Sometimes, we are lucky and we run into extraordinarily inspiring people. One such instance is when we met the owner of the cozy and welcoming guesthouse Maksimilian, Jasmina Krkić Poznić. She made some time for us and shared to us her story:
The Guesthouse
The creation of the guesthouse Maksimilian started 8 years ago with only 4 rooms at the beginning. Today, there are 14 different rooms designed in different styles based on the composition of the space in the room.
The guesthouse arouses the impression of coziness. It makes you feel at home and allows you to be comfortable enough to talk to the locals. The area has a kitchen, a laundry, a living room with local products (wines, beers etc), bicycles, and even a toolshed. According to Jasmina, all of these amenities are thanks to the feedback from the guests. Her motto is based on a Japanese tradition - build the path where people are already walking so you will meet their expectations.
The Name
Are you curious why she chose the name Maksimilian? Well, we were.
The answer is really nice. According to the old archives, Maksimilian was the first owner of the house were the guesthouse is situated. Jasmina found the name interesting so she named the guesthouse after Maksmilian to honor him.
The Owner
Aside from managing this lovely guesthouse, Jasmina is also part of other projects that aim to promote the Slavonian region. She realized that without the promotion, there will be no tourists to accommodate. Most of the activities Jasmina is doing are on the basis of volunteering since her effort and involvement does not only bring her clients but to others hotels and local actors as well.
One of her attempts to improve tourism is by creating a small travel agency targeting groups that want to experience the authenticity of the region. Most of the incoming groups are from Australia, USA, Germany and New Zeleand (Kiwi as Jasmina likes to call them) that have a so called Balkan tour and are staying for few days in Osijek before going to other cities.
And why did she choose tourism? “Tourism chose me”, Jasmina answered. Surprising words, right? Before being involved in tourism she was part of an NGO, but she wanted to busy her father who is a lover of construction. So, she found the area of the guesthouse for her father to fix. She eventually fell in love with it even if it was destroyed at that time. She knew what this place was made for and the guests will agree as well for sure.
Her advice for people involved in the field of tourism is “Listen your guests! You will meet with their expectations.”
