Radio România Internațional

Tag: tourism

  • A Profile of the Romanian Tourist 2015

    A Profile of the Romanian Tourist 2015

    In the last 10 years, between 2004 and 2014, and even in 2015, Romania underwent fundamental changes, economically and socially. Joining the EU, the economic crisis, and emerging out of the crisis, have influenced Romania, not only at a large scale level, but also at the small level, in terms of individual choices and habits. For instance, a recent study run by the National Association of Tourist Agencies indicates the fact that lately Romanians have started traveling more, with low-income people and seniors spearheading the trend. Adrian Voican, the head of the marketing commission of the above mentioned association, told us about the changes that have occurred in the last decade:



    “The most interesting thing to me is the fact that we have a 50% drop in the number of Romanians who dont go anywhere on vacation. If 10 years ago, 44% of Romanians said they did not go anywhere on vacation, in 2014 that figure was 22%. Half of those who used to not go on vacation have now become consumers. Then we can say that 50% of Romanians spend their holidays in the country, as was the case 10 years ago. What has changed? The number of Romanians who spend vacations abroad went up three times. 10 years ago these were a very small percentage, below 10%. Today, 24 to 25% of Romanians go abroad on vacation.



    The reason for this evolution is not just a change in the economic situation of Romanians, but also the rising diversity of tourist offers, dropping prices, and also a change in mentalities. Here is Adrian Voican:



    “Tourism is more accessible, more popular. 10 years ago, tourism was more a matter of luxury or of circumstance – for instance, some employees got vacation vouchers from their company – while retirees and seniors did not leave home at all. This has changed. Back then, a third of people going on vacation chose two-star accommodation. Today, only 15% still do so. 10 years ago, only 11% of vacationers had a budget of 1,000 lei or less. Back then, if you had a modest income, you simply did not go on vacation. Today, even the people allocating a 1,000 lei budget – a modest budget by 2014 standards – for vacation go somewhere, to the percentage of 36%. Why is that happening? We now have the system of early booking, which slashes prices significantly. Vacation is no longer a luxury, but has become a necessity, a consumer habit. A vacation is part of the regular spending basket, even for a family with modest earnings.



    We asked Traian Badulescu, a tourism consultant, about the destinations favored by these tourists:



    “Domestically, the main destination right now is the Black Sea and its resorts. Most tourists go on vacation in the summer, and right now we are at a point at which over 2 million Romanians go to the seaside for either the weekend or for weeklong stays. Highly sought after is also spa tourism, all over the country. Also, lately the Danube Delta has become more and more popular, through travel agencies. We cannot overlook mountain tourism either, which has always been a favorite with Romanians. We obviously also have rural tourism, but that is less favored in terms of going to village B&Bs through travel agencies. In spite of all that, this type of accommodation is more and more popular lately. It is true that another form of tourism that is in full development is adventure tourism. We have tourist clubs that organize such trips both at home and abroad. Exploration or trekking tourism is growing a lot.



    As expected, the favorite means of transportation right now is the airplane, even though 10 years ago most people traveled abroad by bus or coach. Today, 55% of tourists travel by plane, while a decade ago only 21% did so. We asked Traian Badulescu to which destinations Romanians are more inclined to fly:



    “In terms of foreign travel and summer destinations, Romanians prefer Greece by far, the number one destination right now. Next on the list are Turkey and Bulgaria, but also other destinations in the Mediterranean, such as Spain, Italy and Malta. These are preferred by Romanians, for their services, but mostly for proximity reasons. More and more Romanians choose European tourist circuits, including the UK and Ireland, but they are also going to remote locations, such as the Far East, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Latin America. Also, more and more opt for cruise packages. Mediterranean cruises are the most popular with Romanians. Even though most of them travel during summer, during winter they choose more and more city breaks in European cities. Also, during winter they opt more and more for mountain destinations, such as Austria, which has been number one for years now.



    In conclusion, Romanians prefer the seaside in the summer and the mountains in winter, a lot of times for the possibility of practicing winter sports.


  • Winter holidays in Suceava

    Winter holidays in Suceava

    This year, Suceava will celebrate 627 years since it was first documented. The city can be a perfect destination for this time of the year. High on the city’s cultural agenda: concerts, exhibitions, thematic parties, and folklore evenings.



    You can get to know the rich history of the area visiting the city’s monuments and museums. Claudiu Bradatan, manager of the Tourist Information Centre says you can go on one-day trips to see the sights around the city:



    Claudiu Bradatan: “At this time of the year, after the winter celebrations, there is plenty of accommodation, but more importantly, Suceava boasts a few sights of national importance such as the Princely Fortress, St. John Church of St. John Monastery and the Ethnographic Museum. The Bukovina Village Museum is the third largest in the country. Young people will surely be fascinated by the Natural Sciences Museum. There are enough attractions for a few days’ sojourn of a family with children. The Dragomirna Monastery, close to Suceava, could also be of interest to tourists. It has a special architectural design and the landscape around it is lovely.”



    The Bukovina Village Museum in Suceava is one of the recently established museums in Romania. It was opened in 1980. Entering the museum, you can walk along narrow alleys lined by households and their annexes. In the center there are the church and steeple of Vama village, going back to 1783. You can admire traditional furniture, ovens, various textiles and decorative objects, as well as folk costumes inside the houses. The Bukovina Village Museum in Suceava gives you an insight into important moments in the life of its residents: baptism, the wedding or the funeral. The admission fee is 1.5 Euro, the photography fee is 7 Euro and the filming fee is 12 Euro.



    Catalin Nechifor, president of the Suceava County Council says you shouldn’t miss a visit to that museum: “The Village Museum in Suceava boasts an impressive heritage. There you can see the mill, the traditional house and the church and become familiar with the customs in the area related to the funeral, the wedding and baptism. They are showcased by dummies, not by humans. But in the future, we’ll consider using humans too and equally bring to life the Princely Fortress of ruler Stephen the Great, lying next to the Village Museum.”



    A lot of cultural events will take place in Suceava this autumn. But that is not the only reason why Claudiu Bradatan, manager of the Tourist Information Centre recommends that you should visit the area this autumn: “I recommend autumn not only because of the variety of cultural events held at this time of the year, but also because of the lovely autumn landscape. Worth mentioning among the cultural events this autumn is the Medieval Festival in the Suceava fortress. The fortress, which was first documented in 1388, is undergoing overhaul; the project, which is to be completed in March, will throw a new light on the Princely Fortress of Suceava. In addition, all kinds of harvesting feasts take place in nearly all communes in Suceava County in autumn.”



    Medieval music concerts, historical playlets, tournaments, the knights’ torch parade, interactive shows are just some of the events taking place as part of the Medieval Festival in the Suceava Princely Fortress. For three days, you can also be initiated into the secrets of pottery or learn archery in the very fortress of the city.



    But if you get to Suceava in wintertime, Claudiu Bradatan recommends that you visit the city’s surroundings: “ We recommend you should head for the mountains. First, stop in the town of Gura Humorului. You can even ski there; there are two ski tracks: one of them is 1.3 km long and the other one, for beginners, is 500 m long. There is also a covered Olympic swimming pool in the Arinis park in Humor, where you can swim in winter too. Close to Gura Humorului there are two of the famous monasteries with outside frescoes: the Humor Monastery and the Voronet Monastery. Gura Humorului also boasts a special ethnographic museum. Leaving Gura Humorului and heading for the mountains, you can make a stop over at Pojorata, which is a new tourist destination. From Pojorata you can climb Mount Rarau to reach the Lady’s Rocks, a symbol of Bukovina. In the Pojorata area you can also ski on four tracks and skate on the skating rink. All trekking and mountain biking routes meet on Mount Rarau. Foremost Romanian and foreign climbers get together on Mount Rarau, where there are some 40 climbing walls.”



    Claudiu Bradatan says that most of the foreign tourists who came to the Tourist Information Centre in Suceava had already heard about Bukovina due to the very rich offer of active tourism. But whatever the time of the year, the city of Suceava and its surroundings will surely enthrall you.

  • Romania’s Autumn Tourism Fair

    Romania’s Autumn Tourism Fair

    Autumn is usually the time of the year when travel offers are launched both for the winter holidays and for the spring and summer of the coming year. So in TG today, we’ll look at the most tempting deals offered at the Tourism Fair of Romania.



    The winter holidays are a lot more enjoyable in a traditional setting, which is why two of the most sought-after destinations are Maramures and Bucovina.



    Lacramioara Beilic, representing the Bucovina Tourism Association, describes Bucovina is an appealing destination, which stands out thanks to its breathtaking landscape, warm and welcoming people and well-preserved traditions. As for the local cuisine, our interlocutor says it will certainly win over any tourist:



    “During the winter holidays, pork dishes, stuffed cabbage and pound cakes, all of them cooked according to traditional recipes, as well as drinks such as our berry brandies, are truly wonderful and will make tourists’ stay even more pleasant. Traditions are well preserved here, and we take particular pride in passing them on to the younger generations, so tourists will be able to see carols and other Christmas rituals performed by children. Prices are varied and depend on the services that are included in each package, ranging from bed-and-breakfast to all-inclusive deals.”



    According to our interlocutor, prices range from 180 to 270 euros per person per stay. In their turn, the representatives of the National Tourist Information and Promotion Centre in Bihor County, in north-western Romania, presented the main attractions in this region. Here is Soran Zdraur:



    “First of all, quite close to the county capital city, Oradea, there is a resort famous around the country for its thermal water: Felix. In the same region, places like Padis or Glavoi, with their caves and other tourist sites, are very attractive for visitors. In Padis for instance there are two caves, Chiscau and Meziad. During the winter holidays, carolers with horn-violins and other ritual songs and dances are quite spectacular. I think Bihor is Romania’s most beautiful county, with a great diversity of options for tourists.”



    In its turn, the city of Cluj-Napoca, in central Romania, is preparing for the holidays too. Just like in previous years, the city center will host the outdoor Christmas Fair. Here is Manuela Campean, head of the Cluj Napoca City Hall’s department for tourism and community relations, talking about what makes Cluj-Napoca worth visiting:



    “ We are very proud to say that next year Cluj will be the European Youth Capital, which means that we will be playing host to Europe’s biggest festival, held for 365 days running. You’re definitely in for loads of surprises and I just don’ want to give the game away. I think it is enough if I say that its Europe’s biggest festival, lasting 365 days, which means that we’re going to have at least an event every day, and this is more than anybody could hope for.”



    Straja resort is famous for its winter resorts, but also for its tourist assets, mountain routes and trips to Retezatu Mic and Retezatu Mare mountain ranges, to the waterfalls, to the Dacian fortifications or the Corvins’ Castle. Beside an invitation extended for everyone to come and visit the place every season, Sanda Morosan, who is the administrator of a chalet nearby, came to the fair with the season’s offers:



    “ First off, we are here with Christmas and New Year’ s Eve Party offers, but we also have fine offers for a skiing week in the resort. The Christmas package also includes the pig’ s alms on December 24, on Christmas Eve, and our tourists can rest assured they will have a taste of the genuine traditional Christmas just as it once used to be. We have carols on offer, including King’s carol, Santa is also coming, we prepare all products that are usually on the Christmas table. Our Christmas offers range from 400 lei for a three- or five-night package, to 900 lei, depending on the package, location and number of nights. For the New Year’ s Eve party, a five-night package with full board, all meals included, traditional festive dinner, alcoholic drinks included and fireworks included, costs between 1,400 and 1,800 lei per package. For the winter season, we have a very attractive offer, check in on Sundays and check out on Fridays, a five-night accommodation package, half board, starting from 450 lei. In the resort, we also have an adventure park which is functional in winter as well as during the summer. “



    Extremely sought-after as it may be, the resort of Sinaia was also present at the fair . Specialist Inspector Paul Popa, with Sinaia’s Tourist Information and Promotion Center, told us more about this year’ s firsts.



    ” We will be presenting one of our latest novelties, which means that we have managed to finalize the city’s refurbishment works. Both landscapes and architecture in the city centre have been completely refurbished and modernized. Also, we will present our offers for the ski season and the winner holidays season in Sinaia. “



    Most of the hotels in Sinaia have conference rooms, spa centers, relaxation and leisure centers, they have trips on offer, so that in Sinaia you can benefit from a complex package, just as our interlocutor has told us.



    The Romanian Black Sea coast was also well represented at the fair. Young women wearing bathing suits, reminding everyone of summertime pleasures, already announced the 2015 summer season offer, without forgetting to present opportunities to spend winter holidays at the seaside.