Andrej Prebil honoured with the Gaspart Bonet Foundation award
Andrej Prebil honoured with the Gaspart Bonet Foundation award
During the 83rd HOTREC General Assembly in Lyon, Mr Andrej Prebil received the Gaspart Bonet Foundation award for his life-long dedication to the Slovenian tourism industry.
Andrej Prebil is president of the Tourism and Hospitality Chamber of Slovenia (TGZS), chairman of Sava Turizem d.d. – the largest tourism group in Slovenia – and a long-time member of the Council of the Slovenian Tourist Board.
In his 20-year career in the tourism industry, he has contributed to getting tourism recognised by the state as a crucial, strategic industry.
Mr Prebil is responsible for ensuring the progress of Slovenian tourism and hospitality – implementing modern standards, raising the quality of services, developing highly qualified staff, developing innovative products, developing and implementing the concept of sustainability into the industry in his country. His experience spans all fields of tourism: from city tourism to thermal, congress, alpine, medical tourism, glamping and camping. His motto is: let's live tourism!
Over the past two years – with Covid-19 wreaking havoc in the sector - he used his experience, expertise and personal responsibility to successfully contribute to solutions and measures which have eased the devastating impact of lockdowns and ensured the retention of personnel and subsequent survival of the tourism industry in Slovenia.
“Tourism and the hotel profession have existed ever since people realised that travelling offers an opportunity – an opportunity to show travellers where they live, how they live and what they do, as well as offering them hospitality and a comfortable stay. From those early beginnings until today, the fundamentals of our branch have not changed much. Just as we have overcome a variety of challenges through the centuries, I firmly believe that we will overcome the challenge we are facing now. The main point to remember is: tourism is about people and tourism is our life!", stated Mr Andrej Prebil.
“We are delighted to present this award to Mr Adrej Prebil for his invaluable work in tourism and hospitality and his contribution over the past twenty years in positioning tourism as a strategic industry in Slovenia,” commented Mr Jens Zimmer Christensen, President of HOTREC.
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The Gaspart Bonet Foundation award is delivered twice a year to a personality who has remarkably contributed to the European hospitality industry. Mr Miquel Planas, famous artist and chairman of the Sculpture Department of Fine Arts of the Fine Arts Faculty of Barcelona, designed the award.
HOTREC is the umbrella association of Hotels, Restaurants, Bars and Cafés and similar establishments in Europe, which brings together 46 National associations in 35 countries, and is the voice of European hospitality. HOTREC mission is to represent and champion its interests towards the EU and international institutions, foster knowledge sharing and best practices among its members to promote innovation and act as a platform of expertise for the hospitality sector.