November the 12th, 2025 – Big news for Croatian tourism as the Split-based Westgate Group receives a very special official license from Marriott International.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, the Split-based Westgate Group has received an official license from Marriott International, the largest and most prestigious hotel chain in the world. This license authorises it to manage and operate all hotels in Marriott’s premium lifestyle and select service segments.

This is a step forward that places the Westgate Group among the only Croatian companies to hold such a status and further strengthens its position as one of the leaders in the premium and lifestyle hotel segment across both Croatia and the region.

Cooperation with Marriott and the further development of exciting new projects

Marriott’s decision builds on the successful implementation and operation of AC Hotel by Marriott Split, the first AC Hotels by Marriott brand hotel in Croatia. It is located on the highest floors of the stunning Dalmatia Tower, the tallest building in Croatia (towering over its surroundings at 135 metres high). The hotel with 214 accommodation units, recognisable by its panoramic views of the City of Split, nearby islands and the Adriatic Sea, marked the official entry of the AC Hotels brand into the Croatian market. It was also a very important step forward in expanding the Marriott Bonvoy portfolio in the immediate region.

The Split-based Westgate Group receiving this license from Marriott International also represents an institutional confirmation of the management and operational capacities of the Westgate Group. This is the case because international hotel groups grant such licenses only after a long and successful period of cooperation, the proper verification of brand standards, and the stringent evaluation of service quality and guest satisfaction.

In addition to the existing hotel, the Westgate Group is continuing to expand its cooperation with Marriott through two new hotel projects. The first is a boutique heritage hotel in Split’s newly revamped Bačvice, which will be positioned in the upper upscale segment and emphasise design, authenticity, and individualised service. It is expected to open in the spring of 2026.

At the same time, a third hotel project is also currently under development. It is an ambitious, luxury resort destination that, according to current announcements, has the potential to significantly and permanently alter the perception of luxury tourism along the Croatian coast and become one of the reference destinations on the Adriatic. The project is being developed in cooperation with a large international hotel group, and further details will be announced in the next stages of development.

extremely important for croatian tourism in general

“The official recognition of Marriott International as an authorised management company is the result of many years of cooperation, proven operational standards and trust built through the development and management of AC Hotel Split. For the Westgate Group, as well as for Croatian tourism as a whole, this is an important signal that Croatian companies can participate equally in the development of projects with leading global brands. Our goal is to continue developing hotels that combine global standards and local authenticity and contribute to strengthening Croatia as a destination for luxury and year-round tourism,” stated Josip Komar, founder and owner of the Westgate Group. He also noted that back in 2017, the Westgate Group was the first in Croatia to formalise their relationship with Marriott and bring the brand to Croatia.

Through existing and planned projects, the Westgate Group is contributing to raising the quality of the Croatian hotel industry, developing branded lifestyle concepts, extending the tourist season and creating new jobs in the hotel and supporting sectors. As part of the Dalmatia Tower and AC Hotel Split projects alone, numerous specialised jobs have been created in the hotel industry, office activities, and the IT sector, and the announced projects will further strengthen this dynamic as we go forward.


 


Subscribe to our newsletter

the fields marked with * are required