PREŠOV (20. 1. 2015) - The award for lifetime contribution in the field of tourism of the Prešov Region was awarded to the well-known cottager Peter Petras. Other personalities and three tourism products will also be awarded.
After the best facilities and employees of tourism, the Prešov Region already knows the winning personalities and products of tourism. This was decided by an expert jury composed of representatives of local government, business, education, SACR, the Prešov Self-Governing Region and the Regional Tourism Organisation of the North-East of Slovakia, which is the organiser of the award.
The jury selected from nominations sent in by the general public by the end of November last year. In total, sixteen nominations for personality and sixteen nominations for tourism product were received.
Peter Petras awarded for lifetime contribution
Award for lifetime contribution will go to the hands of the well-known Tatra chalet owner Petr Petras. In 2014, he fought a change in the public procurement law that allowed him to remain a tenant of Rainer's cottage for another ten years. He was strongly supported by the public in a petition signed by 35 000 people.
In 1987, Petras took a job as a high-mountain porter in the Tatra Mountains alongside his work as a teacher. In 1997, he rented a chalet from ŠL TANAP, which was just a ruin of a former shelter. At his own expense, he and his family reconstructed, repaired and put it into operation. The hut offers basic refreshments and the sale of handmade souvenirs. Petras has set up an exhibition of mountaineering and skiing equipment and a mini-museum of mountain porters. He also made the chalet famous with various events, the most famous being the building of a snow crib. As his daughter Zuzana Petrasová said, the credo of his work is the idea: "There is more to do in your job than you have to". Petras is also the author of the book "On the sidewalk".
Awards for education, entrepreneurship and CR development in local government
The jury also decided in other categories. Award for tourism development in the municipality was awarded to the Association for Tourism Development Montenegro. The micro-region connects 15 villages in a location that is not a typical tourist destination. The municipalities, under the leadership of the association's chairwoman, Maria Čuchtová, work on the development of tourist infrastructure, prepare unusual events and represent the region at home and abroad with great enthusiasm and determination.
Award for tourism education awarded by the jury Jozef Čekovský. He works as a deputy director of the Secondary School Horný Smokovec, he is a long-time teacher with professional experience in practice and an expert jury of competitions in the field of hotel management and gastronomy.
Award in the tourism entrepreneur category Retrieved from Ján Gondek. The manager of Pieniny Chalet employs 40 people during the season, he is an organizer of events, an activist and founder of the association Development of Pieniny and Zamaguria. A native of Lesnica, he has made a significant contribution to the development of Zamagurje, tourism, international cooperation and the visibility of this part of Slovakia at home and abroad.
The BEST products are up to three
"The jury chose from quality nominations, in some cases it was really difficult to choose just one name. In the case of the tourism product, instead of one winner, we have three winners.," said Martin Janoško, director of KOCR North-East of Slovakia.
Award The best tourism product of the Prešov Region Retrieved from OZ Slomba For building single-track, Tatra Ice Dome a Snina Ponds Bio-swimming pool.
Civic Association Slomba completed in 2014 the construction of three cycling paths in the vicinity of Prešov, which are of great interest to both younger and older generations of mountain bikers. In the urban forests of Prešov there are already 4 cycle paths - singletracks, which form a comprehensive system of routes for mountain and trekking bikes. The trails are built with sustainability in mind. The jury especially appreciated the innovative idea and the dedication of the volunteers who built the singletracks mainly from their own resources, partially supported by the city of Prešov.
Natural bathing biotope in the area Snina Ponds Bio-swimming pool is one of the first swimming pools in Slovakia to use the technology of self-cleaning water with the help of plants and algae. The reconstruction of the Snina ponds into a natural bathing habitat has brought tourism back to the area. Visitation in the first four seasons after the reconstruction reached 300 000 visitors. Guests come from all over Slovakia, but neighbouring countries are also represented.
During the winter season 2013/2014, a unique Tatra Ice Dome. It was visited by more than one hundred thousand people. It has become a venue for concerts, weddings, visits and a definite hit of the winter season. The unique Tatra Ice Dome has withstood the weather, especially thanks to special cooling and covering.The Tatra Ice Dome is still writing its success story in the 2014/2015 season.
The award ceremony of the prestigious Best in Tourism of the Prešov Region 2014 took place on 29 January at 12:00 pm. at the International Tourism Exhibition ITF SLOVAKIATOUR 2015 in Bratislava on the stage of the exhibition stand of the Prešov Region. Awards were also presented to the winners of the online voting part of the awards in the categories Best facility and Best CR employee.
The awards for the winners were made by the well-known Prešov artistic blacksmith Michal Kačmár.
RELATED ARTICLES:Nominated personalities and productsThe public decided on the best in tourism of the Prešov RegionNominations are known, the public votes in the poll
