«The eyes of Vinodol – the road of lookout spots» is a project that won the prestigious international «Premio Turismo - Responsabile Italiano 2009 – 2010» award in the competition of the tourism trade magazine «L' Agenzia di Viaggi», the «Award for responsible tourism». Mali Lošinj received the same award. »L' Agenzia di Viaggi» has for the past 44 years been the most important trade magazine on tourism in Italy and is sent to 9,800 tourist agencies.
The goal of the magazine's competition is to discover tourism products closely connected to responsible and sustainable tourism and to offer them to tourist agencies. To enter the competition, candidates needed to devise a tourism package, tourism offering, route, characteristics, cultural and natural specifications, photographs and informative material.
«The eyes of Vinodol – road of lookout spots» is the title of the project by the Town of Novi Vinodolski Tourist Board and the Vinodol Municipality Tourist Board, which by building six lookout spots created a new recognizable tourism product, adding to the tourist offering of a destination increasingly turning towards sustainable development and active excursion tourism.
The »Eyes of Vinodol«, three of which are located on the area of the Vinodol Municipality (Mahavica, Pridva, Slipica), and three on the area of the Town of Novi Vinodolski (Gradina, Sviba, Kuk), have been presented after they were adapted at the beginning of June last year. With their position, the beauty of the landscape and the unforgettable view of the Velebit canal, islands, Kvarner, Senj and the hinterlands leave visitors who visit them breathless, and their number is increasingly growing, from visitors with cars, cyclists, mountaineers, hikers, photographers and various target groups.
The lookout spots, most of which are located 400 metres above sea-level, are connected with a paved road 65 kilometres long and form a common functional unit, connecting the boundaries of the Vinodol Municipality and the Town of Novi Vinodolski.
In devising the project and the construction of the lookout spots, their attractions were taken into account, i.e. their special landscape values, with the wide horizons offering an overall entirety of space, nearby roads (some of them paved), and easily accessible by bus or mini-bus. Also taken into account were the protection of the natural environment and the harmonisation with the existing surroundings so as not to disturb the authenticity of the environment. Each lookout spot has appropriate signals, parking space and a turnabout in its proximity. Lošinj was awarded on account of the dolphin in its archipelago and the Blue World in Veli Lošinj, The Days of the Dolphins and the possibility to adopt a dolphin. Its promenades, of which there are 220 kilometres, also received a high rating, as did the preserved environment, the care for sustainable development, the preserved archipelago, the hundred-year old pine tree forest, the high quality sea and air and the variety of flora and fauna. Also contributing to the award was the discovery of the Apoxiomen and the importance given to it by the town, the care given to the cultural heritage as well as the scents and tastes of Lošinj. There are 28 'scent facilities' in Lošinj and it continues to invest into its gastronomy and traditional cuisine. «L' Agenzia di viaggi» put special emphasis on the harmony of the activities of the development of Lošinj as a destination, the package tours offered by hotels and agencies and the auto-camps, all of which collaborate on the destination's «theme». In this sense, there are package tours focusing on the theme of the Lošinj sea captains, the scents and tastes of Lošinj, aromatherapy, anti-stress, healthy living...
The project «Scents and tastes of Lošinj» has also contributed to Lošinj receiving the award. 28 ‘scent facilities’ are involved in the project, from hotels, camps and agencies offering tourist package tours concentrating on scent, hospitality facilities with ‘scent menus’, to beauty salons offering wellness treatments with insular ethereal oils.
This year, Lošinj is celebrating 125 years of medical tourism. According to the bio-climatological analysis carried out over the last 30 years, Lošinj has more than 2,600 hours of sun per year, moderate daily oscillations, which contributes to reducing stress. The sea is of excellent quality and has 25 different positive effects on the psychological and physical state, and along with the aromatherapy properties of over 1,200 insular plants, it has a beneficial effect on the respiratory system. Also, measurements recorded a first-rate air quality. The award of the Italian magazine is proof that Lošinj has reached an enviable level in destination management and the harmonisation of the activities it offers, recognizable all over the world.
Kvarner Tourist Board
www.kvarner.hr
Vinodol Municipality Tourist Board
www.tz-vinodol.hr
Town of Mali Lošinj Tourist Board
www.tz-malilošinj.hr