyond the classic list of tourist attractions.

Some guests, of course, just want to pick up the key and organize their stay completely independently, but there are very few of them at Matković. The choice of this type of accommodation often says something about the kind of experience the guest is looking for, more personal contact with the host, local recommendations and information about the city, and places and stories that you might not have found on your own.

"Guests always ask us for additional information about the city, no matter how well informed they are. We really have no problem directing them to places we find more interesting or explaining something that interests them. In fact, it is important to us that our guests experience the best that Ilok and its surroundings have to offer, so that their stay is as quality as possible. If they are satisfied with the accommodation and the destination, then it is a win-win for everyone." Matković points out.

In an era where information is no longer a "rare commodity," this kind of personal context gains added value. Google, social networks, platforms, and now AI, can offer dozens of restaurants, attractions, and itinerary suggestions in a matter of seconds. However, the problem of today's guest is increasingly not a lack of information, but its excess. In this communication noise, the same recommendations are often repeated, while the most important thing is missing - the local context that helps to understand the place and choose what is truly relevant for the specific guest.

This is where a local host can make a difference. They can explain why a guest should go to a certain place, tailor a recommendation to their interests, or tell them a story they won't find in the first search results.

"We also know some more hidden, not-so-well-known information or something from personal life that people are always interested in hearing. Not the dry stuff they can find on the internet, but stories from everyday life. We can also direct them to some more hidden, secluded places in Ilok."

Right here Local Host gets an extra dimension. The host is not a tourist guide, nor does he have to become one, but he can and actually is the first destination interpreter the guest encounters.

This, however, presupposes knowledge of one's own place.

Through conversation, we open up an interesting topic that goes beyond just their accommodation: How much do hosts actually know about the destination they recommend to guests? Locals often take for granted what they have every day.

"The fact is that as locals, we often, unfortunately, know the least about our city. It's like, we're here so it's assumed that's how it is. I think it would be really good if the hosts got some education and informed themselves about what their city has to offer and what it hides. "Education does not necessarily mean a formal program, nor does every host need to become a professional tour guide. Sometimes it is enough to become a tourist in your own city again, go on a guided tour, listen to the stories and legends hidden behind the buildings we pass by every day, visit a museum, or participate in programs that local tourist boards often organize." Matković points out.

It is through such collaboration with tourist boards, guides and other local stakeholders that the host can better learn about the stories, current offerings and people of their destination, and then pass that knowledge on to the guest. Because it is difficult for a guest to discover the best of their own city if they have not explored it sufficiently themselves.

Same Local Host, completely different experience

Ilok is a good example of why Local Host should not be viewed as a uniform tourism product.

What in Dalmatia might be the sea, stone, fish market and everyday life along the coast, in Ilok it is wine, Srijem gastronomy, the Danube, the history of the city, old houses, a large courtyard and the stories of the people who lived there.

The standard is not that every host offers the same content to the guest. The value is exactly the opposite: The shared philosophy of the household is given a local interpretation depending on the space in which the guest is located.

At the Weinrauch Holiday Home, this interpretation begins with the house itself. The guest does not stay in a space to which local identity has been added as decoration, but in a house that is part of the history of the place. When we add to this local food, wine from the Ilok winemaker, stories about former residents, recommendations from the host, and knowledge of Ilok, the accommodation becomes one of the channels through which the guest gets to know the destination.

And perhaps this is where the simplest explanation of Local Host's value lies.

The Internet can show a guest what to see in Ilok. It can list sights, wineries, restaurants, and top-rated places. But the host can show him his Ilok.

One that is not just made up of points on a map, but of stories, people, flavors, memories, and details that someone who lives in the destination considers worth showing to a guest. And it is precisely that kind of experience that is hard to find in a search engine.

Content created in collaboration with the Croatian National Tourist Board.