TurismoVieste.it lancia STELLA MARINA 2026 – Responsible Tourism Recognition, a new project dedicated to tourism activities that stand out for their quality, authenticity, sustainability, and local development.
Not a ranking, nor a purchasable award, but an independent editorial selection by TurismoVieste.it. The project was created to recognize those businesses that are concretely improving the tourism offering in Vieste and the Gargano area through quality services, transparent communication, and local attention. Special attention will be paid to operational continuity, rewarding those who invest in the area beyond the traditional summer season to promote more sustainable and seasonal tourism.
The recognition is aimed at the categories Hospitality, Food & Drink and Experience operating in the municipality of Vieste.
Among the evaluation criteria provided for by the regulation:
- authenticity and sustainability;
- innovation and valorization of the territory;
- quality of communication;
- online reputation;
- business continuity.
Particular attention will be paid to enhancing local identity, the authenticity of the proposed experience, and the ability of the activities to concretely contribute to the quality of the area.
The parameters envisaged by the project also include: business continuity, with indicative minimum requirements related to the months of annual business opening. This criterion is designed to promote businesses that contribute to the continuity of the area's tourism offering, potentially benefiting the local economy and the city's livability, moving beyond a model heavily focused exclusively on the summer season.
The highly selective selection criteria are also intended to serve as an incentive for all businesses that may not receive recognition this year: an invitation to improve, invest in quality, strengthen their ties with the local area, and continue their growth.
Registration, to be completed by June 7, 2026, is completely free., as well as the official mention for the selected activities. No activity may purchase the recognition or financially influence the evaluation.
Applications are open through the Official form published on turismovieste.it
“STARFISH 2026” It aims to become a tool capable of rewarding the quality of the tourist experience, authenticity, and positive contribution to the local area.
STARFISH 2026
Responsible Tourism Recognition | TurismoVieste.it
TurismoVieste.it promotes "STELLA MARINA 2026 – Responsible Tourism Recognition," an independent selection dedicated to tourism businesses that meet minimum standards of quality, service continuity, local development, and sustainability.
The project was born with the aim of promoting the businesses that positively contribute to the local tourist experience, promoting a more authentic, informed, sustainable, and quality-oriented form of tourism.
“STARFISH 2026”:
- does not represent a public certification;
- it does not constitute a ranking;
- does not award first places;
- It is not a purchasable prize.
This is an independent editorial selection based on objective parameters and qualitative evaluations.
Hospitality
(Hotels, Residences, B&Bs, Campsites, Holiday Homes, etc.)
Food & Drink
(Restaurants, Bars, Pastry Shops, Wine Bars, etc.)
Experience
(Excursions, Tours, Outdoor Activities, Tourist Experiences, etc.)
Participation is reserved exclusively for activities:
- based in the municipality of Vieste for the Hospitality and Food categories;
- that offer tourist services in the municipality of Vieste for the Experience category.
TurismoVieste.it reserves the right to evaluate the territorial relevance of the submitted applications.
Candidate activities are evaluated through a combination of objective parameters and qualitative assessments.
To obtain recognition, activities must meet the minimum requirements and achieve the required standards in the indicated areas.
Commission evaluation – minimum score required: 3/5
The following are evaluated:
- valorization of local identity;
- authenticity of the proposed experience;
- use of local products;
- integration with the territory;
- respect for the landscape and cultural context;
- concrete sustainable practices;
- reduction of single-use plastic;
- pay attention to consumption;
- attention to environmental impact;
- collaboration with local entities.
No official certifications are required.
Commission evaluation – minimum score required: 3/5
The following are evaluated:
- concrete innovation in services;
- improving the tourist experience;
- quality and originality of the offering;
- ability to evolve the tourism product;
- ability to enhance the territory through services, experiences or communication;
- added value for visitors and the area.
Innovation is valued positively when it improves the experience without distorting the identity of the territory.
Commission evaluation – minimum score required: 3/5
The following are evaluated:
- clarity of information;
- quality of communication;
- consistency between communication and actual service;
- image quality;
- transparency;
- authenticity of online presence;
- orientation towards the quality of the experience.
The following may constitute grounds for exclusion:
- misleading communication;
- use of misleading images;
- unfair commercial practices;
- improper or misleading use of artificial intelligence;
- use of false or manipulated reviews;
- buying followers, interactions, or artificial traffic;
- use of bots or automated systems aimed at artificially altering one's online reputation.
Objective parameters
The business must have a positive and verifiable online reputation. The review will begin on June 7, 2026, or the screenshot/detection performed by the commission within a specified time frame will be considered valid.
Minimum indicative parameters:
- Google ≥ 4.5/5, if present;
- Booking.com ≥ 8.5/10, if present;
- Airbnb ≥ 4.5/5, if any;
- Tripadvisor ≥ 4.5/5, if any.
The business must also have a sufficient number of verifiable online reviews.
The following are also considered:
- total number of reviews;
- continuity over time;
- general reliability;
- consistency across platforms;
- any anomalies or incorrect practices.
TurismoVieste.it reserves the right to conduct qualitative checks on the online reputation of candidate businesses.
Objective parameters
The project's goal is to promote activities that contribute to the continuity of the area's tourism offering.
Indicative minimum requirements:
Hospitality
- minimum opening of at least 4 months per year.
Food & Experience
- minimum opening of at least 6 months per year.
TurismoVieste.it reserves the right to carry out checks to ensure the actual operation of the proposed activities.
Applications must be made exclusively via the online form available in thededicated page on the TurismoVieste.it website.
Registrations for the project must be made by June 7, 2026.
The activity will have to provide:
- business name;
- category;
- months of annual opening;
- qualitative responses relating to:
- authenticity and sustainability;
- innovation and valorization of the territory;
Registration for the project is free.
The evaluation is carried out by an internal commission and/or collaborators selected by TurismoVieste.it.
TurismoVieste.it and its staff reserve the right to carry out checks and controls on the information provided by the candidate businesses.
Applications must be received by June 7, 2026 through the dedicated page on the TurismoVieste.it website.
The activities selected for the “STELLA MARINA 2026” recognition will be announced by July 1, 2026.
TurismoVieste.it reserves the right to communicate the results through its official channels and the project's dedicated page.
The selected activities will be able to:
- be included free of charge on the project's official page;
- receive the official mention of recognition;
- use the official project badge;
- publicly communicate the recognition received.
Improper use of the trademark or misleading communications will result in immediate revocation of recognition.
Registration for the project and the official mention are absolutely free.
Obtaining recognition and using the digital badge are 100% free.
Any plaques, printed certificates, physical awards, or promotional materials can be produced upon request.
For the production and shipping of such materials, an optional contribution may be required, aimed exclusively at covering the out-of-pocket costs of production, management, and shipping.
The recognition is valid for one year and can be renewed after re-verification of the requirements.
Participation in the project implies full acceptance of these regulations.
TurismoVieste.it reserves the right to update its criteria and operating procedures to maintain the project's consistency, quality, and credibility.
