Award winner: Mater, Ecoactive ship & museum

In this edition the jury has decided to reward Mater for being an innovative project, which tries to recover and put in value the important Basque fishing and maritime legacy. Stands out the great work Mater and its team do in defense of the environment through the different activities and projects they carry out, focused on environmental awareness and education, for both adults and children. Experiences that transform the visitor under their motto "Know to love, love to conserve", as they help us understand the importance of the sea and our close relationship with the environment. The activities offered are framed in 5 different themes: marine litter, biodiversity, climate change, marine culture and sustainable habits. All this, added to its collaborative spirit, have been the main reasons why the jury has awarded Mater. 

Special Mention: Juan del Hoyo

The special mention was for Juan del Hoyo due to his long professional career in the travel agency sector and his important role as an incoming agency in the Basque Country, promoting and marketing our territory. In addition, for his initiative to create the ATRAE project and his effort to unite the sector, as well as for the important work that he has carried out defending the incoming agencies and their added ccalue in the Basque tourism industry. The jury also wanted to highlight all the support he has given to all the indoming agencies of ATRAE since the constitution of the association.

Award winner: Ruta del Vino de Rioja Alavesa.

The incoming agencies of ATRAE have rewarded the public-private collaboration that the Rioja Alavesa Wine Route carries out, and the fact that it is a great example of successful associationism. The jury also recognizes the important work that is done to promote the region, both nationally and internationally, as well as the variety of events that has celebrated during its trajectory. Likewise, they highlight the many initiatives they develop to improve the competitiveness of the territory and their partnerships with different organizations, including ATRAE. The jury hopes that the award will serve to reinforce the union between both associations and that we will continue working on new ways of mutual collaboration.

Special mention: Ekobideak.  

The Ekobideak cooperative received the 2020 special mention for being one of the most innovative projects in recent years in Basque Country. Ekobideak brings geology closer to society and values ​​geological heritage and geodiversity. Its commitment to sustainable tourism and its work in combating seasonality, offering experiences throughout the year, have made Ekobideak worthy of this recognition.

Award winner: Villa Lucía Espacio Gastronómico (Villa Lucía Gastronomic Area), distinguished by its professional track record, in which it has contributed significantly to the development and tourist positioning of Rioja Alavesa, and consequently of the province of Alava and the Basque Country. It also has a varied tourist offer, continuing to innovate year after year, promoting local culture, deseasonalisation and inclusive tourism. Some examples are the projects Come Cultura, its restaurant zero Km, Villa Lucía con los 5 sentidos (100% accessible) or its 4D experience In a DreamsLand.

It especially has a great commercial relationship with ATRAE’s incoming agencies, listening to their requests and always highlighting the work done by this sector of Basque tourism. In short, at ATRAE we consider that it is the candidacy that best meets all the aspects to be assessed as set out in the awards’ conditions.

Special mention ¡Qué me estás contando! programme of EITB (Basque Radio and Television), awarded for its contribution to giving visibility to tourism in the Basque Country, to quality tourism and with special support to local companies. They also spark debate and listen to the different agents in tourism industry.

Award winner: Bilbao Turismo (Bilbao Tourism Board), this entity was distinguished on the basis of the work it carried out in capturing and bringing major international events to Bilbao, achieving greater promotion for the whole of the Basque Country.

Special mention: Troka Abentura, an active tourism and adventure sports company, as a distinction to its values of professionalism, transparency and respect for the environment and for always trying to create synergies and collaborate with the different tourist agents, whether they are incoming, local agents and from other Basque municipalities or potentially competing companies.