After a significant investment and just twoyears after the reincorporation of its facilities, within the Tourism Market, Oliva Nova has been confirmed as a reference for quality. In this interview, the chief commercial officer (CCO), Sandra, Düster analyses the main reasons why we are without doubt saying that Oliva Nova is a Resort of reference in the Valencian Community. The quality service, the location, the climate, the refurbishment of the facilities and the deseasonalisation are the main pillars that explain everything else. Now it is gaining presence among businessmen as a MICE destination.
— What are the reasons that have turned Oliva Nova into a resort with an influx of tourists throughout the year?
We are in a privileged spot in the Mediterranean coastline, with mild temperatures all year round. This turns the resort into an attractive and appealing destination for the wide range of clients and guests we work with.
Apart from that, excellent communications provide people from all over Spain and foreign countries with good access to the Resort. The international airports and the highspeed train station in Valencia or Alicante are only 1 hour away and access by road is possible too as the motorway is really close, with an exit in Oliva and another in Dénia.
There are 9 kilometers of beach to be enjoyed all year long without suffering the overcrowding caused by coastal tourism that other beaches have.
Summer is above all a family and holiday destination, although fortunately to some extent the tourist flow remains constant all year round. Sports and business events are increasing every day. In addition to the location, we offer top-quality facilities, a wide gastronomic offer and many different accommodation options. All these possibilities meet the requirements of any sports team and business company. Our service cannot be separated from the argumentation, as we offer a personalised service with an expert staff who offers comprehensive care to all our visitors.
—What are the strategies developed in Oliva Nova?
There is a high percentage of repeat customers in all the sectors we deal with and this is one of the main reasons for our success. The brand loyalty makes easier for us to seek new visitors but also demands the constant improvement of business processes. Apart from the guests who visit Oliva Nova year after year, there are also many others visiting for the first time. They come, they fall in love with this charming spot and they leave the resort promising to return next year. We keep on growing year after year. People, both old and young, continue making new friends when they meet on the beach. Sports teams, no matter if they are footballers, rugby players or cyclists, they challenge each other for next season.
Our best strategy is the gratification of our repeat customers. The way they transmit this satisfaction to the people in their personal and professional environment is really helpful. Our main goal is to go beyond the expectations of our visitors.
—What about your differentiating attribute?
There are many in the resort: our refurbished top-quality facilities, our location on the beachfront, our high-performance equestrian centre, the Sports Center with four natural grass pitches to practice football and rugby, an 18-hole golf course designed by Severiano Ballesteros perfect for any player. There are many outside the resort too: a natural park nearby and perfect inland routes for mountain bikers and road cyclists.
The first thing our visitors perceive is the warmth and hospitality of the reception. Our beach captivates both children and their family, as well as elite sportspeople when they include beach training sessions. In particular, the riders and their horses who participate in the show jumping competition can enjoy a stroll together along the beach in Oliva Nova. In fact, I’m happy to say that everyone enjoys our beach by the Resort.
Apart from the facilities and the natural surroundings, we also offer a wide range of accommodation options all over the year to meet all the needs and requirements of our guests.
—What role does gastronomy play in Oliva Nova? We have heard many compliments on the buffet breakfast, for example.
It plays a very important role. A hotel cannot be good without good gastronomy. We offer a wide range of gastronomic options in different restaurants within the Resort. For us the quality of the service is also very important.
Gastronomy is one of the inexcusable conditions for any visitor. That’s why we are committed to fulfilling the requirements of our guests, but also to conquer them. We try to do so with our continuing dedication to our restaurants and different types of food. We want the children to enjoy their menus as much as we want the most demanding of our diners’ does with the most select Mediterranean cuisine. Our executive chef Alonso Vicens works all year round adapting the offer and innovating both the most select signature cuisine and working menus that fascinate our business visitors’, as well as taking care of our Hotel buffet. As you said before, our early breakfast buffet with the best local and national products already helps you to enjoy your stay with us.
—Why companies choose Oliva Nova to celebrate their company events?
Oliva Nova offers a natural setting which brings together sun, sea and mountain. Located in front of the Mediterranean Sea, it becomes the perfect setting for any kind of meeting or event, ideal for companies seeking privacy, security and exclusivity.
The Resort provides modern facilities that offer meeting rooms that are equipped with the latest technology, 8 different types of dining venues and an endless number of outdoor spaces and facilities where you can carry out differential events. In addition, its location also allows visitors to carry out a wide range of activities nearby: paintball, gymkhanas, karting, quads, hiking… The leisure offer is as wide as one can imagine.
—What is special about the sports market at your Resort?
We have many years of experience working with sportspeople, both amateur and professionals. Our constant improvement and our commitment to this sector have made us a leader in Spain among the amateur golfers, the booming cyclists and the lovers of nature sports… On the other hand, there is the professional sector, sports teams who have Oliva Nova as a reference for their stages. Rugby teams such as the IRFU, before winning the 2018 Six Nations Championship; national and international football teams such as the Spanish national football team, Getafe FC, Athletic de Bilbao…
Thanks to all the accumulated experience, we have become the headquarters for competitions of international interest. We are organising every year the Gran Fondo AlbertoContador and the internationally known Mediterranean Equestrian Tour. The facilities of the Oliva Nova Equestrian Centre consist of seven competition arenas, venues to host over a thousand participants and all the logistics needed to deal with horses and riders from more than 50 different countries during an average of 16 weeks a year.
All these reasons have turned Oliva Nova into a privileged resort. Sports companies and sponsors choose us to celebrate their corporate events as well as other booming sports activities.
—Are there any other projects in motion?
We are in a constant adaptation process. We change as the requirements of our guests change. Facilities and services demand ongoing development in order to offer a better service. We keep on improving and we want to go beyond their expectations.
