International Investment Forum: PPP schemes and better promotion could change Romania’s stagnating tourism industry

Tourism and regional development are bursting with investment potential and could power Romania’s economic growth in the years to come, say experts. At the International Investment Forum, organized by Business Review, top industry people and representatives of the authorities are exploring what lies behind this famous potential and what are the issues that need definite attention.

Traian Badulescu, General Manager, Travel Advisor Media

Prince Charles acted as an alternative ministry of tourism for Romania and especially for the Transylvania region.

Sorin Ionescu, Managing Partner, FiveStar Hospitality

A PPP is needed to establish the promotion strategy for Romania.

Corina Martin, President, ANAT/ FAPT Federation

It is not possible that just a few public servants in the Tourism Minister decide how to spend Romania’s promotion budget.

Radu Enache, President of Romania’s Hotels Federation

The Romanian tourism industry is unfortunately in a state of stagnation which has been going on for the past three years.

Banks are currently extremely reluctant to finance tourism investments because they equate them with real estate investments.

The real estate component is the one that dominated tourism investments over the past years and the one that largely lead to the present situation.

Gabriele Lenger, Director Romania, Austrian National Tourist Office

In order to promote Bucharest as a city break destination you have to find a unique selling point for it.

In order to support Romanian tourism, Galvea Kelly, CEO of social media agency Brand Nua and winner of two awards in US for Online Video – Travel and Tourism and Online Video – Culture, made a video to show Romania in a new light and promote the country as a tourist destination: