Romanians spent Christmas with their families or visiting various tourist sites
Romanian tourists have changed their preferences in recent years regarding the places they choose to spend the winter holidays. More and more Romanians prefer to leave home and spend Christmas away, opting for various dynamic activities. There are those who chose to spend Christmas abroad, heading for warm spots such as the Maldives, Thailand, Zanzibar, Dubai, the Dominican Republic, Mexico or Egypt. Children's destinations such as Lapland or Disneyland, ranked second in terms of preferences. The most sought-after destinations in the country were Bukovina, Maramures, Baile Felix spa and the mountain resorts on Prahova Valley. Those who wanted something different, longing for the joy of Christmas spent in the old days, opted for guesthouses operating in peasant houses, some of them over 150 years old.
According to the National Association for Ecological, Rural and Cultural Tourism in Romania (ANTREC), these houses observe the traditional wood and stone architecture and are kept in mint condition, preserving an archaic mood that is very hard to find, Livia Sima from the Maramures branch of ANTREC told us. Another category of tourists opted for guesthouses located very close to ski slopes in the mountains, even if this year we've had little to no snow. Nevertheless snow cannons and night lighting facilities are operational. Customs and traditions are associated at this time of the year with traditional food and the occasional ride on the village alleys, either by horse-drawn carriage or ATV. At the opposite pole, those who went to Baile Felix spa or similar resorts could enjoy all the thermal water facilities offered. Tourism in Romania reported a good evolution this year, not just around holidays, the National Statistics Institute reports. The number of arrivals has gone up in the first 9 months of the year by 4.4%, while some 20% of tourists were foreigners. Over 2 million foreigners visited Romania in the first 9 months of the year, spending some 1.15 billion euros, according to the National Statistics Institute. Half of them traveled for business, taking part in conferences, congresses, classes, trade fairs and exhibitions. Foreign tourists spent 50% of their money on accommodation, preferring units that offered included breakfast. Some 18% of the money was spent in restaurants and bars, while a little over 30% represented gifts and souvenirs.
(Translated by V. Palcu)
Useful Links
Copyright © . All rights reserved