REBEC 2021: What is the future of hospitality after the pandemic and where does Serbia’s potential lie?

Personalized services, combined with modern technologies, will be the future of the industry of hospitality and tourism, and key words will still be safety, flexibility and sustainability, it was said at the “Hospitality Development After the Pandemic & Expectations” panel within the REBEC 2021 summit.

– After a very difficult year, we can say that Serbia has managed to realize 50% of its tourism revenues compared to 2019. When you look at other countries, it’s not so bad, but in absolute numbers, the reality is different – said Renata Pindzo, assistant minister of trade, tourism and telecommunications.

She added that Serbia was not a mass tourism destination, not before Covid, not now.

– On one hand, we need to work on making our tourist offer and product more complete, and on the other, there are challenges to marketing this as well as possible. Serbia has adopted a new marketing strategy, which is in line with the trends and is based on digital channels. We also need new investors, who will make our destination recognizable – Pindzo emphasized.

As a destination, according to her, Serbia has had very good investment projects in the past years.

– Recently, the opening of a hotel from the Marriott chain in Vranjska Banja was announced and that will considerably change the entire area and, I hope, motivate others to invest too. It is up to us to better prepare some projects outside Belgrade, and great potential lies in spas – she said.

Natasha Bajc, CXO and CTO, Volynt, said that Serbia was a relatively undeveloped market.

– In one sense, that is good, because it moves things forward – Bajc pointed out.

According to her, what the hospitality of the future will value is experience as “the whole package”.

– Hospitality is the sense of being welcome, in the space, in terms of the design and the architecture, as well as when it comes to the services – she said.

Tobias Siegel, Consultant, PKF HOTELEXPERTS, points out that, in the future, the focus will be on safety.

– Apartments can offer a sense of safety to guests, because, for example, they feature separate kitchens and there’s no great need to interact with other guests – Siegel believes.

Patrizia Zueck, Sales Manager, Zoku, said that a set of various factors determined where the investors decide to invest and that flexibility was crucial in the next period when it comes to successful business operations.

– In the future, it will be important to take the hybrid approach and use the space for as many purposes as possible. For example, to be able to repurpose a space for coworking. Also, it is important to remain attractive to the local populace – Zueck said.

Frank Reul, VP & Head of Development - Accor Eastern Europe, believes that Belgrade has everything it needs for the development of hospitality and emphasizes its great potential.

– In addition to Belgrade, spas and mountains in Serbia also have potential – Reul pointed out and added that investors were still optimistic.

Ivana Milovanovic

Ministarstvo turizma i omladine Republike Srbije

REBEC 2021

Accor Eastern Europe

Zoku

P KF HOTELEXPERTS

Volynt

Frank Reul

Tobias Siegel

Patrizia Zueck

Natasha Bajc

Renata Pindžo

hospitality

pandemic

coronavirus