Radio România Internațional

Tag: resorts

Romania in mini-holiday

The Orthodox Easter, celebrated on May 5^th, this year happens to be very close to Labour Day and that has offered the Romanians a spring mini-holiday, which ends on Monday, May 6^th. Almost two thirds of the Romanians choose to spend this holiday at home, mainly people over 60 years of age and those with small incomes – says a recent survey.

13.5% of the respondents say they don’t celebrate at all this day, while those who chose to take a trip on this day account for 12.5 %. As Labour Day is considered the beginning of the summer holiday very few of the respondents, 3.4%, say they go to the seaside for this holiday.

However, over 50 thousand tourists are going to be in the seaside resorts on the Romanian Black Sea coast. In the sunny resorts of the south, like Vama Veche and Costinesti, parties have already kicked off. Thousands of young people from Romania and abroad have arrived at Mamaia North for the electronic music festival Sunwaves.

According to organizers, 100 Romanian and foreign artists are to attend the aforementioned festival, which is to last for seven nights on the beach. Anti-drug enforcers have also arrived in the area in an attempt to convince the participants to stay away from banned substances. The participants are encouraged to be able to identify first-aid centers, refrain from drinking to excess and be cautious regarding strangers who may offer them drugs concealed as food, drinks, medicine or cigarettes. In case of special situations they are encouraged to directly contact anti-drug experts or call the emergency number 112 in case of health-related issues. A spokeswoman for the Interior Ministry, Monica Dajbog, has told Radio Romania that measures have been taken to ensure public order and for intervention in emergency situations. Around 25 thousand policemen, gendarmes, border police, firefighters and troops from other structures of the Interior Ministry have been deployed to enforce law and order during this mini-holiday in Romania, with emphasis on travel resorts, churches and other crowded places, such as rail stations and airports.

Over 200 public events are to be staged in this period, which are expected to bring together roughly 167 thousand people. 2.6 million believers are expected to attend religious services at 12,200 churches on the Holy Night of Easter.

According to surveys, though, the number of those willing to travel on Easter holidays is around 16%, five percentages higher than last year. However, most of the Romanians, roughly 80%, intend to spend Easter with their families at home, while three quarters of them want to attend religious services on the Holy Night of Easter.

(bill)

2 May 2024
A mini-holiday in early June

Mountain resorts and spas, the Danube Delta or
the seaside resorts on the Black Sea coast were top tourist destinations for
many Romanians during the Pentecost mini-holidays, according to data provided
by the employers associations in the hospitality industry in this country. The
most sought after proved to be the three-four star hotels and guesthouses as
many of these accommodation facilities had been completely booked many weeks
ahead.

Romania’s railway company CFR Travelers sold all
its tickets to seaside and mountain resorts on the Prahova Valley and had to supplement
the number of its trains to Suceava, in northern Romania and to Craiova in the
southwest. As expected, tens of thousands of tourists opted for the seaside,
motivated by the fair weather and cheap fees at the beginning of a new summer
season.

According to hotel owners, beaches were
surprisingly full at the beginning of the present holiday season, with the
resort of Mamaia on top of the ranking in terms of the number of tourists. Like
in the past, Mamaia proved to be the resort of the night clubs and of those
willing to party late into the night. Accommodation fees here started from the
equivalent of 27 Euros per night in three-star hotels to 44 Euros bed and
breakfast in four-star hotels and to roughly 100 Euros for all inclusive. The
other resorts which fared well in the ranking were Eforie as well as Venus and
Saturn in the south.

Mountain resorts also reported a higher number of
tourists thanks to the good summer weather. Many tourists preferred the
guesthouses in Bukovina, north-eastern Romania, where rooms had been booked as
early as last winter, in an area, which is also famous for its exquisite
cuisine and traditions. All over the country, the authorities resorted to a
series of measures aimed at ensuring the best conditions for this mini-holiday.

Police troops, gendarmes and firefighters were
deployed in large numbers to many travel destinations and measures to ease
border traffic had been implemented at the country’s main checkpoints. A good
number of Romanians chose to spend their holidays abroad in Bulgaria or Greece,
so Romania’s southern border checkpoints proved to be the busiest of all. Long
queues were also reported at Romania’s western border with Hungary after some
Romanians had opted for travel destinations in the West.

(bill)

6 June 2023
Spa resorts in Romania

Romania holds one third of Europe’s thermal waters and
60% of its mineral water reserves. From the point of view of accommodation, the
share of spa tourism in the Romanian tourism is between 20% and 25%. It is a
dynamic field, with changes from one year to the next, with a strong development in rural areas. Together with our guest today, Nicu Rădulescu,
the president of the Romanian
Spa Tourism Employers’ Association, we will look at the most sought-after destinations as well as at spa treatments.

Nicu Rădulescu: Most accommodation facilities can
be found in the resorts of Băile Felix, Călimănesti-Căciulata and Sovata. There
is a massive concentration of accommodation there. There are three large
resorts, which also have a historical tradition. Of course, we should not
forget about the so-called ‘old lady’ of the Romanian spa tourism, Băile Herculane
resort. However, modernization works were undertaken mostly in these three
resorts, where much more was invested. Now we are also waiting for major
investments to be started by my colleagues in Băile Herculane. There are
already a few daring investors who have done some special things, but
expectations are much higher, because Băile Herculane resort is indeed an area
with a lot of resources, both spa and ecotourist.

Spa treatments
have a long tradition, Romania being among the first countries in the world to
create a scientific society of balneology and climatology. We asked our guest,
Nicu Rădulescu, the president of the Employers’ Organization of Spa Tourism in
Romania, if we can combine spa treatment with the passion for history.

Nicu Rădulescu: Spa
resorts boast extraordinary histories. For example, many extraordinary events
took place in Băile Herculane spa resort. It was part of an empire; it went
through wars. There are other smaller resorts too. Germisara resort is as old
as Herculane resort, although it is perhaps less famous. Geoagiu Băi resort was
called Germisara. The resort of Slănic Moldova, for example, was visited by
ruler Alexandru Ioan Cuza, who discussed with his fellow Romanians about the
historical events that were to take place: the Small Union and the Great Union.
So, we have every reason to believe that these resorts, both in the days of
yore and in the more recent centuries, in the 19th century, were,
indeed, not only vestiges of culture, but also places where extraordinary
people met, who organized various events. So, spa resorts have an extraordinary
history and a large part of them is located in natural parks, which really
gives them even more brilliance. Nowadays, we are talking about a much more
sophisticated tourism than before. People come not only for treatments, but
also for walks on tourist routes, some come for canoeing and others for rock
climbing.

The year 2022
was characterized by a bigger flow of tourists to the spa resorts, over 90% of
them being Romanian tourists:

Nicu Rădulescu: Romanians
have begun to rediscover natural treatments in spa resorts. We have noticed
that, while 10-15 years ago the average age of tourists was somewhere over 50,
nowadays young people have started to come to spa resorts. Preventive treatment
has a very important role. Almost all 4-star hotels have, in addition to a
modern treatment base that provides treatment for those who have certain
ailments, spa and wellness centers which are well equipped and where young people
can come to take care of their health. We have tourists aged 20, 30, 35, so the
average tends to get lower. There haven’t been a lot of foreign tourists, about
10%, but this was because of the travel restrictions, of the war, of the
complex problems in Ukraine. Still, Romania is a safe destination and I’m sure
in the coming years we will get back to our traditional markets, like Germany,
Israel, France. On the other hand, the Romanian sea coast is in itself a huge
spa resort. At present, the Romanian seaside has the most complex natural
treatment elements, including the mud in Techirghiol, the sapropelic coal in
Eforie, the sea water itself. Our colleagues in Mangalia and those in
Techirghiol have achieved a true revolution in terms of spa medicine.

And here are
some offers as well. In Bǎile Herculane, a 7-night stay in a double room in May
costs EUR 540 per person, including a medical checkup and treatment for 5 days
as well as full board. In Bǎile Felix, a
7-night package in a 4-star hotel in a double room reaches EUR 950, complete
with a medical checkup, treatment for 5 days, half board and access to the Aqua Park, saunas and jacuzzi.

Nicu
Rǎdulescu, president of the Romanian Spa Tourism Employers’ Association, says
Romania is a quite active member of the European Spa Association:

Nicu Rădulescu: At present,
in terms of packages of services, of trained personnel, and of quality, we are
at European level. Our colleagues even received awards. In 2022, 3 spa resorts
were on the podium, winning various categories, which is something we could not
do 5-6 years ago. The interest shown by the line ministry in this respect may
contribute to this, and I strongly believe this sector deserves a strong
investment system through facilities offered by the government. Also, the
training of our medical personnel is highly respected at European level. We
have very good physiotherapists, very good professionals in the spa area, and
balneology as a science is well developed in Romania. There is a noteworthy
tradition in this respect, and the Physical Medicine and Balneology Institute
in Bucharest trains outstanding specialists.

As a rule, spa resorts are
located in areas with notable tourist potential, so when you book a stay there,
you will have an opportunity to mix treatments with visits to arts and crafts
centres, to various tourist sites and sports activities like hiking. (LS, AMP)

19 January 2023
Controls and fines during the pandemic

As Romania has recently seen a significant increase in the number of Covid infections following the latest relaxation measures, authorities have stepped up controls to see how the present health and prevention measures are being observed. They have recently focused on crowded tourist places, such as the Black Sea coast in the east of the country and the mountain resorts in the Prahova Valley, central Romania.

Teams made up of gendarmes, police troops and representatives of several authority institutions have run checks on various businesses and individuals in the HORECA industry in Romania. The authorities have reiterated that the campaigns main objective is the prevention of future outbreaks and not the idea of applying sanctions.

However, severe sanctions have been applied where the health and prevention rules have been blatantly violated. So, some resorts on Romanias Black Sea coast have seen fines of up to 35 thousand euros only in a night, whereas 170 HORECA locations have been checked and 100 fines have been given in the Prahova Valley. Roughly 180 people who refused to wear masks in public areas have been fined in Arges county, southern Romania. Fines of about 10 thousand euros have been applied to a company which failed to observe the prevention measures while staging a festival in Brasov, central Romania. A club has been fined and temporarily closed down in Bucharest last weekend.

On Friday night, about 8000 Interior Ministry employees applied fines of roughly 100 thousand Euros and according to the authorities the checking operations are likely to continue all throughout the state of alert mainly on the Black Sea coast as well as in other crowded places like trade centers, outdoor restaurants and clubs and cafes.

Interior Minister Marcel Vela has underlined that businesses refusing to comply with the prevention rules and regulations run the risk of having their license suspended. The official has informed that checking operations are to be stepped up as additional police troops have been deployed to various resorts on the Romanian Black Sea coast and voiced hope that beaches will remain open.

A hotline was inaugurated on July 4th for people to report any violation of the aforementioned prevention rules. We recall that with some exceptions the fines given in spring this year have been ruled as unconstitutional by Romanias Constitutional Court and more legal ways have been created for their cancellation. By early May, authorities had fined 300 thousand Romanians and the total value of fines stood at more than 120 million Euros. According to the Finance Minister, the sum is not that big as people had 15 days to pay half the fine and many of them even refused to pay.

(translated by bill)

6 July 2020
Prahova Valley

As a tourist area, it has its beginnings in the 19th century. That is when Peles Castle was built in Sinaia, and King Carol I established his summer residence there. This sparked a proliferation of mountain resorts, and today we look at what they have to offer to tourists nowadays.

Oana Constantinescu, secretary of the Association for Promoting and Developing Tourism in Prahova, has more: “The main tourist objectives I would recommend to a foreign tourist on Prahova Valley are Peles Castle and Cantacuzino Castle. Peles Castle in Sinaia has been the residence of royalty in this country since it was built. Cantacuzino Castle itself is an architectural jewel. It was built in the early 20th Century by Gheorghe Grigore Cantacuzino. I would also recommend Babele and the Sphynx, two stone formations, monuments of nature, in the Bucegi Mountains. They are the more impressive as they are natural. I would also recommend the Caraiman cross, which lies at high altitude.

Oana Constantinescu continues her presentation of this area, situated at the foot of the mountains: “Prahova Valley begins with the Posada area. The most popular resorts are Sinaia, Busteni and Azuga, but we recommend Breaza and Campina. There are lots of events here, and we also have architectural monuments, superb ones, such as the Iulia Hasdeu Mansion in Campina, and you can also find there traditional garb, such as peasant blouses made in workshops that use ancient techniques for decoration. The resorts of Sinaia, Busteni and Azuga are the most sought after by skiers and museum lovers. We have a novelty in this sense, too. In 2017 we opened the Sinaia Town Museum. It showcases the history of the town from its foundation, all the way to the present day. The museum lies in Stirbey Florescu Palace.

Prahova Valley is an area famous for winter sports, but there is a place where tourists can see for themselves how traditional clothing is made, right in the homes of the local craftsmen. Here is Oana Constantinescu again: “In Breaza we have workshops that provide tourists with a wholesale experience. They can watch the work that the craftsmen do, and, of course, they have access to a gift shop where they can purchase the finished products, colourful peasant shirts for men, women and children. Tourists can get information off dedicated websites, or from tourist information centres.

As much as a third of tourists visiting Prahova stop in Busteni, the second most popular resort in the area, according to Mihai Colesi with the Center for Tourist Information and promotion of Busteni, presenting us with the skiing situation: “The Kalinderu 1 and 2 ski slopes are functional, as well as the beginner slope. The Kalinderu 1 also has a night schedule. The Kalinderu 1 slope is 1,500 m long. It is not a long-range slope, and is aimed at medium and advanced skiers. The Kalinderu 2 slope falls into the same category. They are pretty fancy, with protection and signalling systems, and modern installations overall. We have four seat ski lifts. At the bottom of the slope we have rental centres for all seasonal winter sports enthusiasts.

Prahova Valley is the most popular vacation venue in Romania. As a result, events abound. Oana Constantinescu, Secretary of the Association for Promoting and Developing Tourism in Prahova, has told us about it: “The first event takes place in a few weeks. It is the Honey Fair in Campina, which runs between February 16 and 18, followed by a cheese festival, the Sinaia Forever Festival, as well as the Winter Airsports and the Sinaia Trophy. There is also a festival dedicated to fancy automobiles, bringing here vintage cars that are all fully functional. Prahova Valley is a venue for all seasons. In winter we enjoy the skiing amenities, but in any other season we have a wide range of activities available, mostly dedicated to trekkers and climbing enthusiasts. We also have lots of parks. You have many trails available, including for cycling. We have MTB cycling competitions, among them the best being in Campina. We have adventure parks in Busteni, as well as in Sinaia.

Oana Constantinescu recommends the Wine Route in particular. It follows an old Roman wine-trading route, which traversed Europe. You can visit the famous vineyards of the county, with stopovers at mansions and monasteries. For one day on this trail, starting in Bucharest, it costs 80 Euro per person, with availability for groups of up to 8. Large groups get discounts. Transportation is included in the price for going from Bucharest to Sinaia and Dealu Mare, with wine tasting, lunch and entry to tourist objectives, tour guides included as well. You get picked up at 9 AM and get back by 6 PM.

Oana Constantinescu: “The Wine Route is a tourist trail in the Dealu Mare- Urlati area. You can taste all the local wines where they are made. A tour like this lasts for a day. You can go from wine cellar to wine cellar, tasting the wines, seeing how they are made, as well as the vineyards. It is a unique experience, with the whole range of wines available. Our area boasts mostly red wines. For tourists in a hurry we have a few wine cellars in Azuga. You are eagerly awaited in Prahova Valley, we have a lot to offer, and we enjoy having visitors.

We have extended the invitation, it is up to you to follow up.

8 February 2018
December 24, 2017

TALKS – The Prime Minister of Romania, Mihai Tudose, accepted to meet the representatives of 43 NGOs active in the street protests initiated against the planned changes in the justice laws and the criminal codes. In a Facebook post, Tudose voiced his openness to dialogue and suggested that the meeting took place on December 27. The 43 organisations sent an open letter to the Prime Minister, expressing their willingness to contribute to dialogue, consultation and solutions, in full compliance with the rule of law, fundamental human rights and the democratic principles. New street protests were held on Saturday night in Bucharest and other Romanian cities, against the bills designed to amend the justice laws. On Friday, the Secretary General of the Council of Europe Thorbjorn Jagland sent a letter to the President of Romania Klaus Iohannis, urging him to request an opinion from the Venice Commission on the legislative reform already endorsed by Parliament.

CHRISTMAS – For Christian believers, today is Christmas Eve, with the last preparations for the Nativity, one of the greatest feasts of the Christian world. A widespread Christmas Eve custom in Romania, a mostly Orthodox country, is carolling, a ritual involving ceremonial texts, dances and gestures. The carollers symbolise the angels and shepherds who were the first heralds of the birth of Jesus. The Christmas Eve dinner differs from one part of the country to another, but in all regions it comprises fasting dishes and must be blessed by a priest first.

HOLIDAYS – Thousands of Romanians will be spending their holidays in mountain resorts. At the top of the travel destinations these days are the resorts in the Prahova Valley region in the south of Romania, such as Predeal, Sinaia and Buşteni, where occupancy rates are around 80%. In Bâlea Lac, in Făgăraş Mountains, the new Ice Hotel, the only one of its kind in Romania, has opened today. Most of the tourists having booked a room here come from abroad. Music is the chosen theme of this 13th ice hotel built at over 2,000 metres in Făgăraş Mountains. Each of the 15 rooms has been decorated with snow and ice sculptures representing Romanian and international music stars.

POLICE – In Romania, nearly 23,000 police, gendarmes and fire fighters are working every day throughout the Christmas holiday. Special attention will be paid to preventing public order incidents, fighting anti-social conduct, streamlining road traffic and check point transit, as well as to the management of emergency situations. Police workers and gendarmes will be present especially in crowded places like fairs, train stations, tourist resorts, as well as around over 16,400 churches, where special religious services will be held. Bulgarian-speaking Romanian policemen will also be part of joint patrols with their counterparts from the neighbouring Bulgaria, in the mountain resort of Bansko, until next March, providing support and assistance to the Bulgarian police. This is the 8th winter season when such joint missions are organised in Bulgaria.

TENNIS – The Romanian tennis player Simona Halep, number 1 in the world, plays today against the Czech Karolina Pliskova, no 4 WTA, in the Intercontinental World Tennis Championship finals in Thailand. On Saturday in the quarter-final, Halep defeated Britains Johanna Konta, 2-0, while Pliskova outplayed Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia, no 7 WTA. Ostapenko and Konta are playing on Sunday for the 3rd place in the competition.

(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

24 December 2017
On the Romanian Black Sea Coast

As an absolute first, this year the summer season on the Romanian Black Sea coast opened on April the 15. The resorts were fully prepared for that, the events plan had been drawn out, and tourists are well advised to book their accommodation in advance, as in certain hotels, the occupancy rate has been constantly growing, to reach even 100% at the weekend. Romantic walks along the sea shore, the beach and the sun, leisure opportunities, live concerts, loads of joy and merry-making, all these are defining traits for the Romanian Black Sea Coast. The president of the Black Sea Coast-Danube Delta Association Cristian Barhalescu has confirmed this years busy agenda:

Cristian Barhalescu: “In 2017, the Romanian Black Sea coast resorts have planned a variety of events, having first of all prepared their hotels and restaurants to the standards required by the Romanian and foreign market. The fact that for the May Day break we had 40,000 tickets sold for just one event in Mamaia, of which 8,000 were sold to foreigners, speaks volumes about how well we have prepared for this season. This summers most important event will be Neversea. It will be held over July 7-9 in Constanta, and we estimate that more than 50,000 people will show up, from across the country as well as from abroad. It was created under the Untold brand, bringing in the same kind of music as the famous festival of the same name in Cluj. It will feature DJs and top stars that will surely bring loads of satisfaction to those who will be on the seaside at that time.

The around 245 kilometres of beach from Sulina to Vama Veche next to the Bulgarian border, with 9 resorts that were declared resorts of national tourist interest, offering holidays for all budgets, as well as for all tastes, is what makes the Romanian seaside accessible to everybody.

Cristian Barhalescu: “The Romanian seaside facilities cater to all age categories. In the southern part of the sea coast we have all-inclusive resorts for children, just like in Mamaia. The Black Sea coast is also a destination for youngsters, who can have fun in Costinesti as well as in the northern part of Mamaia, where the night clubs are clustered. On the other hand, the elderly can head towards Mangalia, Techirghiol, Eforie Nord, Eforie Sud, where they have balneal treatment sessions. Tourists return from here healthier, with a lot more satisfaction, with the joy of living. The Romanian seaside is a pleasant experience given that as a rule people are not very familiar with Romania.

A strength for the Romanian seaside is the calm sea, with a low salt concentration as compared to other continental seas, with swimmers feeling quite safe, because there is no tide or dangerous sea creatures. Trips are also organised from the seacoast resorts to the areas nearby, the president of the Black Sea Coast-Danube Delta Association also said:

Cristian Barhalescu: “Depending on age and on specific interests, tourists may head towards historical sites, military museums, sea museums, as well as to archaeology or traditional arts and crafts museums. Also, there are performances, live concerts, and people can take trips in the region, to the Danube Delta or to the southern part of the coast, where they have the chance to discover absolutely fabulous places. If tourists love nature, four-wheel drive trips can be organised, they can have bike trips or can just take a walk through Dobrogeas forests. It will be a special experience. Dobrogea is one of the cradles of European civilization, and the regions ethnic diversity, comprising Jews, Romanians, Bulgarians, Russians, Lippovans, Greeks, Turks and Tartars, makes for an extremely colourful and pleasant image.“

Officially, the Black Sea coast can accommodates 90,000 tourists. In addition, there are lots of places for trailers and tents to be set up. Things keep improving, with new hotels and new investments, and tourists may expect surprises from one year to the next.

Cristian Barhalescu: “Each year we come into contact with foreign tourists who visit the Romanian seaside. They are surprised to see how good the conditions are here. The image of the country abroad is different. When foreign tourists come here and see that there is no difference to a western European country in terms of the quality of service, they are amazed.

Ana Maria Gheorghe is the head of the Business and Tourism Department with the Mangalia Town Hall, and she made a quick review of the resorts available:

Ana Maria Gheorghe: “Saturn is a quiet summer resort, with plenty of green areas, where tourists can enjoy the full benefits of natural cures. Venus is a place that lives up to its name, inspired by the goddess of beauty. Dozens of villas and bungalows have been built around the lake in the middle of the resort. The resort of Cap Aurora was set up in 1973, it was the last one to be built on the Romanian Black Sea coast. It lies on a strip 250 meters wide, one kilometre long. Jupiter is a resort set up in 1969 on the edge of Comorova Forest. It is a small and very cosy place. West of Comorova Forest you will find Neptun, a very stylish tourist destination.

The resorts in the south of the Black Sea coast are quieter, with fewer large scale events, best suited for those who seek some peace and quiet. However, last year Venus ranked third among the resorts on the Romanian seaside. Topping the standing were Mamaia and Vama Veche. Over the last few years, a number of all-inclusive four and five star hotels have opened in Venus. Vama Veche is also expected to be a top resort in 2017 as well.

6 July 2017
Spa Tourism in Romania

Some of the best known are Băile Felix, Borsec, Sovata, Buzias, Băile Tusnad and Herculane, but there are over 40 of them throughout the country. Spa tourism blends treatment and tourism, and the country has a wide offer in those terms. At the same time, spas are mostly placed in scenic locations, with thermal and mineral springs, medicinal mud and other natural remedies, all at an affordable price.

Rodica Pencea, secretary general of the Spa Tourism Employers Association, told us that most springs are certified by a special government organization, which is not the case abroad many times: “The quality and efficacy of these natural resources is special. We have lots of tourists who come for years to the same resort, exactly for our curative solutions. Our weak point is infrastructure, but the state of wellness people achieve is incomparable, and makes people come back once and again. Romanian spas are also picturesque places. Many of them are in mountainous areas, and some are around the Black Sea. They have around them historical and religious sites, as well as natural parks, where you can go for a relaxing stroll. People who come here for treatment or just relaxation feel the need for a change of scenery, once they get used to the schedule. Tourists can go on half-day or full-day visits to see the surroundings. Spas offer all that, and for foreign tourists, we have several airports used by the national airline, as well as low cost airlines, which are now all over the country. I think the prices in Romania are quite competitive.”

Rodica Pencea, head of the Spa Tourism Employers Association, keeps in touch with lots of foreign tourists, as well as with journalists: “Tourists coming here for treatment enjoy two things in particular. First they enjoy the efficacy of natural curative factors. If I were to be specific, they are mineral and thermal waters, medicinal mud, and medicinal inhalations, which are unique in Europe. These are the main three factors. The second reason for which tourists flock here is the professionalism of the medical staff, who help them get over the more difficult moments. I hope I got your attention with this, and encouraged you to come to Romania and see for yourselves at least two or three spas, because there is a lot to see, and you have the opportunity to treat many kinds of conditions.”

Traian Bădulescu, consultant for tourism and member of the FIJET Romania Tourism Press Club, told us that Romania has finally started to be competitive: “Over the last few years, we have had more and more hotels and other means of accommodation refurbished. We started having hotels with spa and wellness centers. Some of our resorts are top quality. For instance, in Băile Felix we have quality hotels, including a five star hotel with a huge spa. We have resorts such as Balvanyos, Covasna and Vatra Dornei, all sporting quality hotels. At the same time I am glad that other resorts, such as Băile Govora and Amara have a modern and competitive accommodation infrastructure. For instance, the seaside resort of Mamaia is tightly linked to the city of Constanta, the resort of Poiana Brasov is tightly linked to the city of Brasov. Băile Felix is linked to the city of Oradea, which is a beautiful historic city. Its old downtown has been restored to a beautiful state.”

Traian Bădulescu recommended us to go to Băile Felix to meet Diana Antonescu, marketing representative for tourism in the resort, who told us about their unbeatable offer: “We have packages for leisure tourism, spa treatment as well, because the resort is a spa. The Easter package is three nights in a double room, including breakfast, spa treatment, Easter lunch and access to the pools in four and three star hotels, and starts at around 70 Euro per person, at a two star hotel. For a four star hotel, prices can reach 125 Euro. One very interesting package is the Felix Spa package. It starts at five days, breakfast included, with a medical check by the spa physician of the hotel, with two procedures per person per day, free access to the pool and sauna, for three and four star hotels. Fees for a five day stay start at around 100 Euro for a two star hotel, reaching around 200 Euro for a four star hotel. These fees are valid before mid-July.”

George Sorin Niculescu, vice-president of the National Travel Agencies Association of Romania, recalls for us the tradition of spa tourism in Romania: “We encourage tourists from abroad to come to Romania, because this is quite rare in other countries. The results obtained by these spa treatments are spectacular, treating a wide variety of conditions. The most popular treatments are those for rheumatism, as well as respiratory diseases. Physicians make the medical recommendations, we make the tourism recommendations, so that tourists can get to know the resort and its surroundings. We also have natural monuments close to Băile Herculane and Covasna, such as caves and salt mines.”

2 March 2017