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Spiritual places, UNESCO archaeological vestiges attract increasingly more foreign tourists to Romania
Romania joins the niche tourism development trend, as travelers seeking energy-filled, spiritual and history-laden sites are coming in higher numbers; foreigners are also interested in touring the six Romanian regions listed as UNESCO World Heritage, tourism counselor Traian Badulescu declared for Agerpres.
"Romania has many places filled with energy, places where nature and history go hand in hand. We have country-specific elements: traditions, like the unique customs in Bucovina and Maramures. We have the Sarmizegetusa citadel, the capital of Dacia, which can be promoted internationally like UK's Stonehenge site. Romania currently has six cultural sites (the Moldovan churches, the Horezu Monastery, the Transylvanian fortified churches, the Dacian fortresses in the Orastie Mountains, the Sighisoara Historic Centre and the wooden churches in Maramures) listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, as well as two natural sites (the Danube Delta and the primeval, virgin beech forests in the Carpathians)," said Traian Badulescu.
"Most foreign tourists come to Romania for the travel routes and circuits, for cultural, rural or spa tourism, for nature. Nature, combined with the anthropic factor, with the historical vestiges, instills special energy, and many foreigners and Romanians as well have become aware of this aspect. There is a strong global trend to return to nature. Increasingly more tourists avoid overcrowded, modern areas with high-rise buildings, preferring rural, ecological, cultural tourism, nature-bound tourism. This is a tourism niche Romania greatly needs because these travelers can be the true ambassadors of our country. Let's not forget that His Royal Highness Prince Charles discovered Transylvania both through its nature and through its history and traditions," Badulescu says.
Teodor Vasile, president of the Association for Esoteric Studies and Complementary Therapies - UNESCO Club, says that Romania's main energy areas are the Bucegi Mountains (the Babele and Sphinx rock formations, the Omu Peak, Bucura, Ialomita Valley), the Retezat Mountains and the region adjacent to the National Park, the Capidava Fortress and the "Stone Ring", the Buzau Mountains with the Land of Luana, the string of fortifications around Sarmizegetusa and, of course, the Ceahlau Mountain.
"Traveling is one of the most important things you can do in a lifetime for personal development. At least once a year try to see a new place so you can add something new. A different piece of information, different energy. And Romania has many such places to offer, which fill the visitors with vitality and energy, because these tourists respect Mother Earth," said Teodor Vasile.
Some of the sightworthy areas tourism counselor Traian Badulescu says are insufficiently promoted are Hunedoara, starting from the Dacian fortresses to the Corvin Castle, the Dinosaur Geopark, the areas that are home to the Cucuteni and Hamangia cultures, and the Danube River.
"I have been coming to Capidava for the Atlantykron Summer Academy dedicated to young people for 25 years now; a lot of foreign guests and participants also join the event and they are fascinated by the beauty of wild nature. I think the Danube, which flows on the territory of Romania on a length of over 1,000 kilometers, is insufficiently promoted, with a few exceptions - Orsova, the Cazane Gorges and, of course, the Danube Delta," says Traian Badulescu.
Costin Ion Corboianu - general director of a tour operator that promotes tourism in Romania's sacred or legendary places, says that seven of the world's 15 major places of power are in Romania. "I would mention the Ceahlau Mountains, Luana's Land (Buzau Mountains) with several cave churches, Sarmizegetusa Regia, the Bucegi Plateau or the Gugu Peak ( Godeanu - Semenic Mountains), one of the sacred places of the Dacians. Other sites laden with history and energy that I strongly promote are the Rosia Montana ancient galleries, the Toaca Peak in Ceahlau or the 7 Springs waterfall in Bucegi, which they say has the purest water in the world. The Romanian tourism has many legends but also a lot of true stories to offer," said Costin Ion Corboianu.