Voting has begun for the Destination of the Year 2023 Competition, an event organized by the Destination of the Year Club with the mission of supporting tourist destinations in Romania.
Following nominations received from the public, over 100 tourist destinations in Romania formally joined the Destination of the Year Club, and 60 of these passed the preliminary stage, being nominated for the title of Destination of the Year.
In 2023, the nominations cover nine categories of tourist destinations:
- “Cities that inspire” (category presented by BCR): Brașov, Constanța, Iași, Oradea, Râmnicu Vâlcea, Timișoara are the nominated destinations.
- “Lands with history and tradition”: The Land of Saints Botoșani, the Land of Monasteries in Bucovina, Făgăraș Land.
- Natural treasures (category presented by the Romanian Ecotourism Association): Pădurea Craiului Apuseni Mountains, Carpaterra Geopark, Tara Dornelor, Tara Hațegului, Eco Maramureș, Bison Land Neamț, Transylvanian Hills, Băile Tușnad.
- Tourist resorts: Mamaia, Ocnele Mari, Polovragi, Rodna, Săcuieu, Vama Buzăului.
- Amusement and adventure parks: Brizo, Dino Parc Râșnov, Dinosaur World Transylvania, Paradis Land Neptun, Zaga Zaga.
- Cultural-educational attractions: Astra Museum Sibiu, Bran Castle, Live Music Summer Camp Brezoi, Maramureș Museum, Museum of Romanian Records, Oradea Fortress, Suceava Princely Fortress.
- Resorts: Alma Health & Spa Retreat, Bacolux Koralio, Dana Resort, Green Village Resort, Teleferic Grand Hotel.
- Boutique (category presented by EpicVisit.com): Akasha Wellness Retreat, Archia Mansion, Atra Doftana, Castle Hotel Daniel, Maldăr Mansion, Pleiada Boutique Hotel, The House Under the Mountain.
- Gastronomic Experiences (category presented by the Gastro Local Association): Casa Terra, Bilbor Local Gastronomic Point, Gastro Local Alina Tonie, Gastro Local Delia Gal, Kibuț Restaurant, Valea Verde Retreat.
From now until April 7, 2023, any Romanian can vote on the destinatiaanului.ro platform. Their vote will account for one-third of the total score, alongside one-third obtained through the vote of a jury composed of over 100 experts and opinion leaders, and the national public opinion represented for the first time through the results of the Destination of the Year Sociological Research.
The Palace of Culture in Iași will be the stage where the winning tourist destinations in each category will be announced during the Destination of the Year 2023 Gala, with the support of the Iași City Hall as Host and Main Partner.
All nine winning destinations in their category will be featured in the “Destination of the Year” show on PrimaTV, starting in June 2023.
Destination of the Year is a competition presented by PrimaTV, organized in partnership with the Ministry of Entrepreneurship and Tourism, the Alliance for Tourism, the Institute for Visionary Cities (IOV), the “Cred în România” Association, the Federation of the Romanian Hotel Industry (FIHR), the Federation of Tourism Promotion Associations in Romania (FAPT), RoBoost, Urlaub in Rumänien, the Bucharest Academy of Economic Studies, the Gastro Local Association, and the Romanian Ecotourism Association (AER). The Destination of the Year 2023 Gala is supported by the Iași City Hall – Host and Main Partner.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I vote for a destination?
You can cast your vote online at the official platform, destinatiaanului.ro, until April 7, 2023.
How are the winners of the competition determined?
Winners are chosen based on a weighted score: 1/3 public vote, 1/3 jury of experts, and 1/3 national sociological research results.
Where will the winners be announced?
The winning destinations will be revealed during the official Gala held at the Palace of Culture in Iași.