ICRT Europe Awards 2026: Zagreb County Tourist Board wins prestigious European award "One to Watch"

The Zagreb County Tourist Board has won the prestigious international award "One to Watch" at this year's award ceremony ICRT Europe Awards 2026, held in Brussels, one of the most prestigious European awards in the field of responsible and sustainable tourism.

The award was given in the category Local Economic Benefit, which recognizes destinations and projects that achieve measurable benefits for the local economy, local community and entrepreneurs, while preserving the identity of the area and developing sustainable tourism models.

The international expert jury particularly highlighted the project InterWine, an innovative cross-border initiative connecting Zagreb County and the Slovenian municipality of Brežice through a joint wine, gastronomic and cultural tourism offer. The project is implemented within the framework of the Interreg Slovenia - Croatia 2021 - 2027 programme, and its goal is to create a unique destination that erases administrative borders and offers visitors an authentic experience of the region through wine, local flavours, tradition and cultural heritage.

What particularly caught the attention of European experts is the fact that InterWine is not just a tourism project. It is a development model that brings together winemakers, family farms, caterers, tourist boards, cultural institutions and local producers into a unique system of cooperation. In this way, consumption by local entrepreneurs increases, guests' stays are extended and new value is created that remains in the local community.

According to the jury, the creation of a new model of a joint cross-border destination is the reason why Zagreb County has been recognized as a destination worth following in the future. The possibility of applying such a model in other European regions was particularly emphasized, which gives this recognition additional weight.

For Zagreb County, this is yet another confirmation of the successful direction of tourism development based on sustainability, cooperation and the creation of concrete benefits for the local population. In recent years, the destination has emerged as one of the leading continental regions in the field of sustainable and regenerative tourism, and international recognition confirms that such an approach is also recognized by leading European experts.

"This recognition has a special meaning for us because it comes from international experts who recognize the value of sustainable development and creating concrete benefits for the local community. A tourist destination is not a showcase that is decorated for one season, but a responsibility towards space, people, the economy and future generations. That is why, for the past seven years, we have been systematically building a development model based on sustainability, cooperation and creating added value for the local community. The 'One to Watch' award is confirmation that we are recognized on this path beyond the borders of Croatia and an additional incentive to continue developing projects that bring long-term benefits to our destination.", she stated Ivana Alilović, director of the Zagreb County Tourist Board.

Winning the "One to Watch" award comes at a time when Zagreb County is intensively developing new tourism products, investing in sustainable infrastructure, connecting producers and the tourism sector, and systematically working to strengthen the competitiveness of the destination on the European market.

This recognition is not only a success for the Zagreb County Tourist Board and its partners in the InterWine project. It represents recognition for all winemakers, producers, caterers, tourism workers and local communities who contribute to creating an authentic tourism story of Zagreb County on a daily basis.

"The InterWine project shows that cooperation has no boundaries and that by connecting winemakers, caterers, cultural institutions and local producers, we can create new tourism value that remains in the community. It is precisely such projects that represent the future of European tourism and we are pleased that their potential has been recognized at such a prestigious international level."", Alilović added.

At a time when tourism success is no longer measured solely by the number of arrivals and overnight stays, but rather by the quality of life of the local population and the value that tourism creates for the community, this recognition confirms that Zagreb County is successfully following European trends in sustainable development.

The recognition by the ICRT Europe Awards further strengthens the position of Zagreb County among the most promising European destinations that view tourism as a tool for community development, identity preservation and long-term economic benefits. This is why the "One to Watch" award is not only a recognition of the work done so far, but also a confirmation that a tourism model is developing in the heart of Croatia that could become an example of good practice for other European regions in the future.