SPEAKERS

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Located just minutes from the city center, Mozaik provides a modern, fully equipped space for networking, workshops, and key sessions throughout the event.

Mozaik Event Centar

Welcome to our 3rd and biggest edition of VRM Days yet, the leading event in short-term rentals in the region – the largest gathering of top experts, providers and professional property managers. 

You will have an opportunity to connect, exchange ideas, debate and learn practical strategies to become more efficient and boost your rental income, so use this opportunity.
 
In this guide, you can find everything you need to know about our event.

Frano Ridjan is a well-known Croatian radio and TV host, originally from Vinkovci and raised in the beautiful town of Trogir. Over the years, he has worked across major media outlets – from Croatian Radio to HRT shows such as Good Morning Croatia, Good Afternoon Croatia, At Our Place, and I Love Croatia. Today, he is the face of some of the most popular Nova TV shows, including Supertalent and Your Face Sounds Familiar, as well as Startaj Hrvatska and The Farm.

Frano is also a sought-after moderator and event host, bringing his positive energy and relaxed approach to conferences, festivals, and major sports events in Croatia and abroad. He is the official announcer of the Croatian national football team at UEFA and FIFA competitions and has hosted world and European championships in handball, water polo, karate, basketball, and more.

Known as “the man from everyone’s living room,” he enjoys spending time with his sons, exploring art, languages, dance, and travel. He speaks Croatian and English fluently, with a working knowledge of several other European languages.

MODERATOR Frano Ridjan 

Here you can visually pinpoint must-see landmarks, from historic squares and museums to parks, galleries, and scenic viewpoints.


Let this map be your compass as you meander through Zagreb—whether you're planning a relaxed stroll or a packed cultural day, it's your ideal companion!

Discover what to visit in Zagreb

•	08:30 - 10:00
Registration, welcome coffee & networking 
powered by Julius Meinl

•	10:00 - 10:15
VRM Days opening
Speakers: Frano Ridjan, Saša Bosanac

•	10:15 - 10:35
Market trends & How to capture the demand in Croatia (EN)
Speaker: Antonio Lavenziana, Airbnb

•	10:35 - 10:55
Croatia’s STR Market: Insights, Trends, and Outlook 2025 / 2026 (HR)
Speaker: Miro Blažević, Lighthouse

•	10:55 - 11:50
Beyond Beds: additional & hidden revenue (HR)
Moderator: Miško Macolić, Markething
Speakers: Tomislav Cimerman, Krk Adria ; Josip Zurak, Authland ; Igor Popović, Adriagate


•	11:50 - 12:20
Coffee break and networking
powered by Julius Meinl


•	12:20 - 12:40
Channel Management in the Age of Digital Natives: What the Next Generation Expects (HR)
Speaker: Silvana Cvek, Beerent

•	12:40 - 13:30
From Order to Checkout: Integrated Payments for Hospitality Platforms (EN)
Moderator: Ivan Brezak Brkan, Netokracija
Speakers: Caterina Santuccione, SysPay ; Jasmin Memisevic, Worldline Payments ; Marko Mišulić, Rentlio ; Toni Hrelja, Villsy


•	13:30 - 15:20 Lunch break


•	15:20 - 16:20
Scaling Smart: How Tech Will Empower the Next 
Era of Short-Term Rental Leaders (EN)
Moderator: Jessica Gillingham, Abode Worldwide
Speakers: Lea Bonvoisin, Hostaway ; Tomislav Zovko, Irundo ; Alexander Limpert, GuestReady ; Barbara Vincenzi, HomeToGo

•	16:20 - 16:40
The Social Media Marketing mix (EN)
Speaker: Daniela Derin, Skol Apartments

•	16:40 - 17:00
Digital marketing in age of AI (HR)
Speaker: Dario Horvat, Arbona

•	17:00 - 17:10
VRM Days wrap up
Speaker: Frano Ridjan

•	20:30 - Dinner & Party @Wespa Spaces

Day 1 - October 21 

This year we have partnered with MAISTRA CITY VIBES Hotels Zonar & International, who are giving to all of us 15% discount during the stay.
All you need to do is to apply the voucher VRM15.
 
And of course lovely apartments from our amazing team from Zagreb Apartments to who you just need to reach out and they will make you an offer which cannot be turned down :).


WI FI is open with no requirement for passwords or login


Change me

Day 01

Day 02

Main Sponsor

Zagreb’s museums and galleries reveal the city’s rich history, creativity, and soul. 

🏛️ Museums & Culture

Zagreb Apartments

Hallway Sponsors

Dario Alfirević is an experienced manager and investor in digital projects with an emphasis on online sales, who today leads Nokumo - a PMS/CM/BE SaaS platform for travel agencies and hotels - and helps partners increase revenues through new and optimized sales channels.

With over fifteen years of experience in eCommerce, strategic IT investments and M&A projects, Dario has participated in the development and implementation of numerous projects in the Central and Western European markets. His experience connects strategic investments with digital solutions, creating sustainable growth models for companies looking to internationalize their business and improve online sales.

Dario Alfirević  / Managing director

Regular Sponsors

From traditional Croatian dishes to modern fine dining, Zagreb’s culinary scene is full of flavor and passion.

🍽️ Best Local Restaurants

 Hotel Zonar

va Bencun, director of the Zadar Tourist Board, sees her job as an opportunity to present Zadar to the world in its most beautiful light. She has worked in tourism for many years and with great enthusiasm develops projects that combine tradition and a modern approach.

The sea and Zadar's rich heritage are her great inspiration, and she is most fulfilled when visitors feel the same love for this city .

Iva Bencun / Director of Zadar Tourist Board

Hotel International 

Zagreb’s nightlife ranges from relaxed wine bars to vibrant clubs. Whether you’re after cocktails, craft beer, or live music — there’s something for every mood.

☕ Bars & Nightlife

🚊 By Tram

From Ban Jelačić Square, take tram number 2, 3, or 13 heading toward Žitnjak / Savišće / Kvaternikov trg.
Get off at the Heinzelova stop and walk along Heinzelova Street toward Slavonska Avenue.
The Mozaik Event Center is only a 5-minute walk from the tram stop, near the large intersection.

🚌 By Bus

Take bus line 215 (Kvaternikov trg – Dugave) or 268 (Zagreb – Velika Gorica) and get off at the Heinzelova – Radnička stop.
From there, it’s about a 5-minute walk to the venue.

🚗 By Car

You can reach the Mozaik Event Center easily via Slavonska Avenue or Heinzelova Street.
There is free parking available in front of the building.

🚋 How to Get to Mozaik Event Center

Miro is Director of Business Development – Data Solutions at Lighthouse, where he focuses on delivering data-driven market intelligence to Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs) and key stakeholders in the travel industry. With a background in business development and strategic analysis, Miro offers a unique perspective on how to harness data to navigate the evolving tourism landscape.

His expertise in data-led decision-making is rooted in extensive experience across the travel sector, including roles at industry leaders such as Amadeus and Expedia, as well as with a global hotel chain.
As a guest speaker at VRM Days, Miro will share the latest insights and trends in the short-term rental market across Croatia and Europe, along with data-backed projections for the year ahead.

Miro Blažević / Director of Business Development

Partners

•	09:00 - 10:00
Registration, welcome coffee and networking 
powered by Julius Meinl

•	10:00 - 10:10
Outlook Day 2
Speaker: Frano Ridjan

•	10:10 - 10:30
Tech-Enabled Hospitality: The Forces Redefining the Modern STR Operator (EN)
Speaker: Jessica Gillingham, Abode Worldwide

•	10:30 - 10:50
New trends in travels (HR)
Speaker: Vlatko Pavlović, Booking. Com

•	10:50 - 11:50
Croatia: 2026-2031 predictions Future of croatian tourism (HR)
Moderator: Goran Rihelj, hrturizam. hr
Speakers: Iva Bencun, Zadar Tourist Board; Oliver Kesar,, Faculty of Economy & Business; Dragan Šimac, Analitix. AI


•	11:50 - 12:15
Coffee break and networking
powered by Julius Meinl


•	12:15 - 12:50
Ako prodaješ, a ne gradiš vlastiti brend - gradiš tuđi (HR)
Speaker: Barbara Slade Jagodić, Slade. Hr

•	12:50 - 13:10
Fireside chat (HR)
Speaker: Ana Klancir, Epic Advice & secret person

•	13:10 - 13:30
Service or Experience? How AI is Changing the Rules of Hospitality (HR)
Speaker: Vedran Bajer, Wonderful.AI


•	13:30 - 15:10 Lunch break


•	15:10 - 15:30
Zašto AI neće učiniti vašu digitalnu transformaciju uspješnom, ali osobni razvoj bi mogao
Speaker: Andreja Fazlić, digital business architect

•	15:30 - 15:50
Survival Kit for Vacation Rentals: How to steer your VR business under uncertain times (EN)
Speaker: Enrique Planas, Holidu

•	15:50 - 16:50
How to choose the right one? 
And why are there so many tech issues? (EN)
Moderator: Ivan Brezak Brkan, Netokracija
Speakers: Dario Alfirević, Nokumo; Giovanna Conte, Pricelabs; Marco Magnanelli, Avantio; Bojan Pesic, Tokeet

•	16:50 - 17:10
VRM Days closing session
Speakers: Frano Ridjan, Saša Bosanac




Day 2 - October 22

Vedran Bajer is the General Manager for the Adriatic region at AI startup Wonderful. He built his career in leadership positions at Google and Microsoft, and today he focuses his experience on transforming businesses by applying artificial intelligence to the user experience.

Vedran Bajer / General Manager Adriatic at Wonderful

There is free parking available directly in front of the Mozaik Event Center building (Slavonska avenija 6).

If the main parking area is full, additional spaces are available behind the building.

Please note: during larger events, parking spots can fill up quickly, so we recommend arriving 10–15 minutes early to secure a space.

🅿️ Parking Information 

Zagreb is one of Europe’s greenest capitals — perfect for walks, picnics, or just escaping city noise

🌳 Parks & Outdoor Spots

Auto partner

Ivan is the founder of Netokracija, the leading technology media outlet in Croatia and the region, which has been covering the growth of the IT industry for years, including digital tourism through projects such as Digitaliziraj.biz in partnership with Mastercard. After Infobip’s acquisition of Netokracija, Ivan became Director of Developer Content at Croatia’s first unicorn.
Following Infobip’s acquisition of Netokracija, Ivan took on the role of Director of Developer Content at Croatia’s first unicorn.

Ivan Brezak Brkan / founder of Netokracija

Don’t miss these landmarks that define Zagreb’s charm and character.

Zagreb Cathedral
A stunning Gothic masterpiece dominating the city skyline.

St. Mark’s Church
Famous for its colorful tiled roof and historic surroundings in Upper Town.

Tkalčićeva Street
The liveliest street in Zagreb — packed with cafes, bars, and life from morning till night.

🕍 Must-See Landmarks

Taking a taxi is one of the easiest ways to reach the Mozaik Event Center.
From Ban Jelačić Square (city center), the ride takes about 10 minutes, depending on traffic.
You can use any of the major taxi services in Zagreb, such as Cammeo, Eko Taxi, or Bolt.
Simply tell the driver to take you to Mozaik Event Center, Slavonska avenija 6.

🚖 Taxi Information 

Owner and director of the Krk Adria doo travel agency, specializing in luxury private accommodation on the island of Krk.

The agency has been operating on the market since 2011, and today its portfolio includes more than 200 exclusive villas and vacation homes.

Tomislav Cimerman / CEO & Founder Krk Adria

Giovanna Ida Conte works as a Solutions Consultant for PriceLabs, carrying out account management and business development activities. She looks after the Italian market, as well as other markets in southern Europe.
Giovanna brings over ten years of experience in the short-term rental industry, having worked both for a property management company and a PMS.

She developed an interest in tourism trends during her university studies in Tourism Economics. Her passion for data, combined with her industry expertise, led her to PriceLabs.

Giovanna Conte /Solutions Consultant Pricelabs

Founder of the best family IT company in Croatia BeeRent.com, in-house developed channel manager and PMS platform that directly two-way connects all major booking platforms globally like Airbnb, HomeToGo, Vrbo, Booking.com, Holidu, eDomizil, Expedia, and many more with homeowners and property management companies and digitizes all their business processes in a single application beerent.com

Experienced Chief Executive Officer with a demonstrated history of working in the information technology and services industry. Skilled in Negotiation, Sales, Leisure Industry, Management, and Business Development. Strong business development professional graduated from Business Academy /Marketing and Marketing Management /Cambridge Program.

Proud mother of five beautiful children and with my amazing husband Ivan Cvek private investor in short term rental real estate.

Silvana Cvek / Founder/ CEO Beerent

Holiday Rental Manager + Real Estate Broker since last century. When all bookings were direct and a result of personal connections and a genuine love for guest communication.

I fell in love with digital marketing in lockdown and the rest is history. At Skol Apartments Marbella we achieve 80% direct bookings and I’m going to share some of my strategies with you.

Daniela Derin / Co-founder Skol Apartments Marbella

With a decade in the Short-Term Rental (STR) industry across Europe, Latin America, and Asia, I bring a global perspective shaped by experience in hotels, hostels, and Airbnb. For the past three years at PriceLabs, I’ve focused on helping property managers optimize pricing strategies and streamline operations.

Yolanda Fabra / Solution Consultant at Pricelabs

Andreja is a digital business architect, strategic advisor, and portfolio entrepreneur with over 15 years of experience in marketing, sales, and digital business. She focuses on leading digital transformation projects, team training, and change management that help companies achieve sustainable growth and effectively leverage advanced technologies through a differentiated approach based on human-centered methodologies.
Through consulting, lectures and educational programs, it supports teams, CEOs and entrepreneurs in defining a clear vision of the transformation process and results and in establishing a stable structure for their implementation and achievement.
He deeply believes that digital transformation projects are not just about technology; on the contrary, technology is just a tool that enables change. The key factor for success lies in changing human work behavior and a culture that encourages engagement, adaptability and continuous development. True and long-term business transformation begins with personal responsibility and leadership determination, because only when people in the organization embrace change and actively shape it, technology can show its full potential.
As a co-founder of the podcast 'Klice Buntovnice', she additionally contributes to the education of entrepreneurs focused on strategic development and improving the user experience.

Andreja Fazlić / Digital Business Architect

Italian but with a Greek name, is Avantio’s Area Sales Director for the South Mediterranean countries and has been working in the vacation rental sector for more than 9 years. In this time he helped many Property Managers to improve their organisation with one of the best All-in-one technology in the sector.
His motto: “Technology is the key to grow in this sector“

Oreste Fischetti / Sales Director

Jessica is the CEO of Abode Worldwide, a strategic public relations agency focused on raising the profile of transformative technology solutions across the global hospitality, lodging, and living sectors.

Abode sits at the heart of the developing intersection between work, life, and play in real estate and hospitality, and partners with brands playing a lead role in this transformation.

A regular industry speaker, author, and adviser, Jessica is the host of the Pillow Talk Sessions podcast and author of the upcoming book “Tech-Enabled Hospitality” (Kogan Page, Aug. 2025).

Jessica Gillingham / Founder/ CEO Abode Worldwide

He has been working professionally in the internet world for over 15 years at Arbona. He started his career as a web designer, then transformed into an online marketer through web development and newsletter campaigns.


Holder of Google Ads and Analytics certificates and with more than 1,000 completed newsletter campaigns, he is one of the main "culprits" for the MailChimp Experts certification that adorns the Arbona company (the only one in Croatia and the region).
 

Experienced in holding various training courses of a professional and educational nature.

Dario Horvat / Board member in Arbona

Toni Hrelja / CEO at Villsy

Barbara Slade Jagodic / Business Owner at Slade

Director of the Istrian Tourism Development Agency with many years of experience in planning, organizing, and implementing development projects.

She has actively participated in creating strategies and manuals for the development of cultural tourism, and during her career has worked as a journalist, cultural program editor, project manager, and editor-in-chief of the Istrian online encyclopedia.

She was also a project coordinator within the Department of Cultural Experience Tourism, including work on the Istra Inspirit project.

Slavica Tobok Kandić / Director

Oliver Kesar is a Full Professor with Tenure at the Department of Tourism, Faculty of Economics & Business, Univeraity of Zagreb. During his 27+ years-long professional journey in science and higher education, he proved himself as a teacher, scientist, researcher, reviewer and consultant. The main areas of his expertise are tourism economics, special interest tourism development, visitor attraction management and collaboration networks in tourism.

He is a full member of the Croatian Academy of Science and Arts (HAZU), Croatian Society of Economists (HDE) and the Croatian Meeting Professionals Association (HUPKT).

Oliver Kesar / Prof. dr. sc. at EFZG

Saber is co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) of Hostaway, the leading all-in-one vacation rental management software.

With over 15 years of expertise in tech leadership, Saber co-founded Hostaway in 2015 and took on the role of Chief Technology Officer before shifting his focus to the company’s strategic plan to deliver world-class products and software.

Saber Kordestanchi / Co-founder/ CSO of Hostaway

Antonio Laveneziana, originally from Puglia, Italy, relocated to Milan in 2004 and earned his degree in Management Engineering in 2010. After beginning his career as a business analyst, he advanced within Airbnb to become Territory Manager for Italy and Southeast Europe.

Antonio is committed to strengthening Airbnb’s presence and partnerships in Croatia, supporting the country’s growth as a leading travel destination in the region.



Antonio Laveneziana / Territory Manager for Italy and Southeast Europe in Airbnb

Alex is the founder & CEO of RentalReady, an AI-powered channel manager and short-term rental management software, and GuestReady, Europe’s leading urban rental management company.

He’s passionate about building tech to make property managers’ lives 100× simpler.

Alexander Limpert / Founder & CEO/ RentalReady & GuestReady

Vinayak Mahtani is an accomplished entrepreneur with a passion for the hospitality industry.

As the CEO of bnbme Holiday Homes, he has successfully led the company to new heights by leveraging his expertise in operations management, strategic planning and customer service. With a strong focus on delivering exceptional experiences to guests, Vinayak has built a reputation for excellence in the vacation rental industry.

His visionary leadership and commitment to innovation has made bnbme Holiday Homes a leader in the market.

 Vinayak C Mahtani / CEO of bnbme Holiday Homes

Business Developer Manager at Avantio, with a focus on the Southern Mediterranean vacation rental market. With a background in e-commerce and a practical, results-focused approach, he helps property managers improve their operations by using advanced technology solutions and building strategic partnerships.

He focuses on creating long-term relationships that lead to growth, believing that when clients succeed, everyone succeeds together.

Marco Magnanelli  / Business Developer Manager at Avantio

Miško Macolić Tomičić is an experienced entrepreneur and digital marketing expert in tourism. As the owner of the digital agency Markething, which is behind the campaigns for leading tourism projects in Croatia, and the founder of the excursion agency Go To Istria Tours, he combines knowledge of the travel market with practical experience in developing tourism products.

He is strategically behind the first Croatian experience booking platform To Do in Istria, which provides visitors with easy access to authentic experiences. His deep understanding of digital trends and the needs of the modern traveler makes him one of the relevant voices when it comes to innovation and growth in tourism.

Miško Macolić Tomičić / CEO @ Markething.hr

With over 20 years of experience in the payments industry, Jasmin Memisevic works in Worldline’s Partnerships Management, directing indirect sales across Croatia and SEE region.
He drives strategic integrations and partnerships with independent software vendors (ISVs) and payment service providers (PSPs), delivering value-added services that streamline merchant payments and enhance the overall customer checkout experience.

Jasmin Memisevic / Partnership Manager at Worldline

Marko Mišulić is the founder and CEO of Rentlij - a leading regional hospitality-tech company that has been developing software solutions used by hoteliers, renters and property management companies in more than forty countries around the world for 10 years.


Led by Marko, Rentlio has become the most famous name in the true digital transformation of tourism in recent years, necessary to meet the needs of modern guests.

Marko Mišulić / CEO Rentlio

I’m proud of my experience of working in the tourism & hospitality industry for 18 years. I joined the Booking.com company 9 years ago as an Account Manager.

For the past 7 years I’ve been working as a Market Team Manager. This experience has successfully shaped my leadership & market management skills, but also offered myself multiple opportunities to learn and apply new learnings into my job. I am very passionate about traveling and discovering new destinations, which is a perfect match with the industry I work in.

Vlatko Pavlović / Area Manager in Booking.com

Bojan Pesic is the VP of Client Services at Tokeet, where he leads all client-facing teams to deliver exceptional customer experiences. With prior leadership roles in the telco industry, he brings a global perspective to service transformation and operational excellence.

His focus is on driving innovation, measurable impact, and lasting value for customers.

Bojan Pesic / VP of Client Services at Tokeet

Co-founder and board member of Adriagate, one of the leading domestic agencies for reservations and short-term rental of apartments, houses and villas.

Experience in tourism is gained mostly during work related to the Adriagate brand, starting from 2001. until today, and now closely related to planning and implementing activities related to the development of IT software in tourism.

Igor Popović / Co-founder & board member Adriagate

Goran Rihelj, founder and editor-in-chief of the leading Croatian tourism portal HrTurizam.hr.

In addition to managing the portal, he has been actively involved in tourism for many years, from organizing tourist events, training to consulting services on the topic of developing tourist destinations. An award-winning journalist and one of the most important commentators on the current situation and the initiator of many initiatives.

Goran Rihelj / Founder hrturizam.hr

Caterina Santuccione holds a degree in Literature and Philosophy from the University of Bologna “Alma Mater Studiorum,” and a second degree in Economics and Finance from the same institution. She further advanced her academic background with a Master’s in Economics and Marketing from La Sapienza University in Rome.

With over 20 years of experience in the Tourism and Hospitality sector, Caterina began her career as a Sales Manager and Business Development Manager at leading software houses and technology providers in Italy. Her professional journey also includes international experience in Spain and France, where she expanded her expertise in business development and sales strategy.

Since 2014, Caterina has been active in the payment industry. She joined SysPay, a payment institution fully dedicated to the Hospitality and Tourism sectors, where she has played a key role in driving commercial growth. She currently serves as Sales Director, overseeing all sales operations and business development initiatives, with a particular focus on expanding SysPay’s presence in the Tourism division.”

Caterina Santuccione / Sales Director, SysPay

Dragan Šimac with over 30 years of proven, quantifiable success across the hospitality sector, brings extensive expertise in strategic planning, product and brand development, visionary execution, and operational leadership across hotels, resorts, and cruise operations.

He  focus on cultivating a people-first culture rooted in operational excellence, scalable success, and a relentless pursuit of quality and innovation.

Dragan Šimac / CEO at Analtyx.AI

With over 15 years of experience in the travel industry—spanning tour operators, hotels, and now the short-term rental sector—I’ve had the privilege of continuously learning while managing sales roles, leading teams, and nurturing key account relationships.

Two years ago, I embarked on an exciting journey with PriceLabs as a Solutions Consultant for the UK and European markets, where I help property managers optimize their revenue strategies through data-driven solutions.

Siana Vesselinova / Senior Solutions Consultant Pricelabs

As a key leader at HomeToGo since 2017, Barbara Vincenzi drives the global partnership strategy that has been instrumental in establishing the company as Europe’s leading vacation rental powerhouse. Under her leadership, her team acts as a powerful advocate for partners, championing the product innovations that foster mutual growth and long-term success across more than 30 international markets.

Barbara Vincenzi / Head of Account Management at Hometogo

Co-founder and co-owner of Irundo, a specialized short-term rental full-service agency that has successfully managed hundreds of properties for years using advanced technological solutions, data, and efficient operational models.

Through hands-on field experience – from selecting and implementing smart tech systems to their everyday application – Tomislav provides a realistic, experience-based perspective on the true benefits, challenges, and differences between the “hype” and real value when it comes to technology in the STR industry.

Tomislav Zovko / Co-founder Irundo

Vacation rental enthusiast with two missions, helping property managers scaling their business, doing market research and advising various companies. But also promoting Croatia anywhere I can in order to gain more guests and investors.