Travel News: The Tourism Press Club from Romania recently inaugurated the "Splendens" trophy. The trophy is awarded annually to the public figures deeply involved in the promotion and development of the Romanian tourism destinations.

During the first gala, on March 24, at the Bucharest Radisson BLU Hotel, the first 12 trophies have been awarded, which were added excellence awards for a long and successful work of remarkable celebrities. Categories which include winners are: travel media and tourism industry, each of them with more sub-categories.

The evening started with a slice of jazz with Irina Sarbu - voice, Puiu Pascu - piano, Ciprian Parghel - bass, Alin Constantiu - clarinet, Bogdan Parghel - drums, jazz with influence from Romanian old music. On the hall's screens the guests watched the movie of the Romanian info-trip of FIJET's Board (Federation Internationale des Journalistes et Ecrivains du Tourisme), in May 2009. There have been visited attractions, the evaluation base of awarding the three "Golden Apple" trophies.

When Elena Udrea (the Regional Development and Tourism Minister) arrived the MC opened the gala with the tourism national hymn "The Land of Choice", and the movie of the "Golden Apple" awards ceremony.

FIJET Romania President Victor Radulescu welcomed the guests, also Elena Udrea and the FIJET President, Tijani Haddad. FIJET awarded a special diploma to Minister Elena Udrea, and Jacques Camp, FIJET General Secretary, presented the articles published by journalists who visited Romania, edited by FIJET in a booklet.

Minister Elena Udrea and Victor Radulescu started awarding the Splendens trophies with two special ones, "Man of the Year," to Gheorghe Fodoreanu, Invitation Romania President, and to Tijani Haddad, for the outstanding promotion of Romania as a tourist destination.

Here are the winners of the Splendens trophies, awarded by the FIJET Romania Board members.

Travel Media Category: Television - Ruxandra Tuchel and Georges Boisnard, "Restoration" campaign coordinators; Radio - Ioana Popa, Voice of Bessarabia Radio; Daily newspapers - Teodora Trandafir, Evenimentul Zilei; Press Agencies/Internet - Georgiana Leanca, www.acasa.ro; Magazines/tourist literature - Mihai Ogrinji, Romania Pitoreasca, and Photography/Film - Radu Sigheti - Reuters Romania photographer.

Tourism Industry Category: Hotels Industry - Yildirimlar Yilmaz, Bucharest Radisson BLU director. Within this category Radu Enache, president of the Continental Hotels chain, and Ion Lazar, owner of Fronius Hotel, Sighisoara, received excellence diplomas. Travel - Lucia Morariu, Eximtur President, for holiday tickets and domestic tourism promotion, and Alin Burcea, Paralela 45 President, the most dynamic travel agency; Restaurants - PHd. Ion Pusca, owner of the House Dr. Pusca, in Faclia, for the promotion of Romania's image through wines; Transportation - Florentina Ivan and George Racaru from Blue Air, the airline with the most dynamic development in Europe; Vocational Training / Spa - Razvan Pirjol, THR, and Rural Tourism - Aurel Pau - Sibiel 2000 Association.

The awards gala ended with three Splendens Excellence Trophies for Paul Marasoiu, PEACOCK Hotels President, Golden Tulip Regional Director and Romanian Convention Bureau President, for Jim Thompson, FIJET Director of Congresses and for Mihai Constantinescu, Artexim Director, the Enescu festival organizer.

Finally, one last jazz slice with Irina Sarbu Jazz Band, a musical journey around the world with famous songs on jazz rhythm!

Tourism Press Club - PressTour FIJET Romania is a professional association of journalists, dealing with topics related to tourism, and affiliated to the Fédération Internationale des Journalistes et Ecrivains du Tourisme (FIJET).

The organization brings together professional journalists from print media, radio and television, who are trying in an objective way to raise the national tourism. Also, due to its professional organization status, it provides support to members journalists in organizing trips, prepare documentation for their materials, but also publishing articles in major publications worldwide.

The Tourism Press Club main objectives are: Improving the quality of tourism promotion by journalists and open communication with the stakeholders in this area by implementing national and international quality standards, communication, public relations and advertising; Development of a dialogue between the members and the tourism promotes; Promotion of the national and international trainings for tourism journalists.

The "Splendens" Trophy
The "Splendens" Trophy (Brilliant in Latin), which is a representation of a lighthouse, the FIJET Romania logo, was made of gilded bronze by two reputable Romanian sculptures - Grigore Minea and Mihai Tugearu.

The two are renowned sculptors with many works and exhibitions and each with a respectable record. They created for the gala evening absolute masterpieces, personalizing every trophy. The two have made extraordinary efforts, but with all their love for the trophies, which they are very proud of. It is practically the first kinetic trophy in the world - the top sphere is spinning, while the whole assembly is made of gilded bronze.