, the prize for quality and excellence in tourism in the Alps-Adriatic region under this year’s title
, has been selected! Actually, two recipients were selected, since the international expert jury, presided over by
, Serbia, has decided, in accordance with the set criteria, to award two equal prizes to:
The project of the
Ecological Village of Forest Fairies at Camping Bled represents an innovation in the range of services currently offered by campsites. Its special feature is the fact that the houses originate from the local tourist heritage (culture, forestry) and that the tourist offer (food, sanitary facilities, etc.) is based on the local culture. The special value of the project is that the tourist offer was created in a relatively simple manner, without excessive investment. Nonetheless, the results are enviable.
Similarly, the project from Austrian Styria, the Nature Park in Motion, is an example of distinctive innovation connected with the central aspiration of the global tourist development, i.e. natural and sustainable development. The project is of extraordinary high quality, including its infrastructure, and is based on studying the nature through the culture of reading. The jury believes that this could be a good example not only for Austria but also for the comprehensive European tourist endeavours. The jury also concluded that despite the fact this year’s number of applied projects was relatively high, the applicants did not fully understand the purpose and goals of the competition and particularly its subject – the emphasis of which, as always, is on innovation.
Jakob is the allegory for the »first« tourist, tourist traveller, i.e. such a tourist that Europe desires in its efforts to develop this important industry and social movement, which reaches back to the second half of the 18th century but has a much longer history, in an environmentally friendly and sustainable way. It is precisely this dimension of the cultural heritage of tourism, characteristically symbolised by Jakob, that we would like to mark with the most visible, innovative, creative and other movements in the tourism of
the Alps-Adriatic region.
The subject of the competition for the
Jakob prize 2013 shall be: Innovative and original ways of including immovable cultural heritage in tourism. The two Jakob prizes will be presented on the 1st day of the Show, i.e.
26 January, at 7:30 pm at the official opening of the
Alpe–Adria: Tourism and Leisure Show in the Jurček hall. Sincere congratulations to the two prize winners!