On January 28, 2021, an expert jury composed of representatives of regional tourism organizations and the regional tourism organization (KOCR) Trenčín region met through an online platform, which decided on the winners in the TOP competition in tourism in the Trenčín region for 2020.

The KOCR Trenčín region has been awarding the prestigious award for the best in tourism since 2017. The expert commission voted on the winners in the following categories - TOP accommodation facility, tourism personality, TOP innovation in tourism, TOP tourist product and facilities accessible for the severely disabled. In the TOP GASTRO category, the equipment of the Trenčín Region 2020 was decided by the general public through online voting at the beginning of 2021. The winner was Street Food Kitchen from Handlová.

The jury decided by a unified consensus

The expert jury decided separately in the individual categories. However, she agreed unanimously on all of them. The winner in the category TOP accommodation facility for 2020 was the pension Kúria Beckov *** , which is known for its refined local cuisine and quality accommodation and services. The pension is located in a beautiful environment directly under the rock of the castle Beckov, guests can enjoy swimming in a natural lake or a unique wellness under the castle hill. Thanks to this, the Beckov manor is unique in the Trenčín region.

Anna Beníková , the owner of Agropension Grunt and Koliba Papradno, became a personality of tourism in 2020, and she already leased her current farm in the 1990s and, thanks to subsidies, is still actively improving it herself. Both Agropension and Koliba are visited by thousands of tourists a year today and it is also popular with locals.

The jury evaluated the museum of traditional crafts in Bojnice called Bencovje grunt , which was opened in the summer season 2020, as a TOP innovation in tourism. It is a renovated 400-year-old house, whose atmosphere will transport visitors to the last century. "After arriving at the small house Bencovje grunt, you can hardly believe that you are in the 21st century. The house was renovated so that even today you have the feeling that Štefan Ben's family still lives in it with medieval life.

It is for preserving the traditions and spirit of the time that this facility rightly deserves the TOP Innovation in Tourism award, "explained Andrea Malátová, Executive Director of OOCR Upper Nitra - Bojnice. In addition to traditional culture, the house also offers original events: painting and spinning ceramics, wine tasting, experiential teambuilding, an educational program for schools, creative workshops, courses and community events.

The best tourist product, which annually attracts tens of thousands of tourists not only from the Trenčín region, are rides on the historic railway on the route between Tr. Warm and Tr. Teplice. In 2011, after 102 years, regular passenger traffic on this line was stopped. A year later, the railway was taken over by a group of volunteers who founded the non-profit organization Trenčianska elektrická železnica. Part of the occasional rides is a tour of the depot in Tr. The heat, which is slowly being transformed into a small transport museum.

In the last category, the facility accessible to ŤZP, the jury awarded the Meridian Pension in Bojnice . The newly built complex includes accommodation in stylishly furnished rooms, a restaurant with quality international cuisine, a natural lake, its own herb pavilion and a children's playground. The space is largely barrier-free and adapted for people with disabilities. It offers accommodation at the level of a 4 * hotel. Thanks to quality gastronomic services as well as a unique industrial interior, the whole complex is a popular place for events, corporate or family gatherings.

Deciding on winners is not an easy process

Every year, regional organizations in tourism nominate at least one entity or person in individual categories, which are full of high quality services provided or many years of experience and honest work. The final decision-making process is therefore challenging.

“For each nominated entity, the representative shall explain the reason for the nomination. Often, based on their description, we find that the subject or person has done more than we knew or expected. It is this fact that complicates the subsequent selection, as it is always a matter of quality and well-thought-out nominations. In the end, however, we can always agree on the winners after the discussion, ”commented the chairman of KOCR Trenčín region, Juraj Gerlici.

The winners of the TOP competition in tourism for the year 2020 will receive the awards at the international tourism fair ITF Slovakiatour on Thursday, May 13, 2021 in Bratislava .

In Trenčín 29.1.2021

Text: MT