Iasi Mayor Mihai Chirica announced the previous week that the International Federation of Journalists and Travel Writers (FIJET) has awarded the city the 2026 “Golden Apple” tourism trophy, one of the industry’s most prestigious international distinctions.

The award ceremony will take place on June 20 in Iasi.

“The ‘Golden Apple’ – Pomme d’Or – considered the tourism equivalent of the Oscars, will be presented on June 20 at 17:00 in the Voivodes Hall of the Palace of Culture, in the presence of FIJET’s leadership. The trophy is being awarded to the municipality of Iasi in recognition of its efforts to promote and develop local tourism,” Chirica said.

The annual Golden Apple award is one of FIJET’s highest honours, and hosting the ceremony in Iasi is seen as a valuable opportunity to promote both the city and the county as leading tourism destinations nationally and internationally.

“This new positioning in international rankings – for which I thank the Tourism Press Club – FIJET Romania – confirms what we can all see: Iasi is attracting more and more visitors from Romania and abroad, and favorable opinions and mentions in specialised rankings are increasing,” Chirica added.

Since its establishment in 1970, FIJET has awarded 73 “Golden Apple” trophies, including to six Romanian destinations: Bucovina, the Danube Delta, Marginimea Sibiului, Targu Jiu, Oradea and Timisoara.

FIJET, founded in Paris on December 2, 1954 by tourism writers from France and Belgium under the name “Fédération Internationale des Journalistes et Écrivains du Tourisme”, is one of the world’s oldest media associations. It now includes more than 30 national affiliates, among them FIJET Romania.