Radio România Internațional

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  • A lookback at the year 2023 in tourism

    A lookback at the year 2023 in tourism

    The year 2023 was an
    eventful year for Romanian tourism. We discovered interesting tourism
    destinations and projects that made it possible for an increasing inflow of
    tourists to come to Romania.


    In early January, we
    began with an atmosphere that was created so that all four senses can be
    relaxed through music, fragrances, setting and light. All that offered by the
    SPA centers countrywide. On the Romania Black Sea coast in Bucharest and in
    Prahova Valley, we found a wide range of healing therapy options. Also in
    January, we found out that balneal treatment has a long-standing tradition.
    Romania is one of the world’s first countries to have founded a balneology and
    climatology scientific society. Felix Spa, Calimanesti and Caciulata or Sovata
    were but a few of the resorts we visited. Then we discovered the cultural
    artistic itinerary labelled Traditional Craftsmen and traditional crafts from
    across Romania. The label was launched by Romania’s Entrepreneurship and
    Tourism Ministry. The project targeted the tourists who were interested in
    craftsmanship objects and in the traditional customs in the villages of northern Romania.



    The 47th edition of Romania’s Tourism Fair was
    held over February 23-26 in Bucharest. As part of the event, Romania’s most
    interesting offers and tourist assets were presented. Also attending the event
    were traditional craftsmen, who came up with real demonstration of the ancient
    crafts. Timis County, Bukovina, Fagaras fortress and Arad were the destinations
    written about, at that time.


    In early spring, we had a stopover in central Romania at
    the foot of Piatra Craiului mountain’s south-eastern slope, at an altitude of 1,244 meters. There we discovered Romania’s first
    tourist village, Sirnea. Then we headed towards the Danube Delta, a true nature
    paradise, stretching from around the place where river Danube flows into the
    Black Sea. A water birds’ habitat that found a vast reed area here, the
    Danube Delta is one of Romania’s greatest tourist assets. We presented flora
    and fauna observation tours, offers of safari photo and boat or kayak trips. We
    also spoke about traditions, history, culture and, not the least, about the
    large number of wine cellars in the area. We continued to be spoiled for choice
    through heritage, since we shifted the focus of our attention to Romania’s old
    nobility residences. What we were most impressed with, thanks to their
    refinement, were the Cantacuzino Estate in Floresti and the mansion of the
    Carps, a family of boyars based in Iasi County’s commune of Tibanesti.



    In Valcea County, we realized a wide range of tourism
    types was available to those who were interested. Moreover, Horezu is a brand
    for Valcea County, thanks to the ceramics the craftsmen manufacture there. Then
    we visited an area that enjoyed just as much recognition, due to its traditions
    but also due to its vast forests and unique natural phenomena. Year after year,
    Buzau County was extremely sought-after, among other things, by those who are into
    adventure tourism. There they can practice climbing, off-roading, rafting or
    hang-gliding. Furthermore, the food offer is very varied and includes several
    trade marks.


    We spent Easter in the Romanian village. In early April we
    learnt about the village of Rasinari, which had become Romania’s grand prize
    winner in the second edition of the international contest Best Tourism
    Villages, launched by the World Tourism Organization. We talked about rural
    trips, which could include visits at the medieval fortresses as well as
    participation in local festival and events.


    From here we stopped in the county of Brasov, central
    Romania, to learn more about one of the best well-preserved monuments nation
    wise. Many publications around the world wrote about this site, describing it
    as one of the world’s most beautiful fortresses. This is the fortress of
    Fagaras, whose construction was completed around the 17th century.
    It withstood over 26 sieges but was never conquered. At the end of April we
    proposed a city-break in north-western Romania, only a couple of kilometers far
    from the Hungarian border and a relatively equal distance from Vienna, Prague,
    or Bucharest, the city of Oradea. We’ve also learnt that Oradea is not only an
    appropriate city for city-break, but also the museum-city of Targu Jiu, or
    Cluj-Napoca, the birthplace of the internationally famed festival Untold.

    At the beginning of summer we told you that Romania is also
    known for its large old-growth forests, for the regions where we can find old
    traditions and craftsmen, who are still using ancient trades passed down from
    one generation to another. We also talked about eco-tourism and the
    associations trying to preserve natural resources and educate people in
    practicing responsible tourism. In the same period we took a virtual tour of
    over 50 museums in all of Romania’s rural area. In early autumn we talked about
    the green area of the wooden churches in Maramures after which we went to the
    ancient world of the Haţeg Land.
    We learnt about an area roamed by bisons, with medieval churches, old mansions
    and castles, numerous historical monuments of national interest and even
    fossils of dwarf dinosaurs, which are quite unique in the world. Then we took a
    trip to Via Transilvanica, Romania’s longest hiking trail linking various
    sites, which are part of the UNESCO World Heritage. From there we took you to
    wine cellars, which are keeping real treasures for wine connoisseurs. We learnt
    about special visiting programmes including trips around the vineyards
    accompanied by experts who can provide valuable information about the
    wine-making process and most importantly, the wine-tasting sessions.



    After the presentation of the adventure tourism and bicycle
    touring, at the end of the year we invited you to spend the winter holidays in
    Romania. We talked about Christmas fairs and the New Year’s Eve. 2024 seems to
    be a year also very rich in travel offers. So, stay with us in the New Year in
    order to learn more about Romania and its most beautiful tourist sites.



  • Alba Iulia, Romania’s other capital city

    Alba Iulia, Romania’s other capital city

    We’re heading today, towards Transylvania. We want to
    hit our destination, dubbed Romania’s other capital city, the town of Alba Iulia, which
    stands out thanks to its Vauban-type fortress, built in the 18th century, in
    the shape of a star. The fortress in Alba Iulia is described as Europe’s second most relevant such
    settlement, being outranked by a similar fortress in Luxembourg. Here you can also
    find the Batthyaneum, a library extremely well-stocked in rare
    manuscripts. However, we shall also discover a modern town, with an eventful
    cultural agenda. Our destination today boasts Romania’s strongest national
    symbolism. Or at least that is what the mayor of Alba Iulia municipal town, Gabriel
    Pleșa, told us.


    It is here that the first Union
    of 1600 was accomplished, under the scepter of Michael the Brave. Then, in 1918, the December 1st Great Union
    Act was accomplished; it was Romanians’ centuries-old dream come true.
    Also on October 15, 1922, the confirmation of the Romanian unitary state was achieved
    through the coronation, in Alba Iulia, of King Ferdinand
    I and Queen Mary, a centennial which in 2018 we celebrated with great pomp and
    loads of people attending. These are three key moments of the town and of the
    Romanian people! However, our listeners need to know Alba Iulia has been
    documented more than 2,000 years ago. Every step you take in the city, you’re literally
    treading on history. Part of the Roman castrum was preserved and also art of the medieval fortress, while the gem
    of the town is, obviously, the most recent fortification, the one the Austrians
    erected over 1715 and 1728, the Alba Carolina fortress, built after Vauban’s
    plans. It is a very well-kept fortress, with forts, counterforts, with bastions.

    The Princes’ Palace, just like many other monuments in Alba
    Iulia, has an old history, linked to figureheads and events that where highly consequential
    for the history of Transylvania and even for the history of Europe. The edifice
    is representative for the Transylvanian Principality’s days of glory when for
    more than 150 years, the fate of the region was decided in Alba Iulia. At the moment, restoration works are in full swing for
    the Princes’ Palace.

    Gabriel Plesa once
    again:


    All historians who were
    here doing their research told us it would be Transylvania’s most important building.
    It was here that the Transylvanian Assembly was held for 160 ago. Also, it was here
    that we had the Throne Hall for Michael the Brave, the Enlightenment Princes Gabriel
    Bethlen and Rákóczi I, Rákóczi al II-lea, Sigismund Báthory. Practically, it
    was the town of Alba Iulia’s opening towards education through its first university,
    established 400 years ago by Enlightenment prince Gabriel Bethlen prior to the battle of Mohács and the
    principality’s falling under the sway of the Ottomans. It is a very important one,
    the period after the conquest of the Transylvanian principality by the Habsburgs,
    it was a time when roads were built, the fortress was built, a network of
    railways was built, and so many other things.


    Here is mayor Gabriel Plesa once again, this time telling us we’re
    always in for pleasant surprises in Alba Iulia. Also, Gabriel Plesa announced the
    inauguration of a new tourist asset in town.


    We have been carrying a project through which we have already started works for the restoration of the house that belonged to the town’s first
    Romanian mayor after 1918, lawyer Camil Velican. It is a house that will be
    smack bang in the center of the town and which will also be a new tourist asset. Actually,
    it was here that, in the days ahead of the Great Union, all the official documents were signed. The Steering Council, The National Romanian Council, carried all its
    works in the Velicans’ house. That house was nationalized
    during the communist regime, being ceded to various institutions and throughout
    the years, its level of degradation was very high. We bought it from an
    inheritor, and from the bottom of our hearts we hope we can refurbish it. We got
    hold of part of the original furniture, part of the furniture is with Romania’s
    Museum of National History in Bucharest and they promised we shall receive it,
    since they did not have it exhibited, so there we are, it will be a new
    attraction for those travelling to Alba Iulia.


    The town of Alba Iulia is well-known thanks to the events
    staged to celebrated the National Day of Romania, on December 1st.
    However, the town’s cultural agenda goes way beyond that.

    Gabriel Plesa:


    If you want to keep your tourists, you cannot
    just offer them only vestiges, since they come, they see, return to their cars
    and drive away. Reason enough for us to have a list of beautiful events, for which
    we gave the start when we had the Museum’ Night on May 13. On June the 1st we have the Land of happiness, a playing
    festival. We have a Super Rally first leg in Alba Iulia. It will be a circuit, just
    lie in Monaco, on the municipal town streets and the interest for that seems to
    be very high. Then we stage Alba Fest, the Days of the Town over June 23 and
    25th. There are three days of fine concerts and many other events, we
    have thew Feast of Music, held over July 14 and 16. Again, there are three days
    of good music. We stage Rowmania, the rowing
    contest on river Mures, initially staged by the late Ivan Patzaichin, a friend
    of the town of Alba Iulia. Over August 11 and 15, you are
    invited to the Apulum Roman Festival. There will be 300-400 actors for the historical
    reenactment and over 20, 25 troupes from all over the world will come to Alba Iulia
    for combat demos, they will exhibit their apparel and the trades, the old crafts.
    As an absolute first, we stage the European Historical Target Archery Championship.
    Over August 4 and 13, you can see several hundreds of athletes, arriving from all
    over the world. The contest will be held in the area of the fortress.


    These are only a few of the events staged throughout the
    year! And rounding them off is the weekly performance provided by the changing
    of guards in Alba Iulia Fortress. With
    details on that, here is the mayor of Alba Iulia Municipality, Gabriel Plesa.


    The Austrian guard of the
    fortress built by the Habsburgs is active on Saturdays and Sundays at 12 pm.
    We’re most likely going to extend the program, on Tuesdays and Wednesday ,during
    holidays and vacations. Then on Fridays, at 7 pm, in front of the fourth gate,
    in front of the Roman-Catholic Cathedral, the re-enactment show will be held,
    featuring gladiators and those of the 13th Gemina Legion. The show
    is extremely popular, we stage it jointly with the Living History NGO, with some
    of the employees of the National Museum of the Union but also with very, very
    many volunteers. We mull over staging a similar event in the future: the triumphant
    entrance of Michael the Brave in Alba Iulia. We’re still considering how we’re
    going to do that and how often. It was a key moment, that of November 1st,
    1599, when after the battle of Selimbar Michael the Brave entered Alba Iulia.


    Accessing the site turism.apulum.ro, you can get details
    on the historical objectives, you can see the timetable of the events ad you will
    get info on the public transportation conditions or accommodation recommendations.







  • Tourism Fairs in Bucharest

    Tourism Fairs in Bucharest


    The autumn edition of Romania’s Tourism Fair was held in Bucharest over November 10 and 13. Visitors had the chance to find out about the newest and the most interesting tourism offers. Participating in the fair were travel agencies, accommodation and leisure units but also local tourism authorities, national and international. Apart from the promotions offered ahead of the coming winter holidays, travel aficionados could buy tourism packages for up to 50% off the market price, The event was jointly staged by the Romexpo Exhibition Centre, Romania’s Chambers of Commerce and Industry and Romania’s Travel Agencies Owners’ Association.



    A biologist with the Iron Gates Nature Park Administration, Amalia Dumbravă has invited us to explore a protected area of national interest, lying in south-western Romania, an area with a very special ethnic and biological diversity.



    We have come up with a cross-border project, by means of which we promote nature heritage but also cultural assets, from Romania and Bulgaria. A series of virtual tours will be on offer as an invitation, so that people may become aware of the beauty of the scenery, and in a bid to invite people to explore the habitat of the nature parks, of the protected areas. The project has kicked off already. The included assets have already been scanned in a 3D format, using the specific technology and photogrammetry. Tourist can simulate a flight over our territory. There where there is something they might be interested in, they can have a stopover at the 3D assets.



    Techirghiol is a balneal resort on the Romanian Black Sea Coast. Lying at 16 kilometers from Constanta, on the shores of Techirghiol lake, it is open all year round. Techirghiol is known for the qualities of the mineralized salty waters and the sapropelic mud, used in the treatment of several serious or less serious conditions. With details on that, here is an inspector with Techirghiol Municipality’s projects department, Melisa Regep.



    I have come to the Tourism Fair as part of a project. The project is themed Enhancing tourism attractivity in Techirghiol balneal resort, and is carried through We Promote the Town, an operational-sectorial project which has seen a very beautiful development, with the lake shore promenade and the pier, with cycle paths, with offers of treatment with our famous mud. As we speak, we are Romania’s top-of the-chart balneal resort and we won a great number of awards. Our treatment facilities are open all year round. Of these, the most famous is the Techirghiol Sanatorium. Following is Saint Mary Monastery, a renowned asset, with its own treatment facility .



    A great many craftsmen participated in Romanian Tourism Fair’s Autumn Edition. Nicolae Les is the son of Dan Les, a potter. Nicolae promotes the tradition of pottery.



    The trade was handed down to me by my father and by my grandfather. We work in ceramic. We draw our inspiration from the Maramures traditional ceramic, to which we add a significant contemporary touch, through color or through shape. We’re mostly visited by foreign tourists from Germany, Belgium, France, Great Britain, the United States of America. Foreign tourists seem to better appreciate the tourist potential in our region. They’re very happy with what they got as they go back home. They recommend us, also taking with them, further afield, beyond frontiers, our story, the story of Maramures.



    Claudiu Dobrican is a head councilor with Maramures County Council. He told us Maramures was a brand in itself.



    It has compelled recognition thanks to our unsophisticated people who open up their hearts to their guests. When you come over, they would offer you the best food and the best plum brandy. Apart from that, we have lots of tourist assets. In Borsa, we have the most modern ski slope in Maramures, it was opened last year. It is 3.6 kilometers long. We have our towering peaks, also in the region of Borsa. Maramures is divided in four regions. The Lapus Country, The Chioar Country, The Codru (Woods) Country and the Historical Maramures. Country. In historical Maramures, you can see lots of traditional Maramures gates, monasteries. We have Europe’s tallest wooden church, a UNESCO monument. Also, the Barsana monastery is renowned for its beauty. In Săpânța, the Merry Cemetery is the main asset. We have Christmas and New Year’s Eve Party offers. The New Year’s Eve Party offers have been kind of sold out, but we also have some available offers for Christmas. At that time of the year, you can see lots of traditions, you can hear authentic carols. We wholeheartedly wait for you in Maramures, a place of wonder.



    Georgiana Ungureanu works for the Targoviste-based Princely Court Museum Compound. At the fair, Georgiana presented Dambovita County, which has a wide range of tourist assets.



    We have a beautiful mountain region, where we can find the Ialomita-Bucegi cave, but also a special town, Targoviste, with the Chindia Tower while nearby Bucharest, only 30 kilometers away we can find the Brancoveanu Palace in Potlogi. I would invite the tourists to visit the Bucegi Mountains’ mountainous region. Apart from the Ialomita Cave, they can see the Bolboci Lake. In another development, inside the Ialomita Cave, tourists can discover a breathtaking waterfall and a route upgraded according to European standards, with platforms and small bridges. At this time of the year, in winter, they will see icy stalactites and stalagmites.



    Niculai Barbă is the vice-president of Suceava County Council. As an absolute first, Niculai Barba told Radio Romania International that, in Bukovina, 2023 would be the Ciprian Porumbescu Year. Therefore, a great number of events will be staged, dedicated to the renowned Romanian composer whose compositions were selected for the Romanian but also for the Albanian anthem.



    This year, even though Bukovina means tradition, we have also come up with a couple of new things. It is for the first time ever when the County Council and the National Tourism Promotion and Information Centre have come up with other tourism-involved institutions. Specifically, it is about several municipalities that will be part of a future organization known as Bukovina Tourism Management. It will have a regional scope and, in effect, it will be the first organization of its kind established at national level. At this edition of the fair, apart from the tourism promotion for the County of Suceava, you can also find craftsmen, local cuisine, especially targeting the winter holidays. All these will be rounded off by stage performances of the Ciprian Porumbescu professional artistic ensemble. It is our usual way of promoting Bukovina. At the fair, we mainly focus on the promotion of the Christmas feast. This year, allow me to tell all our listeners that the Christmas celebration in Bukovina means Christmas in the family. We are prepared to receive our guests, with their entire family.



    Also as part of the Tourism Fair, the Entrepreneurship and Tourism Ministry has launched the Cultural-Tourist Route known as Traditional Craftsmen and Traditional Crafts from Romania. (EN)





  • Romania’s breathtaking landscapes: past into present

    Romania’s breathtaking landscapes: past into present


    Were heading, today, towards Hateg Country, a historical and ethnographical region. Putting to good use all the assets of the region, here we can find the Hateg Countrys Dinosaurs Geopark. It is a UNESCO site, currently under the administration of the University of Bucharest. It is a realm of authentic stories, based on scientific research and made sense of in a language which is accessible to the lay public. University lecturer Dr Alexandru Andrasanu is the coordinator of UNESCOs International Geoparks program. He will be our guide today.



    “The geopark actually encompasses the entire Hateg Country. It is a UNESCO international brand, including 12 localities in Hunedoara County, in south-western Transylvania, It is part of an international network of 177 territories in 46 countries. Were proud we are Romanias first UNESCO site. The land of Buzau is soon to be the second UNESCO site. So we have a precious heritage, nay, we have a territory where the story of the earth blends into the story of the people”.



    The nature area was officially declared a Nature Park in 2004. Since 2005, the geopark has gained acceptance in the European Geoparks Network and in the Global Network. It was South-eastern Europes geopark to have been granted this international status, in 2005. Here is Dr Alexandru Andrasanu once again, with details on that.



    “The scientific activity proper began more than 100 years ago, when the first dinosaur bones were discovered. Then there were also the dinosaur eggs that were completed by the fossil remains of several animals that used to live here more than 70 million years ago. Of course, the most interesting are the famous Transylvanian dwarf dinosaurs. They are called dwarfs because an island used to be here 70 million years ago. The dinosaurs, in millions of years, had become smaller than their relatives, yet they were more interesting. With them, we find a great many other remains, from flying reptiles, to turtles, lizards, mammals. It is a fascinating story of the Earth, and a one-of-a-kind story, at that. Starting off from the scientific story, we went the whole hog and built the international geopark, which is an entire territory in its own right, where science blends into peoples legends, into the landscape. Also, we should not overlook the fact that the Hateg Country comes up with discovery and educational routes.”



    The area has become increasingly tourism-prone, yet it is not mass tourism were having. It is “discovery tourism”, according to university lecturer Dr Alexandru Andrasanu, the coordinator of UNESCOs International Geoparks program.



    “We can discover nature, the people, the landscapes. By “nature” I mean Hateg Country, the Retezat and Sureanu Mountains we can see around us. But then we can travel to Hunedoara, Deva, or to Sarmisegetusa Regia. The routes are quite diverse. We, for instance, can suggest a route along the Dinosaurs Valley. As of late, apart from the spots we ourselves have arranged, where the first dinosaur bones were discovered, a fun park has been opened, promoting the dinosaurs of Transylvania. There are replicas of a couple of dozens of dinosaurs and other elements of attraction. Also, we tell the Volcanoes Tale. You can also take a route including the 12th century church in Densus and the Volcanoes House. Here children and adults alike can participate in specific educational activities so they can find out more on the volcanoes that used to erupt here, in the dinosaurs time. “



    However, you can also choose routes where nature blends into tradition. Dr Alexandru Andrășanu



    “You can visit the 13th century Calvinist-Reformed Church in Sântămăria-Orlea, a daffodils glade, the recently-restored 14th century Malaiesti fortress. Then you can head towards the Retezat National Park Visiting Centre. And, if you travel a little bit further than Hateg Country, you can take the route to Pestera Bolii, the Sickness Cave and to Petrosani. There are routes taking you to our exhibition, the Geopark House, where we can discover a story about griffins, dragons and dinosaurs. Then you can take the route to the ruins of the Roman fortress in Sarmisegetusa Ulpia Traiana or the Ostrov Church, founded in 1360, or to Clopotiva, a traditional village, or to Cetatea de la Colți, which are very beautiful. Then, if you come from the Prislop Monastery, in Hunedoara you can hit the Corvins Castle. A tourist arriving in the Hateg Country can visit a number of assets, can take up trekking routes, can climb the Retezat Mountains, by foot or by bike. The scenery is definitely rural, it is a depression surrounded by mountains. Right now I am here and there is still snow in Retezat. It is a fairy-tale scenery.”



    For more info on the routes, you can visit the parks Internet page, at hategeoparc.ro. There is also a Facebook page and an Instagram account. Those who reach Hateg can have a stopover at the information centre and the exhibition of griffins, dragons and dinosaurs, where there also is a reconstruction of the regions most ferocious dinosaur. It is the Bondoc Griffin, bearing a Romanian name.



    The area is continuously growing, but not necessarily in terms of number of tourists, but in terms of attractions and diversity of activities. With details on that, here is University lecturer Dr Alexandru Andrasanu, the coordinator of UNESCOs International Geoparks program.



    “The partnership we have with the Countys Tourism Promotion Directorate is very close. The latters development vision includes our geopark as well. On one hand, our projects target a more extended area in our county, on the other hand, were encouraged to use the new technology, the augmented reality in order to fill in what cannot always be explained in words, all the more so as we speak about lost worlds. Therefore, we try to give visitors the chance to enrich what they see with reconstructions based on scientific research. The geopark is administered by the University of Bucharest, and underlying all our projects are the scientific results of our colleagues, but also of researchers in other universities, from Romania and around the world.”



    So here is a destination for all, but mostly for families. There are a great many children who come here with parents and grandparents, mainly because they want to find out the story of the dinosaurs, the volcanoes the plants and the mountains.


    (EN)




  • Romania’s Tourism Fair

    Romania’s Tourism Fair

    The spring edition of Romania’s Tourism Fair was held
    over February 18 and February 21. It was a special edition, held exclusively
    online, enabling exhibitors to display their holiday offers for the most
    attractive domestic destinations. Also, online visitors of the fair had the
    opportunity to compare accommodation and transport fees straight on the
    platform, which also included gadget offers and holiday accessories.


    Delia Botan is Romexpo marketing manager. She gave
    us details about the success of Romania’s Tourism Fair’s first online edition.


    Delia Botan:


    The Romanians have a tremendous urge to explore the
    world, and that was obvious at the virtual version of Romania’s Tourism Fair.
    Ten thousand people registered for this edition and made roughly 32,000 visits
    on the platform, for the four days of the fair. The exhibitors’ offer was
    extremely generous for the visitors of our platform. All in all, promoted as
    part of this virtual edition were Romania’s most beautiful touristic areas, which
    were represented, as usual, by county councils and municipalities. Practically,
    we could say our visitors had their fair share of the most comprehensive
    digital experience in the field of tourism, being a couple of clicks away from
    purchasing their much-desired holiday, at once enjoying the leisure of their
    own home.


    The Descoperimromania.ro platform was one of the
    exhibitors. The platform presented the most beautiful and the most attractive
    destinations. With details on that, here is project manager Alina Rosoiu who
    also disclosed virtual visitors’ areas of interest.


    Alina Rosoiu:


    Tourists are interested in Romania, in traditions, in
    special accommodation units with a limited number of rooms. This year,
    tourists’ interest in hotel compounds has been on the wane. Extremely sought-after
    are the little guesthouses and agro guesthouses. We have a special interest in the
    Danube Delta, in the Romanian Black Sea coast, in Maramures and, last but not
    the least, in Bukovina. We have very good offers for tourists. For instance,
    Easter Holiday packages start from 200 Euros, for a stay in the Danube Delta, and
    from 150 Euros for a stay in the Danube Gorges. The pandemic, which is still
    ongoing, may scare us, yet we need to know Romania is a safe destination. We do
    our best for our guests’ safety. We’re waiting for you and we comply with all
    the sanitary safety standards in place. We’re in the middle of nature, so there
    is a minimum amount of risk. Accommodation units abide by the sanitary
    protection requirements, so it should be no problem for you to visit Romania.


    One of the most sought-after destinations at the fair
    was Maramures, as expected. Maramures
    County Council’s head of the Public Relations Department, Laura Danci, gave us
    the details on that.


    Laura Danci:


    The stand of Maramures this year was not as lively as
    it was in the previous years, sadly, because of the pandemic. We were present
    only through an online platform, yet we did have a couple of offers and we also
    came up with a new site, Visit Maramures. The offer we have come up with at the
    Tourism Fair was labelled ‘Twelve reasons to visit Maramures’ while on our new
    site, Visit Maramures, we have covered just about everything Maramures had to
    offer to tourists, from gastronomy, traditional craftsmen to cultural tourist
    routes, to landscape. In the previous years we also launched an application for
    mobile devices, Visit Maramures, where we made available all tourism
    information centers, all the guesthouses. Yet we thought that a website will be
    a lot easier to access by everybody. We took part in the fair, and the feedback
    we got was quite good. We had very many visitors, even online. Hundreds of visitors
    asked us what they could visit in Maramures and what a surprise we had, in
    three days alone, the site had 2,047 views.


    Carmen Păun is Head of the Marketing and PR Office
    of Oltenia’s Museum in Craiova, Ms Paun invites us to take a cultural trip to
    southern Romania.


    Carmen Paun:


    It has been a privilege for us, as a cultural
    institution, to receive an invitation from Romania’s Tourism Fair, the virtual
    edition, 2021. Our products have met the demands of our public, whose interest
    in digital consumption is growing: information, education, entertainment. Our
    offer entirely focused on these three components. We started off from the idea
    that the scope of a museum and its cultural products needs to go beyond the
    physical confines. So we created cultural products meant to draw the public
    especially through visual impact and then through the information we offer.


    The Museum of Oltenia is an institution which is more
    than 105 years old, it is a cultural landmark for the area of Oltenia, having a
    regional importance.


    Carmen Paun:


    It manages an impressive heritage, of which 570 items
    have been included in the treasure category. We do our job in four separate
    buildings, right at the heart of Craiova, always awaiting our visitors with our
    12 essential permanent exhibitions of three sections that we have. Also, we
    have three interactive areas and two modern conference rooms. So what we got is
    a huge potential Oltenia’s cultural sector in Craiova offers to the public. As
    of late we have also promoted educational programs. We have digitalized the
    content of our exhibitions extensively.




    Thanks to the local administration, since 2016, Dolj
    County has had a cultural-artistic route, labelled Dolj history and
    traditions, with five major assets: the Bania House, the history and
    archaeology section, and two semi-fortified buildings, cule, in
    Romanian, located in the commune of Brabova. For the refurbishment of the two cule
    alone, more than one million Euros has been invested .


    We have also reached Transylvania and we spoke to
    Sturza Ileana, with the Zlatna Tourism Promotion and Information Center.


    Sturza Ileana:


    Our virtual
    tourism information and promotion stand covered the accommodation units in the
    region, natural tourist assets, the anthropic ones, the region’s specific
    traditions and the tourist routes. For lovers of nature, we have two, maybe
    three-hour routes, but also routes lasting 13 to 14 hours or even a couple of
    days. I should also like to mention the natural assets, the limestone blocks in
    Valea Mica, the Fenes Gorges, the Bulbuci Rock. For those who are into climbing
    and sports climbing, the Fenes Gorges and the Bulbuci Rock are the perfect
    destination. We have received collaboration offers from travel agents, from
    other tourism operators and I think we have made ourselves more visible that
    before. I can infer that from the great number of viewers we had.


    Access was free of charge to the virtual edition of
    Romania’s Tourism Fair. The virtual stands could be accessed from anywhere,
    while special offers were found very quickly, thanks to the intelligent
    filtering system.