ISTRIAN TOURIST CENTRES VERY SUCCESSFUL IN ACTIVITY »PLAVI CVIJET« (BLUE FLOWER)
Gold for Rovinj and Rabac, silver for Vrsar
This year again Rovinj won the first prize in the activity by the Croatian Tourist Board (CTB) “Plavi cvijet” (blue flower) which selects the most decorated Croatian coastal town, and the best tourist product is the Rovinj project “House about Batana”
This year again, Rovinj was elected the best decorated town in the Croatian part of Adriatic, according to decision by the commissioner of the activity »Blue flower« which is carried out by the Croatian Tourist Board in cooperation with the media sponsors: Glas Istre (Goran Prodan), Jutarnji list (Lana Mindoljević), Novi list (Alenka Juričić), Slobodna Dalmacija (Olivija Gustin), Zadarski list (Damir Maričić) and Hrvatski radio (Croatian Radio) (Tina Čubrilo).
In category of municipal centers, Baška Voda won Blue flower with golden sign, and Vrsar won the one with silver sign. Finally, in terms of tourist settlements, a nine-member commissioner comprised of representatives of the CTB and media sponsors of the activity this year decided to award decoration of Rabac which won Blue flower with gold sign for the first time. Two more blue flowers for the so-called individual elements went to the Istrian county. The best decorated gas station on the Adriatic is Petrol Galižana, on road Pula - Vodnjan, and the Commissioner awarded the best tourist product to the Rovinj story about Batana.
Continuous progress
»Blue flower« is one activity which CTB implements within project »Volim Hrvatsku« (I love Croatia). It primarily rates the decoration of the Adriatic tourist towns, municipal centers and settlements as units, and individual elements of tourist offer. The central office of CTB implements these activities in cooperation with the tourist boards of coastal Croatia and media sponsors. At the beginning of July, the commissioner of the county Tourist Boards recommended regional candidates, among which during the summer, a three member commissioner of the CTB Central office made a short list. In category of towns’ competition there were five towns: in addition to Rovinj, the winner, there were Opatija, Vodice, Split and Dubrovnik. Rovinj won the first prize by an almost unanimous commissioner’ vote led by the Director of the Croatian Tourist Board Niko Bulić. Opatija won the second prize, and Split, which last year did not make the short list, won the third prize. Vodice and Dubrovnik were rated fourth and fifth.
Bulić: No dramatic differences
“With congratulations to this year’s winners, I have to emphasize that the progress is visible in every part of Croatia, from Istria and Kvarner to Cavtat, and there are no dramatic differences any more, but the standard is balancing out in all segments. Today, coastal tourist settlements without at least one Blue flower are rare, cleanness and communal equipment are visibly progressing, tourist signalization in settlement is no longer an exception but a rule, and I think that it is largely contributed by this activity which is serving both the residents and guests”, was emphasized by Niko Bulić at the end of this year’s rating for Blue flower.
All awards will be handed at the ceremony on 26 October on Days of the Croatian Tourism which is traditionally held in Cavtat.
Goran PRODAN
Rovinj residents specially satisfied with recognition for story about Batana
Giovanni Sponza, Mayor of Rovinj: Blue flower is an award for planned efforts by the town administration, communal office and tourist economy, but also for efforts and attention of all Rovinj residents whose daily behavior expresses concern and care for their town. As far as the project Batana house, it was conceptualized in a way to in a different and modern way, through a story about traditional Rovinj vessel, tell about big and small history of Rovinj, town aware of its origin.
Odette Sapač, Director of Rovinj Tourist Board: Honestly, after last year’s success, we were not very hopeful about winning this year. It takes a lot of effort and investing to win the first prize, but to maintain it is even harder and we are very pleased to see that we have succeeded. We are especially pleased about recognition for our project Houses about Batana, its elaboration and promotion as tourist product which could be interesting for guests.
Blue and green flower 2007 again awarded to Rovinj and Varaždin
ZAGREB, 19 September 2007
This year again, Rovinj was declared the best decorated town and has won the title of Blue flower for 2007, thus once again confirming the status of the most beautiful tourist destination, Opatija ranked second, and Split ranked third which with each new season records an increased number of tourist nights.
That was the decision by this year’s Commissioner of the Central Office of the Croatian Tourist Board expanded by the representatives of the media sponsors Glas Istre, Jutarnji list, Novi list, Slobodna Dalmacija, Zadarski list and Croatian Radio, after it implemented the final visit and rated candidates in the activity Blue Flower 2007 which rates decoration of towns, municipalities and settlements of coastal Croatia.
Šibenska puca (Šibenik buttons) were this year’s most original souvenir and the most interesting tourist offer was Rovinj’s Batana.
