Another international award will reach Kaunas on November 12. This time, it goes to Kaunas IN that takes care of the city’s tourism, investment, and international marketing development. The Corporate LiveWire Baltics Prestige Awards 2021/22 recognized Kaunas IN as a Tourism Enterprise of the Year.
The organizers of the Prestige Awards that have been taking place for a decade in Great Britain recognized Kaunas IN not only as an international marketing team that is developing an attractive image of the region but also as an innovative tourism promotion agency. They also recognized the ingenious efforts of Kaunas city to attract tourists.
Many years of experience in developing urban tourism
“Kaunas has been famous for its distinct and original tourism promotion programs for many years, and there is a talented team behind them that cares about the city and its attractiveness for both business and tourists. At the same time, such awards are a recognition of the work these people do, showing once again how Kaunas IN contributes to the experience of tourists, who visit the city, and in addition to that creates a favorable environment for the activities of hospitality companies,” Kaunas Mayor Visvaldas Matijošaitis says.
According to the jury of the Prestige Awards, Kaunas IN made the greatest impression with its holistic and inclusive approach both to the incoming tourists and to the citizens themselves, integrating the diverse community into the city’s tourism industry. A wide variety of free routes have been offered, covering a wide range of topics, from street art to architectural monuments and filming locations or routes specifically designed for travelers with children. And each of those routes is unique, “kaunastic”, full of witty remarks and humor, thus providing people with long-lasting, and unique experiences.
During the quarantine period, the organization moved these uniquely designed, extremely informative routes that allow a different view of Kaunas into the digital space. So now all the top-rated Kaunas attractions became even more accessible – just a click of a button away!
Kaunas IN activities include the development of theme tours and routes for Lithuanian and international tourists visiting the city and it also organizes local and outbound tourism events and programs. The organization also spreads the word about the city by participating in exhibitions and collaborating with other agencies to create tourist attractions and ensure effective transport communication. Finally, it makes and develops the modern urban tourism brand #kaunastic. The institution also collects and analyzes tourism statistics, organizes training for the hospitality industry, and organizes the work of information centers.
Exceptional experiences and cooperation at the core of international recognition
“When we were nominated for an award, we placed great emphasis not only on what we do and how we do it but also on the uniqueness of Kaunas city. We wanted to highlight the fact that being the second-largest city in Lithuania, Kaunas is an exceptional, new, and undiscovered travel destination for many. It has a unique spirit and a #kaunastic feeling that you experience upon arrival,” Inga Pažereckaitė-Kalėdienė, Head of the Tourism Department of Kaunas IN, says.
This potential of Kaunas as an undiscovered gem of tourism was recently assessed by the Financial Times. Its fDi Magazine awarded Kaunas in the categories of accessibility, hotel chain development, sports, culture, and heritage. According to the experts who compiled this rating, the city not only managed to contradict the preconceptions but also to exceed expectations distinguishing itself with the unique experiences it offers: from a medieval castle and museums to city beaches with water sports and cultural life.
The title of the European Capital of Culture 2022 that Kaunas earned and is ready to justify fully was perhaps the biggest assessment – as well as an obligation – for the harmonious teamwork of different Kaunas tourism and culture organizations.
About Prestige Awards
The Prestige Awards are attended by small and medium-sized enterprises. The jury that analyzes their applications assesses the quality of service provided, the originality of the activity, the value created, sustainability, and consistency. The selected winners, in the opinion of the jury, are the institutions that best reflect these criteria and are able to streamline processes, create exceptional services or a product. All selected companies must provide evidence of their performance, positive customer feedback, information on awards to date, as well as present their most outstanding achievements.
