Business Excellence on Lošinj: People, knowledge, dedication and love for the island at the center of this year's awards

The City of Mali Lošinj and the Tourist Board of the City of Mali Lošinj on the occasion of the Tourism Day held on October 1 at the Apoxyomena Museum awarding awards and recognitions to individuals, employees, associations and projects who, through their work, dedication and engagement, contribute to the quality of tourism, the preservation of identity and the development of the local community.

This year's awards have once again shown how many different faces tourism has; from employees who work directly with guests on a daily basis, to those who care about safety, cleanliness, the environment and quality of service, to young people who, with their knowledge and results, create the foundations of the destination's future.

Special recognitions also went to people and associations who preserve the maritime, sports, cultural and natural heritage of Lošinj and represent it outside the island through their activities.

MAN - THE KEY TO SUCCESS IN TOURISM

In an action aimed at recognizing and rewarding people whose work contributes to the quality and hospitality of the destination, this year's award recipients were: 

Ania Majko-Kucic, agency worker; Danijela Veocic, a household worker at a health resort; Marina Kovačević, hotel housekeeping employee; Valentina Radic, a camp housekeeping worker; Aldrin Bunalian De Guzman, cleaning worker in camping tourism; Lucia Herceg, environmental maintenance worker; Marcela Badurina, sales and marketing employee in tourism; Mirela Zuber, nautical tourism worker; Darko Kopic, transport worker; Alenka Mrsic, health tourism worker; Zeljka Nikolic, wellness tourism worker; Slavko Jurjevic, maintenance technician; Senita Alaburic, waiter in a coffee bar; Milorad Vucurević, waiter in a restaurant; Anton Skoda, chef; Ivana Condic Grgic, police officer; Zeljko Bozinovic, salesman; Dinka Vrtodušić, for excellence in accommodation and hospitality management; Danijela Pinezic, receptionist at a health resort; Massimo Zanfabbro, receptionist at a hotel; Lea Rukonic, receptionist at the camp; Daniela Lakner, tourist guide; Arsenio Budinic, firefighter and Milena Toic, the best renter.

A special place is also occupied by those who create the future of tourism with their work. Students of Ambroz Haračić High School Nika Kremenovic i Pier Susic received special recognition for their results at the national competition WorldSkills Croatia 2026. Nika won 4th place in the "Tourist Destination" discipline, while Pier won 3rd place in the "Maritime Nautical" discipline. 

SPECIAL AWARDS - ASSOCIATIONS

In the category of special recognitions to associations and organizations, the following were awarded: Škarpina Sports Association for the 50th edition of the Nerezine Regatta of traditional sailing boats, Basketball club "Jadranka" for 50 years of operation, Football club "Lošinj" for 50 years of operation, Rotary Club Lošinj for humanitarian work and contribution to the local community, Blue World Institute for contributing to the protection and preservation of the marine environment through the Posidonia meadow protection project, and Mali Lošinj City Red Cross Society for the long-standing "Junior Lifeguard" program.

The 50th anniversary edition of the Nerezine Regatta was held on September 19th as the finale of the festival "Around the World with Lošinj Sails - Losinava", continuing a tradition that dates back to 1920. This year's major anniversaries are also being celebrated by the Jadranka Club and the Lošinj Club, which have been bringing together generations of children and young people for five decades and represent an important part of the island's sporting life.

The Rotary Club of Lošinj was awarded for numerous humanitarian and socially beneficial activities, while the Blue World Institute was recognized for its contribution to the protection of the marine environment, especially through the project "Protection of Posidonia Meadows on Lošinj". The Mali Lošinj Red Cross City Society was awarded for the "Junior Lifeguard" program, which has been educating children and young people about water safety, self-rescue and first aid for more than a decade.

SPECIAL RECOGNITIONS TO INDIVIDUALS - FROM THE PROMOTION OF LOŠINJ TO THE PRESERVATION OF ITS IDENTITY

This year, special awards were also given to individuals whose work Lošinj presents, preserves and promotes in various ways.

Tihana Dakić-Barichievich, author and manager of the GoLosinj profile, received the award for her long-term promotion of the Town of Mali Lošinj and the Lošinj archipelago. Through photographs, videos and personal stories, she presents Lošinj from the perspective of a local resident, bringing the audience closer not only to its natural and cultural values, but also to everyday life, people and authentic island stories.

The award was given for personal initiative and continuous care for the environment. Josip Kovačić, which cleans the environment, removes waste and restores dry stone walls, contributing to preserving the appearance and authenticity of the Lošinj landscape.

Klaudio Martinolic was awarded for his exceptional contribution to the research, documentation and preservation of the history of Lošinj. His extensive work Fragments from the history of Lošinj, on approximately 1.200 pages, provides a chronological overview of the island's history up to 1950 and an overview of its economic development, and represents a valuable contribution to the preservation of the island's collective memory.

The award was given for the promotion of Lošinj through gastronomy. Ivan Kapitanić, a professional chef from Mali Lošinj who, by participating in the RTL show Chef's game presented Lošinj's gastronomy to a wider television audience. Through his participation, he promoted the island, its ingredients, Mediterranean tradition and a modern approach to gastronomy.

Winner of the award for exceptional contribution to tourism, Sandra Nicolich, with many years of work contributes to the preservation and promotion of the authentic identity of Lošinj. She is the creator and owner of the Miomirisni island garden, launched in 2003, the author of the project "Smells and Tastes of Lošinj", a long-time tourist guide and the president of the Association of Tourist Guides on Lošinj.

LOCAL PRODUCT FROM LOŠINJ

The project "Lošinj local products" is getting a new product and a new local story this year. Certificate "Lošinj local product" is assigned Natalia Lakner for a handmade candlestick "Goodbye".

Natalia Lakner professionalized her creative path in 2021 by founding the company STAINED GLASS ART jdoo, and today she creates unique glass objects and decorations. The "Addio" candlestick is made using the glass fusion technique, and each piece is handmade.

The awards and the "Lošinj Local Product" certificate were presented to this year's awardees by the mayor of Mali Lošinj, Ana Kučić i Director of the Tourist Board of the City of Mali Lošinj, Dalibor Cvitković.

Business excellence on Lošinj is created by people - with their knowledge, responsibility, effort and love for the island, said the Mayor of the Town of Mali Lošinj Ana Kučić and added that this is exactly why these recognitions have a special value.

"We thank those who, often without much visibility, but with great dedication, contribute to our community, whether through tourism, economy, sports, culture, environmental protection, humanitarian work or the preservation of our heritage and identity. I am especially pleased that among the awardees we have different generations - from people with decades of work and experience behind them to young people who, with their knowledge, results and ambitions, are already showing that Lošinj has a quality future. I congratulate and thank all of them from the bottom of my heart for their work in making Lošinj a better place to live, but also a destination to which our guests are happy to return.", said the Mayor of the City of Mali Lošinj.

"World Tourism Day is an opportunity to recognize the people who, through their daily work, create what guests recognize as Lošinj. This year's awardees come from different areas and what they all have in common is that they contribute to the quality of life and the tourism offer of our island with their knowledge, dedication and personal engagement. We are especially pleased that among the awardees we also have young people who are already showing knowledge, initiative and interest in the development of their community. This is precisely the best indicator that experience and tradition can be successfully connected with new ideas and generations to come.", he said Dalibor Cvitkovic, director of the Tourist Board of the City of Mali Lošinj.

World Tourism Day, celebrated on September 27th, is an opportunity to remind ourselves that behind every tourist product, quality service and positive guest experience are people. It is their knowledge, dedication and attitude towards the destination that form an important part of Lošinj's identity.

Photo by: Sandro Tariba