Rural tourism:

Romania is one of the most rural societies in EU, but is currently suffering of depopulation. Regional tourism development is one of the priorities of the country, as it is perceived as a great tool for the enhancement of cultural heritage.

• Rural tourism: Possibility to organize joint-initiatives, in particular on a regional scale
• Discuss potential areas of collaboration on a regional level; possibly in the framework of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region (9 EU countries (Germany, Austria, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Romania and Croatia) and 5 non-EU countries ( Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Ukraine and Moldova)
• UNWTO Rural Tourism Development Programme - Best Tourism Villages of the World: International Label; Tourism Villages Upgrade Programme; Best Tourism Villages Network
  • Romania has not submitted any applications for the Best Tourism Villages pilot project in 2021
  • In 2022 Romania submitted 3 applications, of which, one - "Rasinari" has been chosen as one of the Best Tourism Villages

Education & Training:

Employment is an issue of high importance for Romania, along with the creation of jobs in particular for youth The lack of qualified tourism workforce has been identified as a challenge for the country

• Support in the development of the new Tourism National Strategy: UNWTO can provide support in the development of the National Tourism Strategy, (Identified as important by UNWTO focal point)
• Training: Possibility to organize tailored-made trainings, through the UNWTO.Academy and private sector to contribute to the enhancement of the quality of the tourism service.
• In May 2023, Romania was selected to receive free research grants as part of UNWTO’s partnership with Aviareps company specializing in destination marketing, digital marketing, and research.  Aviareps will provide a range of professional services to aid in developing and growing the tourism sector in Romania.

Enhancement of key tourism segments:

Romania is putting strong emphasis on the development of key segments, through the development of innovative tourism products. Key segments include, but are not limited to, tours in Transylvania, nature tourism, eco-tourism, medical tourism, health tourism, mountain tourism, agrotourism etc.

• Segments of interest: Support Romania in the enhancement of its tourism segments of interest through capacity building activities or support in the development of research activities
• Medical Tourism: Possibility to collaborate on Health and medical tourism, organization of workshops / reports / invite Romania to share its experience in upcoming events
• Organization of a UNWTO Google Masterclass.

Digitalization:

Digitalization could be the next driver of sustained growth for Romania, with 42 billion EUR of incremental GDP by 2025 at stake Tourism companies are among the least digitalized of the country, which explains why digitalization will be one of the priorities of the new tourism strategy

• Support from UNWTO: Support the Government in the digitalization of the sector through tailored made training, promotion of Romanians´ start-ups etc.

UNESCO Sites in Romania

1. Churches of Moldavia
2. Dacian Fortresses of the Orastie Mountains
3. Historic Center of Sighisoara
4. Monastery of Horezu
5. Villages with fortified Churches in Transylvania
6. Wooden Churches of Maramures
7. Danube Delta
8. Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians

Source: UNESCO

National Tourism Development Master Plan 2007-2026

The vision of the National Tourism Development Strategy is for Romania to be a well-known premier, year-round tourism destination by 2030, focussed on unique cultural and natural heritage, and world-class customer service.

The strategy is based on four operational objectives:

1. Improve the connectivity and quality of tourist infrastructure
2. Support the private sector innovation
3. Enhance the quality of visitor experiences and services at destinations
4. Strengthen tourism policy-making capacity, increase digitalization and better align marketing mechanisms and campaigns.

Key priorities:

1. Better capturing visitor spending at tourism sites which are insufficiently developed and difficult to access, and improve the consistency and quality of the visitor experience and service across destinations.
2. Attract higher-value tourists to the country through stronger tourism policies, improved market segmentation and greater visibility of the country in international markets.

Source: OECD Tourism Trends and Policies