Tourist flower - quality for Croatia does not die out, but becomes part of the annual Croatian tourist awards

Days of Croatian Tourism (DHT) are moving to the city this year Rovinj, and the largest gathering of tourism workers in Croatia will take place November 9 and 10 2023. Applications for the Annual Croatian Tourism Awards are also open, so you can apply and reward the best in our tourism.

The novelty is that this year we have a new reward concept. One of the most significant news is that the previous Tourist Flower - Quality for Croatia awards will, after 25 years, become part of the Annual Croatian Tourist Awards, which will be awarded this year according to a new concept, in 15 joint categories.

According to the organizers, after 25 years, they decided that it is time for the awards they give for excellence in tourism to get a new form through a new method of applications and evaluation, and so Tourist flower - Quality for Croatia becomes a part Annual Croatian tourism awards.

As we know, it rewards dedication to excellence, i.e. contribution to increasing the quality of products and services in the tourism sector, but also contribution to the development and realization of the Strategy for the Development of Sustainable Tourism in Croatia, while on the other hand, the awarding of awards encourages competitiveness and innovation, recognition of quality, improvement of the level of hospitality, creating a welcoming climate, raising awareness of sustainable development and the quality of services and products in the tourism sector. Preference is given to those stakeholders who develop sustainable, innovative, year-round and regionally balanced tourism of high quality.

In fact, it is about rebranding the reward system, not extinguishing the award, as some concluded after the first announcement about applications for this year's Croatian tourism awards, given that there was no category: Touristic flower - Quality for Croatia

"It is a kind of rebranding, and we will continue to award companies, destinations, attractions, tourist products, experiences, projects, as well as organizations and individuals who, through their actions, have contributed exceptionally to the success of another tourist year. The difference is that we are now doing it together with the Ministry of Tourism and Sports and the Croatian Tourist Association, thereby giving the best the opportunity to have their excellence and contribution to increasing the quality of the tourism sector recognized at the highest level.  We believe that the new concept will be recognized by the tourism sector and that we will have a large number of applicants. 

Candidacy is open to a wide range of tourism stakeholders, from business entities such as hotels, campsites, OPGs, marinas, through various cultural routes, wine roads, circular tours and all the way to destinations, events and associations. Organizations and individuals who, through their actions, have exceptionally contributed to the success of another tourist year will be awarded", the Organizers state. 

It was also introduced new rating system, awards will be given in 15 categories, and members of HGK can only compete in the award for Tourist Destination.

Evaluation will be conducted through 3 Steps: the first step is the evaluation of candidacies based on the application form. In the second step, there is a presentation of candidates nominated in individual categories and an evaluation of guest reviews in categories where reviews are available. Then comes the third step, which is the tour, although only in some categories.

In the first phase, which is currently underway (applications are open), applicants fill out the form for the selected award category, which they submit electronically with all the necessary documentation (application questionnaire, photos, video...)

In the application phase, the following categories are scored: candidacy description, contribution in 2023 through introduced innovations/improvements and contribution to the destination, marketing strategies, experience management and service quality monitoring, and contribution to the goals of the Sustainable Tourism Development Strategy until 2030.

According to the Organizers, when selecting the best, priority will be given to those stakeholders who achieve a general positive impact on the local community. Also, the desire is to single out examples of good practice in the development of special forms of tourism and to reward those who have contributed to the achievement of exceptionally good tourism results. 

Also, there are new rewards, such as Unique accommodation of the year i Gastronomic experience of the year.

"We could compare the Unique Accommodation of the Year with the Tourist Flower, which in the past few years was awarded to Stories hotels, which operated through the Group of Unique Luxury Hotels at HGK. However, starting this year, we have a wider range of possible applicants because the focus of awarding the award is on unconventional and innovative offer of accommodation, which improves the experience in tourism and contributes to the achievement of the goals of strategic documents of Croatian tourism. 

Such an approach coincides with further plans for the establishment and development of the Community for Premium Tourism, which will specifically deal with the niche of premium products both in all activities of the tourism sector and in activities and products that indirectly affect the quality of the tourist offer.

The award for Gastronomic Experience of the Year was awarded for the first time last year with the aim of encouraging the development, preservation and promotion of gastronomy. Hospitality facilities, tourist boards, regional or local self-government, associations, companies, trades and other stakeholders can apply if they are judged to have a relevant project and that it has contributed to the improvement of quality and sustainability, and achieves economic and ecological effects and increases the involvement of local community", the Organizers point out. 

Why report the best in our tourism?

The benefits for applicants, and especially those awarded, are multiple. From promotions awarded in the media, social networks and on DHT, motivating all stakeholders in tourism to further quality work and development of projects that ensure sustainable growth and development for Croatian tourism, raising the attractiveness of occupations in the tourism sector, selection in the group of the most successful increases the motivation of staff, realization of recognition of individual stakeholders in Croatian tourism, exchange of experiences, examples of best practice, and networking of stakeholders participating in tourism activities.

"The annual Croatian tourism awards are the most prestigious awards for excellence in tourism. We believe that by recognizing past and future award winners -  which set high standards - among other things, we are directing the sector towards stronger implementation of the Sustainable Tourism Development Strategy. The goal is to publicly praise the best in order to encourage the further development of competitiveness and innovation of services," the Organizers conclude. 

REGISTER your favorites for the best in tourism: Annual Croatian Tourism Awards 2023.

The annual Croatian tourism awards are a joint project of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, the Croatian Tourist Board and the Croatian Chamber of Commerce, created with the aim of further encouraging competitiveness, innovation and awareness of sustainable development and raising the quality of services and products in the tourism sector.

Online applications are open for Annual Croatian Tourist Awards, which this year will be awarded according to a new concept, in 15 common categories: for tourist event of the year, tourist arrangement of the year, gastronomic experience of the year, hotel and camp of the year, and prizes will also be awarded in active, cultural, nautical, business, rural and health tourism, as well as awards for Unique accommodation of the year and tourist destination of the year (Champion of Croatian tourism).

Applications are also being accepted for the award People in tourism, as part of which the Croatian Tourism Award is awarded as the annual "Anton Štifanić" and Lifetime Achievement Award, as well as the "Man - Key to Success, Employee of the Year" award. 

Report individuals, companies, organizations and destinations that have contributed in a special way to the development and promotion of tourism.

The deadline for submitting candidacies for all award categories is 31. August 2023. through online application forms

Photo: HGK