Some places in Slovakia can be called iconic, as they are considered the nation's pride. Among them is Štrbské Pleso. The highest-situated Tatra settlement has been among the most visited destinations in the country for decades.
Maybe that is why financiers from the J&T group have taken a liking to it and two decades ago started a business there. Although at first they pretended that they only wanted to help their clients.
Twenty years later, the J&T footprint in Štrbské Pleso is present at every step. One could confidently say that they ended up buying the settlement.
Innocent entry
The beginnings of the group's expansion in the Tatras date back to 2002. At the time health insurer Vzájomná životná poisťovňa (VZP) decided to sell the spa shares it had in the portfolio, and the most lucrative ones were in Štrbské Pleso.