The best of Croatian tourism in 2023 awarded 

The best of Croatian tourism in 2023 awarded (Photo: HTZ)

Dubrovnik, the champion of Croatian tourism

Last night, the final ceremonial evening of Croatian Tourism Days was held in Rovinj, during which the Annual Croatian Tourism Awards were presented, recognising the best in Croatian tourism for the year 2023. 

In front of more than 1200 participants, Dubrovnik was declared the Tourist Destination of the Year, making it the new champion of Croatian tourism. 

Dubrovnik Major Mato Franković accepts the award from PM Andrej Plenković (Photo: HTZ)

The best tourism event of the year was awarded to Đakovački vezovi, while in the category of People in Tourism, the Annual “Anton Štifanić” Award was presented to the Public Institution Baraćeve špilje for managing protected natural values in the Rakovica municipality.

The individual winner of the “Anton Štifanić” Award was Robert Pende, the director of the Administration for Entrepreneurship Development, Investments, and Competitiveness of Tourism Economy at the Ministry of Tourism and Sports. 

The Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Sanda Čorak, a scientific advisor in permanent employment at the Institute for Tourism. 

Sanda Čorak with Minister of Tourism and Sports Nikolina Brnjac (Photo: HTZ)

The Croatian Tourist Board also awarded the traditional “Person, Key to Success – Employee of the Year” prize in 19 categories, while the Ministry of Tourism and Sports presented the sustainability award, “Naturally Yours,” which was awarded to ACI this year.

Luka Burilović (Photo: HTZ)

The Annual Croatian Tourism Awards for this year were given according to a new concept, based on the new categories jointly defined by the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, the Croatian Tourist Board, and the Croatian Chamber of Commerce. 

There were 15 categories in total, including awards for Tourism Event of the Year, Tourism Arrangement of the Year, Gastronomic Experience of the Year, Hotel and Camp of the Year. Awards were also presented 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 (Croatian Tourism Champion).

Danijela Cvjetičanin Vrljac and Kristjan Staničić (Photo: HTZ)

The list of finalists and winners in the major categories:

TOURISM EVENT OF THE YEAR:

a) HEADONEAST FESTIVAL 2023, OSIJEK – FINALIST
b) 57th ĐAKOVAČKI VEZOVI – WINNER
c) MEDIEVAL FESTIVAL SVETVINCENAT – FINALIST

DMK – TOURIST ARRANGEMENT OF THE YEAR:

a) PRIVATE DINNER IN THE IMPRESSIVE PULA ARENA, MAISTRA D.D. – WINNER
b) CARAVAN OF NATURAL FAIRY TALES – FINALIST
c) CULSPERIENCE CROATIA TIPS – FINALIST

GASTRONOMIC EXPERIENCE OF THE YEAR:

a) CAP AUREO SIGNATURE RESTAURANT IN ROVINJ – WINNER
b) ISTRIAN STORY OF SPINNAKER RESTAURANT IN POREČ – FINALIST
c) RESTAURANT KORAK PLEŠIVICA – FINALIST

HOTEL OF THE YEAR:

a) GRAND HOTEL BRIONI PULA – WINNER
b) GRAND PARK HOTEL ROVINJ – FINALIST
c) MASLINA RESORT, STARI GRAD (ISLAND HVAR) – FINALIST

CAMPGROUND OF THE YEAR:

a) ISTRA PREMIUM CAMPING RESORT, FUNTANA – WINNER
b) SAN SERVOLO WELLNESS CAMPING & RESORT, BUJE – FINALIST
c) TERME TUHELJ, KAMP VITA, TUHELJSKE TOPLICE – FINALIST

AWARD IN ACTIVE TOURISM:

a) BOL – ACTIVE TOURISM DESTINATION – FINALIST
b) RAJNA OUTDOOR – FINALIST
c) ACTIVE TOURISM OF ZADAR ARCHIPELAGO ISLANDS – WINNER

AWARD IN CULTURAL TOURISM:

a) ECOMUSEUM MEĐIMURJE – FINALIST
b) INTERPRETATION CENTER MUSEUM BEĆARCA IN PLETERNICA – WINNER
c) NOBLE ROUTE IN SLAVONIA AND PODRAVINA DESTINATION – FINALIST

AWARD IN NAUTICAL TOURISM:

a) CROATIA YACHTING D.O.O. – WINNER
b) MARINA PUNAT – FINALIST
c) ACI D.D. (ADRIATIC CROATIA INTERNATIONAL CLUB) – FINALIST

AWARD IN BUSINESS TOURISM:

a) OPATIJA – CONGRESS DESTINATION WITH TRADITION – WINNER
b) MEETEX – CROATIAN MEETING EXPERIENCE SUMMIT – FINALIST
c) HOTEL AMBASADOR, OPATIJA – FINALIST

AWARD IN RURAL TOURISM:

d) BARANJA – FINALIST
e) RANCH RAMARIN IN GARCIN – FINALIST
f) MANDARIN HARVEST AND PHOTO SAFARI IN THE NERETVA RIVER VALLEY – WINNER

AWARD IN HEALTH TOURISM:

a) DARUVAR SPA – WINNER
b) SVETI MARTIN THERMAL SPA – FINALIST
c) ZAGREBMED – FINALIST

TOURIST DESTINATION OF THE YEAR – CROATIAN TOURISM CHAMPION:

a) DUBROVNIK – WINNER
b) ROVINJ – FINALIST
c) POREČ – FINALIST

UNIQUE ACCOMMODATION OF THE YEAR:

a) LEMONGARDEN HOTEL, SUTIVAN, (ISLAND BRAČ) – WINNER
b) VILLA NAI 3.3 – FINALIST
c) VALAMAR AMICOR GREEN RESORT – FINALIST

NATURALLY YOURS:

ACI (ADRIATIC CROATIA INTERNATIONAL CLUB) – WINNER

PEOPLE IN TOURISM:

a) ANTON ŠTIFANIĆ ANNUAL AWARD – COMPANIES/INSTITUTIONS/ASSOCIATIONS

PUBLIC INSTITUTION BARAĆEVE ŠPIJE – FOR MANAGING PROTECTED NATURAL VALUES IN THE RAKOVICA MUNICIPALITY

b) ANTON ŠTIFANIĆ ANNUAL AWARD – INDIVIDUAL

ROBERT PENDE, DIRECTOR OF THE ADMINISTRATION FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP DEVELOPMENT, INVESTMENTS, AND COMPETITIVENESS OF TOURISM ECONOMY AT THE MINISTRY OF TOURISM AND SPORTS OF THE REPUBLIC OF CROATIA

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

SANDA ČORAK, SCIENTIFIC ADVISOR IN PERMANENT EMPLOYMENT AT THE INSTITUTE FOR TOURISM