We started from the high-end …
The history of Interna starts with a gamble: that of operating on the high-end of the market, far away from the low-cost labour competitors of the Middle and Far East. Its founder, Diego Travan, shaped himself professionally within a company operating in the luxury hotel segment and, when starting Interna in 1989, brought with him his personal experience, a network of connections, know-how, relationships with suppliers, and a brand new mentality that found in globalization the motivation for success.
1989-1993 | Beginner’s luck: Interna meets Hyatt
The first project is of international rank, the Hyatt Regency Belgrade in the former Yugoslavia. A five star hotel which would prove to be the lucky charm of Interna, being renovated three times by Interna, and establishing first contact with the Hyatt chain, for which Interna has implemented to date more than forty projects. Beginner’s luck is a good start, but the Gulf War in 1991 had catastrophic consequences for the tourism sector and numerous projects were put on hold, resulting in a decrease of turnover. However, crisis can also bring opportunities, and the difficult moment was overcome thanks to the trust of Hyatt, awarding to Interna in 1992 and 1993 two significant projects: the Hyatt Roissy Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris and the Hyatt La Manga in Murcia, Spain.
1993-1997 | Relocating & renovating
In 1993 Interna moved to larger headquarters in Tavagnacco, a more suitable location for the company requirements. It then started to develop, slowly but steadily, the business management that would become, along with organizational structure, the essential element for the growth of the company. Increasingly important projects were implemented and the field of activity widened to encompass more complex turn key contract activities. In the period 1993-1997, Interna successfully completed projects in Japan - Hyatt Regency Osaka and Grand Hyatt Fukuoka, in Greece - Regency Casino Thessaloniki and in Australia - Crown Towers Melbourne. This period also saw the beginning of investments in the PR and communication sector, printing the first portfolio and beginning the brand development.
1997-2000 | Speaking German: Interna conquers Germany
From 1997 till 2000 the company put down roots in Germany which for many years was its main market. A market that, thanks to the reunification and rebuilding of the DDR (former East Germany), was highly attractive, but required precision, impeccable service, punctuality and management capabilities. Germany brings to Interna a series of successes: the Grand Hyatt Berlin for the Daimler Benz, the Westin Grand Hotel Berlin, the Park Hyatt Hamburg, a huge and financially demanding project, and the Hyatt Regency Köln (where Interna completes in only 15 days the fit out of the Presidential Suite, completely renovated on exclusive design, to welcome President Clinton for the G8 of 1998). 2000 is the year of the Ritz Carlton Wolfsburg, designed by André Putman for Volkswagen, followed by the Radisson in Hannover, the only hotel located within the world Expo 2000. The German projects, all significant, with high quality standards and complexity at technical and managing level, shaped the team and enriched the company with noteworthy references.
2000 | The most beautiful hotel in the world: Villa Feltrinelli
In 2000 Interna takes part in the tender for the project of the Grand Hotel at Villa Feltrinelli
on the Garda Lake and wins against noteworthy competitors. The investor Bob Burns, tycoon
of the international hotel sector, chooses Interna over them, considering it the most suitable company for the implementation of an incredible turn-key project: 2000 different items, 20 suites, all different from one another, the most refined and complex finishes, and quality standards up to excellence level. Herbert Hypma, the most renowned journalist of the international hotel sector, on the Times described the Villa as the most beautiful hotel in the World.
… then moved up to an even higher level…
2001-2003 | Interna at the dawn of the new millennium: ethics and quality
The destruction of the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York on the 11th September 2001 caused all projects to be immediately put on hold. This led to a turning point for Interna, that since the end of the nineties had been hampered by competition from low quality foreign contenders. Interna were presented with a crossroads. To combat the decrease of orders and the concurrent increase of competitors located in countries with low labour costs, there were two options: either keep on fighting at a price level only, with consequential and necessary productive delocalization. Or, keep on fighting for a Made in Italy production, focusing on quality, services and innovation. The choice was Ethics and Quality: the company is endorsed with the ISO 90001 (Quality),the ISO 14001 (Environment) and the SA8000 (Ethics) certifications; the company focused on the high-end of the sector with increasingly demanding projects with a higher degree of technical and managing complexities. This period saw also the launch of the research and development department, the company investing in know-how, technology, human resource and communication.
2003 | Taking Off
It was a winning strategy as it allowed the market to acknowledge Interna as being capable of making the difference on the global market. From then on the most incredible and prestigious projects were implemented with great success on the five continents.
And, in order to differentiate, Interna entered different sectors such as the marine,
luxury residential, high-end retail and spa & wellness. Interna thereafter was awarded mainly with projects exclusive in every possible style
and context, all unique for their design, architectural, historic or artistic value;
challenging both technically and technologically, embodying new concepts of luxury. Interna faced also, with humility and determination, increasingly ambitious challenges, like the complete fit out, being the prevailing request of the clients.
… and then differentiated some more to meet
new demands…
2005-2010 | The family grows: new brands, new perspectives
New solutions are called for to meet the ever changing demands of the growing hospitality sector, and Interna decided to meet them by launching a set of new brands. In 2005, Interna creates its first ever line of highly customizable furniture for the contract and hospitality sector: Interna Collection was born. And a year after it is time to include the office furniture in its proposal: Interna took over Logica, a well established company that offers one-off furnishing solutions and design collections for presidential, executive and operative spaces. Just a few more years and Interna is ready to expand even more, looking into a totally different sector, and from this a new company was born: Interna Real Estate, offering a complete package of services to conceive and execute any real estate project, especially in the hospitality sector.
… and acted between the local and the global
with a managerial structure…
2010-2018 | The world is our oyster: the sister companies
In less than ten years Interna establishes four sister companies abroad, with the same mission, vision and values of the Italian ones: to offer its clients a worldwide, 360° service to implement stunning projects with the highest quality standards, within the established budgets, respecting human beings and labour laws. In 2010 Interna Asia-Pacific is born, followed by Interna France and Interna UK in 2016, and Interna Singapore in 2018.
… thanks to the precious support of the international
Maestros of design…
… and to the continuous trust of our prestigious clients.
In 1989, 30 years ago, we had the ambition, with nearly no money, no support whatsoever, armed only with passion, courage and perseverance, of creating from scratch a company that would become an international reference point for the implementation
of high-end furnishing contract projects. Today we are still here with the same passion, courage and perseverance, with so many ideas, plans and dreams. Humbly, with the feet well planted on the ground, we are aware that, although much has been done, much remains to be done: to grow and improve and to face each challenge this ever changing world throws at us.
Derna & Diego Travan