As the active summer season approaches, the Lithuanian Association of Resorts awards the “Summer Lion 2019” Awards that were designed with the aim to honor the top performing institutions and organizations of our resorts and resort areas, our community members, creative persons contributing to the raising the attractiveness of our resorts and resort areas, to their image creation, their wellness and spa service development, innovative and progressive solutions and the ones actively fostering our cultural identity and our national heritage.
The foundation for the Awards was laid by the Mayor of Zarasai District Municipality and the current Vice-president of the Lithuanian Association of Resorts, Nikolaj Gusev, and the team of his assc: the author of the idea Daiva Šukštulienė and other employees of the administration. Thanks to this initiative, a pilot event was organized last year on the island of the Zarasas Lake.
During the pilot event, a total of nine awards for achievements in different areas were awarded: “Vytautas Mineral Spa”, that is located in Birštonas, was awarded for the innovations of resort services and development of SPA services, “The Birštonas Culinary Map” was recognized as the most attractive marketing project, “SPA Vilnius” in Anykščiai and Druskininkai was recognized as the most attractive hotel, the title of most attractive catering company was awarded to the “Apvalaus Stalo Klubo Restoranas” (“The Round Table Club Restaurant”) that is located in Trakai, the most attractive creative or cultural industry producer nomination was awarded to VšĮ “Anykščių Menų Inkubatorius – Menų Studija” ( Public Enterprise “Anykščiai Arts Incubator–Art Studio”), the nomination of the most hospitable rural tourism homestead went to “Švento Sodyba” (“The Saint Homestead”), Zarasai District, the title of the producer of the most attractive national heritage product was awarded to the Anykščiai District Traditional Handicrafts Centre in Niūronys Village and the award for the most appealing presentation of the cultural heritage object went to Palanga Municipality for the reconstruction of the Counts’ Tiškevičius Avenue and the arrangement of the public space with the historical reference to the period spanning from the end of the 19th century to the beginning of the 20th century. This year, the Awards are coming back with a slightly modified profile – the “Summer Lion 2019 Awards” have become a mobile event. The Awards will be awarded during the resorts and resort areas summer season opening festivals; this award ceremony format is expected to become a great platform for attracting members of resorts and resort areas, holiday guests as well as towns and villagers who love their country and contribute to boosting the appeal of their resorts and resort areas through the implementation of meaningful projects and ideas.
The Lithuanian Resorts Association Awards are expected to provide an excellent opportunity to strengthen cooperation between the municipalities of all Lithuanian resorts and resort areas and the institutions operating in them, promote the spread of good practice and become a symbol of quality, creativity, innovative solutions, cultural identity in resorts and resort areas.
The “Summer Lion 2019 Awards” will be awarded for achievements in nine categories: “Bold Investments”, “Leader of Innovative Solutions”, “Marketing Virtuoso”, ” The Most Hospitable Hotel”, “The Best Restaurant”, “Promoter of Recreational and Rural Tourism”, “Master of Creative Industries”, “Guardian of National Heritage” and “Ambassador of Cultural Heritage “.