We respect your privacy
Below, we are sharing a feature article about Apartmanica that was published about us by the portal Istarski.hr (https://istarski.hr/node/90157-iza-uspjesnog-projekta-apartmanica-stoji-mlada-ekipa-iz-pazina).
Tourism analyses and statistics on arrivals and overnight stays have started filling the media space, and that will continue until the end of September. In Istria, nearly 3.7 million tourist overnight stays were recorded in the first five months of this year, which is 20% more than last year. The question is no longer whether accommodation will be sold, but at what price.
More than 13 years ago, a young team of IT experts started thinking about exactly that in a pizzeria in Lindar, when friends Tomislav and Augustin from Pazin and Danijel from Kanfanar came up with the idea of creating specialised websites for accommodation providers. Through them, hosts would be able to present their accommodation and their full offer in the best and most professional way, while also securing a sales channel without ever-growing agency commissions.
That is how Apartmanica was born. It was officially launched in 2016, and since then it has gathered more than 1,000 properties and 2,000 accommodation units under its umbrella. And this is only the beginning, because their plans for the future are even more ambitious.
We started from the hundredth attempt and told ourselves: “Now or never”
The design and functionalities of Apartmanica websites for accommodation providers were developed and refined over a long period of time. Before the official launch, the team behind Apartmanica gave up many times and felt that it still was not quite ready, until one day they simply decided to give it a try and see where it would take them.
As Danijel points out, back then they were still working at their previous jobs, while developing Apartmanica in their spare time and using every possible break at work to solve tasks. In the beginning, they improvised as best they could, but soon realised that they needed to start taking Apartmanica seriously.
They took a risk, left their former jobs, set up their first offices and gathered a team of experts they trusted. Augustin is responsible for graphic design, Danijel for programming, Tomislav covers administration, accounting and legal matters, Mirko handles sales and support, and Sabina takes care of the IT segment.
Although none of them initially had experience in tourism, they very quickly recognised that this was an area that would only continue to grow in needs and demands. Every new client opened up new ideas and opportunities for improvement, and they see one of their greatest successes precisely in that – in constantly listening to the needs of accommodation providers and adapting Apartmanica to those real needs.
Direct bookings mean significantly higher earnings
When asked why accommodation providers today should have their own website, despite the existence of major platforms such as Booking.com and Airbnb, the Apartmanica team answers that websites are above all a host’s business card and a channel that allows them to present themselves in the best possible way.
But even more importantly, they make it possible for tourists to book accommodation directly with the accommodation provider. In this way, the guest saves money by not paying agency commissions, and the host benefits by keeping a much larger share of the earnings.
Apartmanica also points out that a website is not the only thing a host needs, but rather one part of a broader circle of presence: it is good to be on portals, with agencies and on social media as well. But when a guest finds accommodation they like and tries to reach the owner directly, having their own website becomes crucial.
If the host uses the same property name across all channels and has their own website, the guest will very easily find it and book directly.
When 20%, which is roughly what booking portals take, or even up to 40%, which some agencies take, is converted into euros, we are talking about truly large amounts.
Apartmanica states that their analyses show that the lowest overnight rate for a property using their websites is 120 euros, while the highest is as much as 2,050 euros, and the average is around 500 euros per night. For ten days, that is an average of 5,000 euros, so the difference between a direct booking and one made through an intermediary becomes very concrete.
They do not only create websites – they also advise their users
The Apartmanica team emphasises that their role is not limited to the technical creation of websites. They consider it equally important to advise users on how to present themselves better and achieve stronger online visibility.
For example, they believe it is very important for hosts to choose a recognisable and creative name for their property rather than a generic one used by hundreds of others. Such a name, if consistently used across all channels, also helps with positioning on Google.
They also say that they invest heavily in optimisation, which is why their websites regularly achieve very strong positions in search engines, provided users follow their recommendations and advice.
An additional advantage is the large number of languages into which the websites can be translated. The basic package includes Italian, German and English, while additional packages also offer languages such as Swedish, Finnish, Czech and French.
Besides creating websites, communication with users continues even after the site goes live. Apartmanica regularly publishes blog posts about important topics for accommodation providers, especially legal changes and regulations, participates in trade fairs, organises educational sessions and webinars, and sends newsletters and free guides to its users.
The system is easy to use
Although some people may think that managing a website requires a high level of digital literacy, Apartmanica stresses that the system is actually very simple and adapted to everyday users.
As one of their best examples, they mention a user in her later years who now independently manages the booking system, edits the photo gallery and creates promotions, even though she was very sceptical at first.
The message is simple: if you know how to use Facebook and Instagram, using Apartmanica will be even easier.
5,000 days of work and big plans for the future
The Apartmanica team is currently in a celebratory mood because they are marking 5,000 days of existence. On this occasion, they have also prepared a special offer for new users.
From 22 June to 29 June, they are offering a 50% discount on their standard package, which they highlight as the biggest discount they have ever offered. Interested accommodation providers first receive an offer and then fill out a simple form with the basic information about their accommodation, after which the rest of the work is handled by their team.
But they do not plan to stop there. As they say, they are currently developing a complete accommodation management system that will allow users to manage prices and bookings, issue invoices, generate booking confirmations and handle many other functions in one place.
They also plan additional benefits for guests, such as a destination guide containing all the key information after the booking is made, as well as integration with eVisitor in order to make guest registration even simpler.
In Croatia’s most successful tourist region, it seems that very successful tourism projects are developing as well.
