June the 6th, 2021 - ACI Marina Cres is enjoying the ability to fly the prestigious blue flag for the 22nd year in a row, showcasing its dedication to the environment.

As Morski writes, ACI Marina Cres, one of the most beautiful island marinas along the entire Croatian Adriatic, raised the blue flag for the 22nd time on the eve of World Environment Day. The blue flag for beaches and marinas is a highly valued tourist brand which is recognised and appreciated across the world, and is an important landmark to seek out for tourists when choosing a holiday destination.

The blue flag is also the most recognised model of environmental education and public information awarded by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE).

The ceremony of raising the blue flag at ACI Marina Cres was attended by the marina's receptionist Marijan Sablic and the German guests Ulla and Peter Fernitz, as well as the port captain of the Port of Cres, Djordan Veskovic. The director of ACI Marina Cres, Alan Sepuka, said on the occasion:

''The blue flag is a top tourist promotion in our opinion. It symbolises a well-preserved and safe environment, sustainable development in tourism based on high quality service, a clean sea and coastline and it speaks of the quality of the equipment and overall arrangement of ACI Marina Cres.

The blue flag for both beaches and marinas is part of an international environmental programme to protect the environment of the sea and coastline, which aims at sustainable management and governance of the sea and the general coastal zone. The blue flag is an award given only for one season at a time and the application for it to be flown must be renewed every year, meaning that ACI Marina Cres has done an amazing job in managing that for 22 years in a row.

The criteria for awarding the blue flag are very demanding and cover a number of areas: environmental education, public information, water quality, environmental management, as well as the safety and quality of services.

It is interesting to note that the blue flag is currently boasted by all ACI marinas open for business throughout the year, which confirms that ACI, as the largest chain of marinas in all of the Mediterranean, takes the proper care of the sea and the coastal zones in which they operate, and especially coastal areas such as beaches and marinas that suffer the most pressure.

For more, follow our dedicated lifestyle section.

October 10, 2020 – The Nautical Patrol of Jutarnji list awarded the “Zlatno sidro“ ("Golden Anchor") awards to Croatian marinas, according to the surveyed boaters. This year, ACI Marina Cres was voted as the best.

As Jutarnji list reports, their Nautical patrol sailed around the most important Croatian marinas on the Adriatic for the fourth year in a row. This floating editorial office, as they are also called, witnessed how top-notch nautical tourism persisted, if not increased, due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Once this was affirmed, it was time to reward the best marinas based on many survey questionnaires in which boaters expressed their impressions of the marinas in which the Patrol would find them. They passed 32 marinas and 22 anchorages and small coves.

Exceptional marinas

This year, at a ceremony in Skradin, the prestigious Nautical Patrol Award of Jutarnji list "Zlatno sidro" ("Golden anchor") was given to ACI Marina Cres, which won the most votes of satisfied sailors who said that this marina excels in its beauty, infrastructure, and hospitality.

The recognition for the development of elite nautical tourism in Croatia went to the ACI Marina Dubrovnik, which delighted its guests with its sports content.

The oldest Croatian marina, the one in Punat on the island of Krk, received a prestigious award for its exceptional contribution to the development of Croatian nautical tourism. Namely, this marina is a favorite for guests because of its exceptional investment in high technology, such as surveillance applications with which every sailor can instantly check the condition of their boat via their mobile phone.

Marina Vrsar won second place as a beautiful, safe, and friendly marina, and third place went to Marina Tribunj, thanks to its peace, quiet, and discretion.

Vrsar / Copyright Romulić and Stojčić

Special recognitions

A special recognition “Dragulj Jadrana“ ("Jewel of the Adriatic") was given to the great Mediterranean park of Marina Sutomišćica on the island of Ugljan. Also, ACI Marina Opatija received a special award called “Zlatni osmijeh Jadrana“ ("Golden Smile of the Adriatic") for the kindness of their staff and their willingness to help.

Although the Nautical Patrol did not find any cases of coronavirus infection in any marina, they still introduced a special recognition for the safest corona-free marina, ACI Marina Šimuni. It is located in a quiet bay in Pag with excellent nautical comfort and it consistently implemented corona protection measures.

Opatija, a pioneer of Croatian tourism / ACI Marina Opatija received a special award for the kindness of their staff / Copyright Romulić and Stojčić

"Green and blue Croatia"

This year, the Nautical Patrol of Jutarnji list, in addition to nautical marinas, also visited nearby family farms (OPGs), thus connecting "blue" and "green" Croatia.

Numerous family farms at the time of the corona adapted their business, such as family farms that deliver fresh fruits, vegetables, honey, and other products (even roasted meat) directly to the ship. That is why this year, for the first time, Đorđe Studić from Vodice, whose family farm of the same name received the most comments from readers of the Jutarnji.hr portal, was given the special "Biser zelene magistrale" ("Pearl of the Green Highway") award.

'Adriatic was safe throughout the summer'

"In this challenging period, we managed to find our way to the readers, we started the action in April, we showed the sustainability of this branch of tourism with arguments. This was recognized by our partners, so we received broad support from nautical tourism stakeholders, there were, for example, more than last year," said the editor-in-chief of Jutarnji list Goran Ogurlić, adding that the Nautical Patrol consisted of 16 crew members, who worked the whole summer in four shifts.

ACI Marina Vrsar won second place as a beautiful, safe, and friendly marina / Copyright Romulić and Stojčić

"The marinas are well organized, all the recommendations of the National Civil Protection Headquarters have been respected. So we can clearly and with experience say that we are living health proof that the Adriatic has been safe throughout the summer, with responsible behavior," concluded the editor-in-chief.

The leader of the Patrol and the author of this successful project, Mladen Gerovac, says that the fourth edition of the Patrol was difficult to organize due to special conditions, but they still succeeded.

"Our floating editorial office proved that even during the pandemic, there is nautical tourism and that our floating guests trust us," said Gerovac.

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