TIMISOARA RECEIVED FIJET “GOLDEN APPLE” AWARD

The “Golden Apple” award of the World Federation of Travel Journalists and Writers (FIJET), considered to be the equivalent of the “Oscar,” “Pomme d’Or” or “Golden Apple,” was awarded on 24th of March  to Timisoara, European Capital of Culture 2023, in the presence of members of the FIJET Executive Committee and members of the FIJET Romania Travel Press Club, as well as local media.

Fijet Golden Apple Award as  the tourism symbol for promoting peace, multicultural,  tolerance and rapprochement taken into account together with the commitment to develop high quality tourism.

Timisoara  deserves the ‘Golden Apple’ with its beauty, valuable city in the world with its history, culture and tourism, in recognition of superior efforts in promoting and raising the level of tourism.

At the heart of the its EU Capital of Culture art programme is the theme of ‘light’, with its motto being ‘Shine your light! Light up your city!’. For individuals to shine their ‘inner’ light and express their values and attitudes through art. On average, 30 events will take place each week throughout the year, from concerts to art exhibitions, debates to workshops.

At the ceremony held in the historical palace  of Timisoara, City Mayor, Dominic Fritz received the award from FIJET President Tijani Haddad.

Mayor Dominic Fritz said that the awarding of this title is an incentive to go further on the path of promoting Timisoara, with its history, its values and its potential, because it is very important that the voice of the city is heard and that the image of the city is even more visible not only in Romania, but everywhere in the world.

I feel honored to receive this award on behalf of the city, a distinction that makes us happy and at the same time pushes us to promote the story of Timisoara, a story based on its undeniable values: diversity, innovation, courage. We live in a world where it is increasingly difficult to build bridges between people, so I believe the value of travel, tourism and hospitality has never been more important. I believe that the International Federation of Journalists and Travel Writers is one of the promoters of the idea, which has existed for years, namely that it is good to travel, to visit other countries, to know other cultures, other people, with their stories and perspectives, and in this way to fully develop as members of the same family, humanity. Timișoara is striving to promote exactly this idea in the long term, the status of European Capital of Culture being only a strong beginning”, said Dominic Fritz, the mayor of Timișoara, on the occasion of receiving the “Golden Apple” award.

This approach of working hard for the international promotion of Timisoara was recognised today with this award which, although only symbolic, is an encouragement to go further along this path. We have a very clear strategy, we want to position Timisoara as a European city, on the map of Europe, and through this to promote the image of Romania, said Dominic Fritz.

This trophy has become a tradition of over 50 years it is granted to a city or a region, tourist destination, and is handed to the mayor or the representative of that destination from the public authorities. The Golden Apple goes to a tourist destination that knows how to promote itself and that develops sustainable, sustainable tourism. Timișoara convinced us of this and I am sure that it has a beautiful and sustainable tourist future. And I say it not only in my own name, but as a representative of the Federation of Travel Journalists from all over the world, emphasized Tijani Haddad, president of the International Federation of Travel Journalists and Writers (FIJET).

In the perspective of the awarding ceremony of the “Golden Apple” trophy, the executive director of the Association for the Promotion of Timișoara, Simion Giurcă, emphasized the significance of this event  that helps Timisoara to be more visible and  be able to promote better, more effectively in the coming period, to attract as many visitors from the country and outside the country as possible. He is counting on half a million tourists to visit the city this year, with a target of one million.

“First of all, I thank Timisoara for in 1989 he gave us back our freedom and I congratulate the people of Timisoara for obtaining the title of Cultural Capital of Europe in 2023. This remarkable success, along with obtaining the Golden Apple trophy, is due to the good collaboration between local authorities and representatives of the tourism industry, transporters, institutions of culture and shows, museums and much more. Timisoara is a cosmopolitan city.

We are honored by the fact that FIJET also contributed to the promotion of this city and I am sure that although Timișoara has a beautiful past, it will have an even more beautiful and, obviously, touristic future”, said Ștefan Baciu, president of the Tourism Press Club – FIJET Romania.

Stefan Baciu, president of FIJET, awarded diplomas to the main actors involved in the development of tourism in Timisoara.

Photos:  Najib Senhadji, Tina Cubrilo, Stefan Baciu and Fijet  Romania  Members.

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