THE IMPORTANCE OF MARCO POLO AWARDS
Traditional 12th Marco Polo Award Ceremony 2022 for the best travel reportages was held in Zagreb, Croatia organized by Fijet Croatia.
The Marco Polo Event was held in the great Advent atmosphere, and football fans atmosphere. We were happy to host our international guests and Fijet members: Tijani Haddad, the Fijet President, Alexander Stemp, Fijet Hungaria; Maja Zagoricnik and Iztok Skofic, Fijet Slovenia, Delal Atamdede, Sema Kutlu, and Huseyin Kurtogullari, Fijet Turkey.
The Award Ceremony made us together- guests of honor, guests, sponsors, partners, awarded journalists, Fijet international tourism journalists and many Fijet Croatian journalists and members. The role of awards and public recognition is important. Awards do not only acknowledge success, they recognise many other qualities.
An media award helps a winner stand out for excellence in the media industry, given the contributions and impact awards that have on journalists, especially regional, local tourism.
The Fijet Journalists Award Committee, composed by Ante Gavranovic, Hrvoje Zovko, Jadranka Rilovic, Marija Baric have recognized excellent achievements in travel journalism in Croatia, selecting and awarding the best coleagues and making a great job. 
The first prize for Lifetime Achivement in media is given to Ante Gavranovic, doayen of Croatian travel journalism and one of founders of Fijet Member. The first prize Marko Polo Grand Prix for domestic travel articles is given to the journalist Daria Marjanovic for the TV reportages from Croatia published in National TV „Alpe, Dunav Jadran“ ( Alps, Danube, Adriatic) that inspire international and croatian TV viewers to discover Croatia destinations from all aspects.
Five medals „Marco Polo“ went to domestic journalists for the excellence, to journalists who published travel articles, stories of Croatian regions, people, customs and traditions, undiscovered and interesting destinations, to be used by tourism professionals as an incentive for new content, tourism offer or as motivation for tourists and media promotion of new tourism products and content, specially in the new trends and conditions of tourism future.
Awarded journalists are: Zrinka Turalija, Editor in chief of daily reportage from all aspects of Croatian Culture what is published on National TV, Jurica Galic Juka for reportages from Middle Dalmatia published on portal „Dalmatia portal“ and You tube, Lara Cernicki for reportages from Kvarner and Istria who are the Journalists of Magazine Meridijani; Hrvoje Gunjaca,Croatian TV journalist and author of TV reportage about Knin in Dalmatian hinterland; Goran Safarek for reportages from the continental region Medjimurje published in Croatia Airlines Inflight Magazine
Five speacial recognitations were given toJournalists who extraordinary contributed to Croatian travel journalism and Croatia culture,nature and heritage : Dragica Lemesic, ex. Croatian Radio Journalist; Mirjana Zugec Pavicic, Croatian Radio, Oleg Mastruko, writer; Jutarnji list- Editorial Staff for Croatian Marinas tourism patrol; Matej Mestrovic for extraordinary contribution to Croatian Music.
Special medal „Marco Polo“ was given to Alexander Stemp , Journalist and Fijet Member from Hungaria for the reportage about Zagreb „ From Zagreb with love“.
In 2020 Fijet Croatia launched the award for the Tolerance, to those who champion and live tolerance within their communities and across the globe as a means of fostering intercultural communication, underscoring the importance of tolerance open dialogue achieving world peace based on universal human values.
Fijet Tolerance Award was given to Jurica Galic Juka, the journalist of Meridijani Magazine. We would like to take a minute and congratulate all the winners of Marco Polo for the well deserved awards.
It is extremely important to be grateful to our sponsors to ensure that things go smoothly in the MP project: Ministry of Tourism, Croatian Tourist Office,City of Zagreb, Tourist Offices Zagreb and Korcula, Croatia Airlines, Hotels Esplanade,Nimco Liquors Croatia, Grabovac Wines, launched in 1812 and Naronija Company- Home of nature juices -Taste of Neretva. Special thanks to great musiciens Mirko Švenda, Voljen Grbac, Vivien Galetta, Matej Mestrovic, as well as our Media sponsor „Vecernji Daily News“.
It was an occasion to thank our partners who contributed Fijet Projects and Programmes during 2022: City of Cukovar, City Museum Vukovar, Tourist Office Vukovar, Vucedol Culture Museum, Tourist Office Imotski and Grabovac Winery Imotski. Thanks to our guests of honor Ms. Nikola Petricevic,Ministry of Tourism, Jasna Vanicek Fila, Ministry of Culture and Media,Slavija Jacan Obratov Croatian Tourist Office, Niko Bulic, ex. Minister of tourism, Dijana Katica,Croatian Parlament ( Tourism Committee), Tijani Haddad, the President of Fijet, City Mayor of Oriovac. Thanks to all our guests, partners and Fijet Croatia members who joined us at the Ceremony.
Thanks to Fijet International Journalists who joined us in Zagreb: Tijani Haddad, Delal Atamdede, Sema Kutlu, Huseyin Kurtogullari, Maja Zagoricnik, Iztok Skofic and Alexander Stemp. Next year’s awards already look pretty exciting.
Photos: Fijet Croatia Members
Zagreb, 10.12. 2022
