Winners of the Golden Pen for Best Published or Aired Piece on Croatia on Individual Markets

Mr. Alessio Andreucci for best print material on Croatia published on the Italian market for his special release/monograph "CROATIA – a Paradise that Needs to be Discovered: Beaches, Islands, Hospitality, National Parks, Cities and Gastronomy" printed in the CONDE' NAST publishing house's Traveller monthly on 220 pages for a 120,000 copy print run. Every issue of this monthly covers one country, city or region, with sections dedicated to key information such as the offer of hotels, restaurants, museums, gastronomy... The choice of Croatia as an interesting destination was presented through current and attractive photos, detailed information and the natural and cultural wealth. The publisher's goal is that Italian readers "depart with the CONDE' NAST Traveller" on their way to Croatia.

Ms. Licia Coló for best TV report on the Italian market for her show "Alle falde del Kilimangiaro" that promotes sustainable and responsible tourism. The episode on Croatia was aired on the RAI3 channel along with two other reports on Korčula and Dubrovnik. Ms. Coló has created and anchored numerous shows and her activity in the struggle for the protection of animals and the environment is evident in her work as a journalist. She is currently the author and anchor of two shows, "Alle falde di Kilimangiaro" and "Cominiciamo bene Animali e Animali". Besides her work in journalism, this exceptional reporter has also written several books, "Il sogno" in collaboration with UNICEF, and "Sognando il Kilimangiaro…15 itinerari attorno al mondo", "Il giro del mondo in 80 paese" and "Animali e Animali".

One more award for Best TV report went to Italy for Mr. Ennio Remondino's work "Between the Balkans and Europe" aired on the RAI2 channel. Ennio Remondino was born in Genoa and launched his prolific career in journalism in the 1970's. The breadth of his work is truly wide, from the RAI regional desk to the post of war correspondent from Iraq, Bosnia, the Middle East and Afghanistan.

Mr. Richard Clavaud for the presentation of Croatia and its tourism on the French market for his piece entitled "Croatie, le paradis de l'Adriatique" printed in a special issue dedicated to Croatia in the "Méditerranée" magazine. Besides its coverage of tourism the story also delves into the development of democracy in Croatia and its perspectives of membership in the European Union.

Mr. Pierrre Brouwers is the French award winner for best TV show for his special DVD release of a guide to Croatia called "Croatie, le pays nouveau" in the "Decouvrir le Monde" collection. Panorama shots offer an attractive way to acquaint French viewers with Croatia and encourage plans for their future vacation in Croatia.

Ms. Lenka Klicperová for best text in the Czech Republic for her report entitled "Cres and Lošinj: Islands From Legends". The report is the continuation of last year's June issue of the "Lidé-a Zeme" monthly running under the title "A Few Faces of Sunny Croatia". This is the oldest Czech geography and travel monthly, now in its 55th year.

Also from the Czech Republic is an interesting three-hour radio show by the team of the "Dobre jitro" show, aired on Czech Radio 2, with coverage of the Alka in Sinj, Trilj, Omiš, rafting on the Cetina River, and on Split, Diocletian's Palace, Trogir, Salona and the Kaštels. Ms. Světlana Lavičková, Ms. Taťana Smržová and Mr. Tomáš Černý worked on the show. A radio crew from the Czech Republic has been in Croatia every year since 2001 and toured most of "Our Beautiful Homeland": Dubrovnik, Korčula, Pelješac, Zagreb… and has recorded fascinating reports on each of them.

Mr. Robert Matejovič, the Slovak candidate and award winner for best written material is the editor of the "Dimenzie" magazine that has through several reports on Croatia: "Trakošćan as the Cradle of Continental Tourism", "Kumrovec, Alive Thanks to Tito" and "Who Dies With Honour Lives Forever!" brought Croatia, its culture and history, closer to Slovak tourists. The "Dimenzie" magazine is an independent and apolitical Central European monthly oriented to managers, financial circles, diplomats, artists, athletes... that runs interesting reports and interviews that cover tourism, culture, the humanities, ethics, art and sport. The magazine has an English language section and readers in 13 European countries, the USA and Canada and is sold at the European Parliament.

Ms. Natalia Vasil'eva is the award winner from Russia for print material. She is the Director of "Voyage & Otdikh-Bon Voyage", one of the most popular tourist magazines in Russia. The award went for that magazines special issue catalogue for travel agencies called "Croatia Istra".

The award for best TV material aired in Russia in 2005 went to Ms. Diana Patsygor, an anchor at NTV who edited and led two contact shows about Croatia in the specialised live "Inostranka" show (followed by 30 million viewers). The guest of the first show dedicated to Croatia was Mr. Falkoni, Director of the CNTB Representative Office in Moscow. On the second show dedicated to Istria, the guests were Ms. Cinkopan, Director of the City of Pula Tourist Board and Mr. Falkoni.

National Geographic Traveller reporter Mr. Nenad Dereta for best written material on the Dutch market for his interesting report entitled "My Croatia". The 14-page report brings concise information on the historic, cultural and natural points of interest with lots of useful service information and colour photos.

Mr. Tobias Larsson and Mr. Per J. Andersson of Sweden are award recipients for their excellent guidebook "Kroatien", the first of its kind published in the Swedish language. The 205-page guidebook is the most comprehensive, most complete and best-written material of its kind on the Scandinavian market.

rom neighbouring Hungary the award for best written work went to Mr. István Pálffy, for his book "Croatia – Gastronomy, Culture, Guide" that tells the story of the beauty and culture of Croatia by way of Croatian gastronomy. The book's 5,000 copy print run was sold out in less than half a year. The book's release was followed by extensive coverage in Hungarian media (the Hungarian public TV network MTV1, Radio Danubius, Story Magazine, and numerous dailies), and the book itself contributed to the popularity of a new brochure on Croatian gastronomy that has become the most sought after leaflet in Hungary.

Polish journalist Ms. Jolanta Orłowska presented Croatia to her fellow Poles through the "Kuchnia" monthly that dedicated its entire May 2005 issue to Croatia under the interesting title of "The Big Kitchen of a Small Country" alluding to the slogan that has successfully promoted Croatian tourism over the past several years in Poland. The entire experience of gastronomy in Croatia, from recipes and the way to prepare meals, to anecdotes is printed on some 80 pages with about 1,500 photos. The issue was sold out in the first ten days with very positive reviews from readers and critics.

Mr. Robert Makłowicz, gastronomy critic, journalist, author of numerous books on the subject of gastronomy, and the author and host of Polish TV's most watched series "The Culinary Journeys of Robert Makłowicz" is the winner of the award for best TV material aired on the Polish market. He shot 4 reports on Croatia as part of the studio journeys last year: "A Taste of Istria", "A Taste of Zagorje", "A Taste of Zagreb" and "A Taste of Plitvice and Rastoke", aired on Polish TV's Channel 2.

Ms. Katharina Messner for best text on the Austrian market for her report entitled "Welch ein Naturschauspiel! Donau und Drau im Binnendelta", that tells of the beauty of the Drava and Danube River basin and the natural wealth of the Kopački Rit Nature Park. The piece ran in the "Kronen Zeitung" Wien.

For best TV material aired on the Austrian market the award went to Mr. Michael Schlamberger, a reporter at ORF 2 Wien, for a report called "Plitvice der fallenden seen" aired on two occasions as part of the "Universum" series that features the flora and fauna of Plitvica Lakes National Park, focusing on the variety of the daily life and the pristine environment.

Mr. Vojko Mitrovič is the Slovene representative and winner of the award for best written material, an article entitled "The Island of Biševo", published in the "Navtika kapital" sailing magazine in the "Drop Anchor" section which, in an interesting fashion, brings the reader closer to Croatia and describes one of the last untouched havens on the Adriatic Sea.

Ms. Renata Picej for best TV report on the Slovenian market. A journalist at TV Piki, her report "Turistični obelisk na Jadranu" features the southern Croatian coastline and, in a special way, brings out details very easily missed by most tourists.

Ms. Patricia Minne, a journalist with the "Voyage Voyage" magazine, for best written material on Croatian on the Belgian market for her beautifully illustrated report entitled "Croatie". The 21-page report describes the Dalmatian coast and its islands with a special focus on what's on offer in Dubrovnik, Cavtat and Korčula.

Mr. Steven Dougherty for best written material published on the US market for his article "In Croatia, a New Riviera Beckons" featured on page 1 of the New York Times' most read Sunday Travel Section. Brilliant photos of Hvar, Split and Dubrovnik accompanied the article published in the magazine, with a distribution of 1,700,000 copies. At an end-of-year poll conducted by the NYT for the top 20 reports the article on Croatia was voted best.

Ms. Viviane Schwizer for the best presentation of Croatian tourism in Switzerland in a report called "Ökologisch intakt, preisgünstig und in der Nähe" published in the "Der Zürcher Oberländer" and that features Plitvica Lakes National Park.

Mr. Alastair Hendy for best written report published on the British market for his "Into the Blue" gastronomy report which appeared on page 7 of the BBC's "Olive" Magazine and in which the author brings regional coverage of: where to buy local groceries, were to eat local specialities, or rather, where local people go out, recommendations for accommodation and well known local drinks and wines.

Mr. Gerald Heffernan of Ireland received the award for best TV material for a show called "No Frontiers: Dubrovnik Riviera" in which he gives a special focus on the authentic gastronomy on offer in Ston and Pelješac.

Two reports for print media presented Croatia in a special way last year on the German market. The awards went to Ms. Ulla Jacobs, a journalist at "Cosmopolitan" Magazine, for her glamorous report on Kvarner and Istria entitled "Kroatien" in which she cites them on a list of priorities for tourist visits in 2006. The other winner is Mr. Ralph Kendlbacher, a reporter for the "Abenteur und Risen", the leading travel and experiences magazine on the German market. The award is for a fascinating report called "Mediterranes Lustspiel" that includes coverage of southern Dalmatia with detailed information on history, gastronomy and events.

Croatia was presented on the German market through numerous TV materials. Mr. Michael Mattig-Gerlach and Mr. Michael Bender were selected as best authors. Mr. Mattig-Gerlach featured the historic, cultural and natural beauty of the city of Split and the island of Brač in the "Mit dem Drahtesel auf den Perlen der Adria" show. Mr. Bender, chief producer/editor of the VOX-Wolkenlos TV show, in an episode entitled "Mit der Adria Aura nach Dubrovnik" spotlighted the opportunities for commercial cruising on the Mediterranean with a special focus on Dubrovnik. The report shows how to make and eat Croatian dishes, features Croatian wine tasting and relates the history and natural beauty of Dubrovnik.