The Municipality of Iasi has received, together with three other destinations, the Golden Apple Award at the Congress of the International Federation of Travel Journalists and Writers (FIJET), an event held in Morocco, mayor Mihai Chirica announced.
"I was very pleased to learn that the FIJET Congress, taking place these days in Morocco, has decided that Iasi will receive next year the prestigious Golden Apple trophy," mayor Mihai Chirica stated.
He recalled the series of awards received over time by the Municipality of Iasi, cultural institutions, the HORECA sector, or sporting events, as "Destination of the Year."
"The Golden Apple trophy that Iasi has received for 2026 reflects the city's experience in the tourism sector, but it is also a challenge for everyone involved in developing this field. Although the city has made important progress, there are still deficiencies regarding accommodation capacity. We aim to attract more investors to build four-star hotels, to moderate price increases in the HORECA sector, and to work more closely with the state to offer tourism facilities capable of attracting visitors. These objectives are part of our program for 2026, as future winners of the 'Golden Apple,'" mayor Mihai Chirica told AGERPRES.
The Iasi mayor stressed that he hopes this recognition will not go unnoticed, since such a high-level award will not be granted again anytime soon after 2026. He mentioned the history of the Golden Apple, noting that Bucovina received the award in the 1970s, Sibiu in 2009, Oradea in 2019, and Timisoara in 2023, while the Danube Delta and Marginimea Sibiului have also been distinguished with this honour.
In his view, the award represents an opportunity for motivation and confidence, and he hopes that the "Golden Apple" will become a starting point for strengthening Iasi's status as a tourist city and transforming it into a real engine of economic development.
"A lot of mobilisation is needed, a lot of confidence. I hope this trophy will be a starting point for Iasi to assert its status as a tourist city, as an engine of economic development, and not just as a name or nickname we rely on," mayor Chirica added.
Considered the equivalent of the Academy Award in cinematography, the Golden Apple (Pomme d'Or) has been granted since 1970 to an organisation, a city, or a personality, as recognition for efforts to promote and develop tourism. Winners are selected based on the evaluation of their application files and the vote of a jury made up of FIJET members.
FIJET is one of the oldest media associations in the world. It was founded in Paris on December 2, 1954, under the name "Federation Internationale des Journalistes et Ecrivains du Tourisme," by an initiative group of tourism writers from France and Belgium, later joined by other tourism journalists and writers from Greece, Italy, and Luxembourg. Today, FIJET has more than 30 affiliated national associations, including the Tourism Press Club - FIJET Romania.
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