Tourist Offers for Young People

Romanias Ministry for SMEs, Business Environment and Tourism has recently launched the worlds first youth tourism cluster.

România Internațional, 09.10.2014, 14:03

Romania’s Ministry for SMEs, Business Environment and Tourism has recently launched the world’s first youth tourism cluster, a joint venture between the state and the private sector, aimed at attracting young foreign tourists to Romania. An annual 10% increase in the number of young foreign tourists traveling to Romania has been forecast officially. Tourist packages target people aged between 20 and 32, who travel abroad in search for new experiences, adrenaline, adventure and relaxation and usually opt for accommodation in hostels and cheap hotels. We asked Radu Vadeanu, a hostel manager in the county of Cluj, if Romania is a favorite with young foreigners.

Radu Vadeanu: ”The answer is definitely yes. There is a quite significant increase in the number of young foreign tourists visiting Romania. Those who come to Cluj are usually heading towards the Apuseni Mountains, while others are interested in the cities of Sighisoara and Brasov. In fact, there is a classical tourist route, as we call it, linking Cluj to Sighisoara, Brasov and Bucharest. Some of them choose to visit Maramures. These are the favourit tourist destinations in the area.“

Accommodation for one night costs around 12 Euros per person, breakfast included, says Radu Vadeanu, who has confessed he constantly keeps in touch with tourists.

Radu Vadeanu: “We get in touch with tens of foreign tourists every day. Our hostel can accommodate up to 50 people. We often spend time together and chat. This is a hotel for young people, which means 4 or 6 tourists sharing the same room, storage space and kitchen. They are usually cooking together and it is very interesting for them to share dishes they never tasted before. Booking rooms in advance is necessary only for the summer season.”

Apart from accommodation, the hostel offers 2 or 3-hour trips on special routes, in the company of guides. The hostel collaborates with a tourist agency, which offers visitors tourist packages in Transylvania. A guided tour of the city of Cluj costs 20 Euros per person, while a trip to the Apuseni Mountains costs 40 euros per person. Radu Vadeanu, also recommends a tourist package in Maramures.

Radu Vadeanu: ” The offer includes an overnight stay in a traditional village in Poienile Izei, a traditional evening with music and dance, traditional food, visits to several churches included on UNESCO’s heritage list and to the Sighet memorial, a must-see for foreign tourists coming to Romania. We can also organize trips by the narrow gauge train along the Vaser Valley for around 80 or 90 euros per person. “

Many young Europeans who come to Romania are quite familiar with the Euro 26 program. Florin Maxim, card manager for the Euro 26 Association of Romania, member of the European Card Association, explained to us what the advantages are:

Florin Maxim: “Euro 26 is a card for young people aged 14 to 30, distributed for free in Romania. It is a part of the European Card network, set up 28 years ago, at a European level. Right now the network includes 38 countries and 42 partner organizations. The European community now has 5 million young cardholders, 40 to 50 thousand of them in Romania. Euro 26 card holders get discounts and have dedicated special events and projects.”

Here are a few destinations recommended by Florin Maxim to young tourists:

VFlorin Maxim: “Bucharest is one of them, because here we have a lot of places that take the card: museums, theaters, entertainment venues, restaurants and clubs. Nightlife has developed tremendously in Bucharest, and young people are very interested in this. Other urban areas I would recommend are Timisoara and Cluj. The discount card network is well developed there too.”

We asked Radu Vadeanu, who runs a hostel in Cluj, where most of the foreign tourists to Romania come from:

Radu Vadeanu: “Most of them are from Europe, especially since low cost flights can land on the airport in Cluj, about three years ago. However, we have Americans too. Most times, though, Americans want to see several countries. As a result, they spend only a few days for Romania. We have Asians as well: Japanese, Koreans, but fewer. We have lots of memories of them, but one of the most interesting is of a Japanese man. We asked him what he liked most about Romania and his answer was quite surprising: he said he liked the sky. In Japan, because the city was so bright, he could never see the stars. When he came to our mountains, he saw fantastic skies, he thought it was a very special thing to see the night sky in all its splendor, here in Romania.”

Whether you choose to go to a city or to breast the mountains, you will find special customized packages for young people. All you have to do is ask your travel agent.