On Thursday, May 14, 2026, at the Casino in Constanța, during the Destination of the Year 2026 Gala,Bison Land obtained 3rd place in the “Best Promotion” category, for the ecotourism microregion overlapping the Vânători-Neamț Natural Park and the localities of Târgu-Neamț, Agapia, Bălțătești, Crăcăoani and Vânători-Neamț.
It is the only area in Neamț county that climbs this year on the podium of the most prestigious competition dedicated to tourism in Romania.
“The award obtained confirms the evolution of an eco-destination for which the management unit, together with local partners, has coherently built a promotion model based on authenticity, local heritage, nature and real experiences. The Land of the Biscuit is the place where people live in harmony with nature, local culture and spirituality. Here, forests, monasteries, villages and traditions are not simple tourist attractions, but part of the living identity of local communities”, states Andreea Trăsnea, Bison Land brand manager.
In the same national competition, Bison Land was also a finalist in the “Enchanted Realms” category, and Vânători-Neamț, part of the eco-destination, was a finalist in the “Fairytale Villages” category.
*Neamț County was also represented in the final by the Cucuteni Eneolithic Art Museum, Durău Park and Piatra Neamț, a sign that this county is becoming increasingly visible on the Romanian tourism map.
A defining element of the eco-destination Bison Land is the emphasis on restoring biodiversity. In the forests of the Vânători-Neamț NaturePark, the european bison – a symbol of Moldova – and, more recently, the elk, have returned home after almost two centuries of absence. The reintroduction and conservation programs implemented by Sebastian Cătănoiu (director of Romsilva – Vânători Neamț Nature Park) and his team are today transforming this microregion into a landmark for European ecotourism and for tourism built responsibly, around nature and the local people.
The destination development strategy, which has been in charge of Bison Land UMD since 2015, together with the over 90 members of the local network – from the five local public administrations to craftsmen, HoReCa structures and local producers – combines historical and cultural heritage with the modern opportunities of sustainable tourism.
It all starts with the legend of the founding of Moldova and the symbol of the legendary mammal, the bison. Currently, over 80 specimens roam freely.
“The award obtained at Destination of the Year 2026 honors us and obliges us, at the same time, to continue telling the story of this place even better, so that people do not come here just as tourists, but feel that they have discovered an authentic corner of Romania.
Special thanks to our partners – entrepreneurs, local producers, hosts, folk craftsmen, local public administrations. The results appear when we all go in the same direction and build together, around the vision that the management unit develops for the eco-destination”, concluded Andreea Trăsnea.
Bison Land is one of the few certified eco-tourism destinations in Romania and the only done from this country included in the Top 100 Sustainable Destinations globally. The eco-destination is made up of the localities of Agapia, Bălțătești, Crăcăoani, Vânători-Neamț and Târgu-Neamț. The microregion overlaps the Vânători-Neamț Nature Park, one of the most valuable protected natural areas in Romania.
