Senior associate editor Rebecca Tobin toured the Romanian
province of Transylvania with the Romanian National Tourist Office.
Her report follows:
BUCHAREST, Romania -- U.S. travel to Europe has been scaled back
in the post-Sept. 11 world, yet the Romanian National Tourist
Office is predicting an increase this year of visitors to this
eastern European country.
Visitors to Romania are not your typical first-time European
travelers, according to Simion Alb, director of the tourist office
in New York.
Rather, they tend to be a little more intrepid -- and a little
less influenced by events on the world stage.
Monica Toador, destination manager for Quest Tours, Portland,
Ore., which specializes in Romania tours, agreed.
"They're seasoned travelers who have been all over the place,"
she said. "Not exactly the Vegas crowd."
So if clients can be described by any of the above, or if they
are enamored by the Dracula legend (the biggest draw for U.S.
visitors to Romania), agents might do well to check out Romania's
ancient province of Transylvania, well-visited by Europeans but
often overlooked by Americans.
When in Romania ...
Romania covers 91,670 square miles and has something for everyone:
big towns and tiny villages, mountain climbing and skiing, history
and mythology.
But that's not to say Romania is ready to embrace mass tourism;
its economy and infrastructure are much less developed than those
of most European countries. As with any trip to a country with an
underdeveloped infrastructure, clients should know there are "goods
and bads" in Transylvania.
The pluses include an unspoiled landscape; medieval churches and
fortresses; locals friendly and eager to assist, and inexpensive
shopping, accommodations and dining.
On the down side, there are more hassles when it comes to
driving, finding signs in English or locating a four-star hotel or
a decent restroom.
To circumvent the drawbacks, agents should consider hiring a
guide/driver for their clients.
Retailers can check with U.S.-based tour operators that offer
itineraries to Romania (see list at bottom of article), or contact
the Romanian tourist office for names of local operators and
guides.
Dracula's digs
Transylvania is best known in the U.S. as the mysterious moonlit
homeland of Dracula, while Romanians profess it to be the most
beautiful of the country's historical provinces.
They aren't far off. On the drive to Bran Castle -- a
wonderfully creepy 15th century tower -- clients can detour through
Rasnov, where they can climb through the ruins of a fortress dating
to the 1330s.
U.S. travelers will need a translator to get the whole story,
but the view of the Carpathian mountains needs no translation.
Transylvania is the setting for most of the "Dracula tourism"
responsible for up to $60 million annually in revenue.
Most Romanians, however, shrug at the U.S. fascination with the
fictitious count, based loosely on medieval Romanian ruler Prince
Vlad Tepes.
But, Alb said, "Dracula could be a draw for people who would not
come otherwise. Plus, Dracula tours are not all Dracula."
Although you can drink vampire blood wine at Vlad Dracul House
restaurant in Sighisoara, tours do visit historical sites not
associated with Count Dracula.
Sighisoara is known for its medieval city, the birthplace of
Vlad Tepes and now the proposed home of a Dracula theme park. But
visitors also can spend hours walking its cobblestone streets.
Tours visit Sinaia, the home of Peles and Pelisor castles, which
are the summer residences of the Romanian royal family.
Off the bitten path
Among the longer tours, Quest Tours & Adventures offers a
four-day triangular route through Transylvania, with nights in
Sibiu, Brasov and Bucharest -- commissionable at 10%.
The route is popular with many operators, and it is easy to
expand it to suit a client's taste. More Dracula? Head north to
Bistrita. More Germanic and Hungarian citadels? Veer northwest to
Cluj-Napoca.
Brasov is a good place to base clients and conduct day trips,
according to Robert Hervian of Worldvisions Travel, West Orange,
N.J. It's a quaint town nestled in the Carpathian mountains, and
there are plenty of local attractions.
There are several good hotels, including the Orizont Hotel in
Predeal, a ski village just outside Brasov. For information, visit
www.hotelorizont.ro on the Web. To book, call (011)
40-6 845-5150.
The recently privatized Continental Hotel chain has 10
properties in Romania.
The three-star properties are more budget than deluxe, but they
offer consistently good accommodations. Visit the Web at www.continentalhotels.ro to get contact
information.
Both Orizont and Continental offer net pricing for agents.
Getting Around
Below is a partial list of tour operators that offer Romanian
itineraries. For a full list, contact the Romanian National Tourist
Office.
• Balkan Tourist (800) 822-1106
• General Tours (800) 221-2216
• Globus Tours (800) 221-0090
• Quest Tours & Adventures 800) 621-8687
• Rail Europe (800) 848-7245
• Tradesco Tours (800) 833-3402
• Uniworld (800) 733-7820
• Worldvisions Travel (800) 545-7118
Romanian National Tourist Office:
Phone: (212) 545-8484
Fax: (212) 251-0429
E-mail: [email protected]
Web: www.turism.ro