Could you introduce yourself in two sentences – one describing you as a private and other as a public person?
I am almost 30 year old guy living life to the fullest, addicted to the tourism since teenage years which reflects both on private and professional life.
Which are your favourite magazines from the area of tourism? Definitely one of the best SEE magazines in industry is Kongres magazine which you are reading right now and UT. Regular newsletters from PoslovniTurizam.com are helpful and favourite as well.
Which was the last book you read and which book would you recommend to our readers?
Since I read a lot there are always few books I read at the same time. So the last one was a special present in a special moment – Jorge Bucay’s – “Let me tell you “. At the moment I am reading Slavoj Žižek’s recent work and would always recommend one of the best travel books – “U potrazi sa staklenim gradom” written by Malnar and Bebek. Alain de Botton is a nice and light read for long travelling hours.
Which was the last event you attended?
It was a 5th Croatian congress of hematologists and transfusiologists which we have organized couple of days ago. At the moment I am sitting in the middle of psychiatry seminar I organize so that cannot be counted.
Which was the last movie you saw?
It was my first cartoon movie I’ve ever watched in cinema – Puss in boots. Quite inspiring though. Usually I’ll rather go for a book than movie but this was an really exception made for great company I had. My 14 year old TV that hardly works proves me that I am not big fan of TV.
How many foreign languages do you speak?
English is definitely language I use the most and know the best. Speaking is probably better than writing as you can see. I know basic German and Italian just enough to survive with my basic needs while travelling.
Who were your idols growing up and who are they today?
My father was and still is. He founded our company more than 20 years ago and now we work together. He is in tourism from his very early teenage years and he has done his best to make this happen for me as well. After years of helping and now working with him I still get surprised how much he knows about the industry.
Which were your first and your current job?
First job was carrying boxes with materials for our congresses while I was around 14-15 years old. After that I was finally promoted to the technician in a lecture room dealing with slides and speakers. Driving speakers to the airport, working on a registration desk, sorting out delegate badges for years I finally got a chance to work full time and now I am in a position of a project manager.
What is the first thing you do when you come to work?
Have a small talk with whole team. Nothing specific just a short chit-chat and big laugh before checking all received e-mails, meetings and briefings. It’s a great start of the day.
What influenced your life the most? Was it a person or an event?
It’s really difficult to say, there are many events and persons that have or had influence in my life. But for sure most influence had my great family, their support and their obsession for travelling. Exchanging thoughts and talking with so many people is truly inspiring so every congress, event and travel inspires me in a way. Also playing rugby was a great lecture for team work, coordination and human relations.
Could you highlight your best and worse life experience?
My best life experience was the day I was born. Joking. I can’t really highlight anything since I enjoy my life fully and trying to do it that way every day. Worst experience was a loss of a close family member and professionally all bad situations are part of the job so therefore cannot be taken into a consideration. Every compliment, handshake with congratulations goes in a good experience and that is probably the best motivation we all have.
What are you most proud of?
I could say there are two things. First working on a job that I like and going to the work every day with my smile on. Working with team of great and supportive colleagues on which you can always count on. Second is that I am successfully juggling with all business and private needs sorting things on time and still manage to have free time for me and my family which I truly enjoy.
Which success story from the area of tourism would you mention?
There are very often some original “small” ideas produced by complete tourist amateurs that I find really superb. There are plenty of them but unknown to the general public. Picking olives, riding a donkey, collecting salt, making sculptures out of straw and selling that as a wrapped package experience is great, particularly from cost/benefit perspective.
What do you miss most in Croatian and SE Europe’s meeting industry?
More conferences… That would be professionalism and education. In more details that would mean lack of planning and preparations and just too much improvisation, which is not bad at the end but only when really needed, not as a only solution.
Would you share your favourite places to visit in spring, summer, fall and winter? London throughout the year. Since I am a passionate skier I adore Alps during winter. For me there is nothing better than spending day in high mountains on fresh air and sun especially in a good company. Spring and fall is our high season therefore I don’t have a chance to travel privately so destination is defined by the conference. During summer I really like to travel abroad or rest on our beautiful coast. I really like Paklene otoke, Korčula, Zadar and Dubrovnik.
What do you do in your free time?
In my free time I read a lot, travel and in the meantime I run, play squash and go skiing. But most of my free time I spend with people I truly love and friends which is the best way to enjoy it.
Your life’s motto?
Don’t really have one but these one is the closest – The happiest people don’t have the best of everything, they just make the best of everything.
