by Skye Mayring
Last updated: 10:25 AM ET, Tue April 28, 2026
Travel journalists, editors, and content creators from 14 countries were honored during this year’s Golden Pen Awards held in Rijeka, Croatia.
Hosted by the Croatian National Tourist Board, the annual awards gala recognized exceptional reporting that captured the essence of this sought-after Central European country.
Among the winners, TravelPulse took home a Golden Pen Award for Best Online Article for “Croatia Travel Hacks Advisors Need to Know,” written by contributor Skye Mayring.
“We want to highlight the value of professional reporting in promoting Croatian tourism and the significant contribution our winners have made to our global positioning,” said Kristjan Stanicic, CEO of the Croatian National Tourist Board, during the awards ceremony. “Croatia is a safe and sustainable destination that’s easily accessible — as well as one that offers good value for money. This is very important because, nowadays, with inflation, Croatia remains very attractive.”
Attendees of the 22nd annual Golden Pen Awards overnighted at the Hilton River Costabella Beach Resort & Spa, took a boat to the Mošćenička Draga fishing village, toured Trsat Castle, and visited the gorgeous seaside town of Opatija, known for its 19th-century Austro-Hungarian architecture and coastal views.
The Kvarner region, dubbed the 2026 European Region of Gastronomy, co-hosted the three-day event and made sure its prized cuisine — from crispy scampi (langoustine) to salty Krk pršut (prosciutto) — had its moment in the spotlight, too.
In the first quarter of 2026, Croatia recorded 3 million overnight stays. Among them, US visitors contributed 75,000 overnights, a 11% increase over last year.
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