TRAVELLER MAGAZIN NO.103 ENGLISH VERSION
(OCTOBER 2012)
The second DoubleTree in Oradea
DoubleTree by Hilton completed its portfolio including over 300 hotels, the second complex in Romania. It was inaugurated in Oradea (county Bihor). Included in the 4-star category, the new hotel, with a capacity of 147 rooms, represents an investment of SIF Banat Crişana and SC Calipso SA partners. DoubleTree by Hilton Oradea offers to the clients 4 conference rooms, one restaurant with Mediterranean specificity and modern technologies of operation. Here, operates the first Spa centre inaugurated within a DoubleTree by Hilton in Europe. “Our extension in Eastern Europe is one of Hilton Worldwide priorities. I am happy that I have added this second hotel tp DoubleTree by Hilton portfolio in Romania” declared Simon Vincent, EMEA President, Hilton Worldwide.
A museum like an icon
The New York Times recommended recently several international attractions. One of these is the Romanian Peasant Museum from Bucharest. One wrote about it that it was organized within a building dating from the beginning of 20th century under the signature of the architect Nicolae Ghica-Budeşti. The museum presents organised collections of furniture, folk costumes, tapestries, textiles and a valuable collection of icons. The majority presents the lifestyle of Romanian rural community. Among the distinctions awarded to the Museum is the EMYA – European Museum of the Year Award trophy awarded in 1996.
Christian Tour Group is launching a new concept
Christian Tour Group announced the consolidation of a partnership that allowed the birth of the largest group of tour operators in Romania. It reunites four autochthonous travel companies: Christian Tour (leader in international holidays), Pegas Holidays (the only agency in Romania with important presence on the international markets), Europa Travel (the most important tour operator specialised on low cost holidays) and Bibi Touring (a tour operator of top specialized exclusively in internal tourism). The association is considered by Romanian specialists the most important event of the year. “After four years of crisis, the standards of tourists have changed. Romanians are currently looking for complete products, safe, secure holidays, on the best quality price report” – declared Cristian Pandel, manager of Christian Tour .
BNR: We didn’t promote on incoming
The receipts from tourism-trips reached 851 million Euros last year. According to the National Bank of Romania (BNR) the amount decreased by 34 million comparatively to the previous year. At the same time, according to Eurostat, Romania reported last year 15.1 million of beddings in hotels and other lodgement structures, decreasing by 8.7% comparatively to 2009. Although the period of lodging of foreign tourists in Romania increased by 3.2%, up to 2.7 million in 2010, the share of 18% of foreign citizens of the total number of beddings was the lowest in the European Union.
Two Americans tracing the traditions
“Romania” seen by the photographer Ryker Lomas and by the editor Jim Thompson, both important members of FIJET, in the Canadian-American space, is a work which stirs the interest for our country. Presented in a luxury edition, the one hundred-page album was realised during the 53 edition of the International Congress of FIJET, sheltered 2011, for the first time, in Bucharest. The logistics was provided by the members of the Club of Tourism Press – FIJET Romania. Ryker, with an experience of over 30 years in the field of commercial photography, reinvents with a photo camera, images of some destinations from Bucharest to Suceava, from Sibiu to Bacău, from Tihuţa to Tulcea. Jim, with a similar experience in the printing indistry (in sport, technology and travel), is excited by the traditions discovered in Romania.
TRAVEL CHANNEL in the “Country of Hercules”
A team from Great Britain formed of Paul Lister, the founder of European Fund for Nature and the producer of the documentary Wild Carpathia for Travel Channel, Max Milligan, the famous photographer artist from Great Britain, Alasdair Grant, operator at Almond Films and…the super star Charlie Ottley TV introducer at Travel Channel performed a session of shootings in Băile Herculane. The trip began with visiting the Roman Street, the first objective reintroduced in the tourist circuit through the restoration program, under the slogan “Băile Herculane – the resort is reviving!”. The team completed the shootings at the museum point from Roman Hotel with the famous Bas-relief of Hercules, at Roman Imperial Baths, in the historical centre of the resort, at Decebal Hotel, which is being modernised, at the watermill from Rudăriei Valley, registered in UNESCO Patrimony and on Danube Defile. The material will be transmitted on Travel Channel, within the series Wild Carpathia, being broadcast in 120 countries. It will be translated in 20 languages.
The „King’s Cars” on the history routes
Curtea Veche Publishing has launched „The King’s Cars” written and drafted by ASR Prince Radu of Romania. The work includes several inedited images from the personal archive of the Royal House. It presents the period vehicles that His Majesty King Mihai has driven in time, as well as a less known passion, that for planes. „The connection between the King and cars is one of the most spectacular aspects from the bibliography of His Majesty. Over 8 decades of diving performance, of loyalty and admiration for engines, of extraordinary dexterity in the vehicle field. On October 25th 2011, the King has inaugurated the Royal Museum of Vehicle from Săvârşin, a place much loved as well as full of history” – stated the Prince Radu of Romania upon the launching of the album.
Radisson Blu is… green
Last month, the Radisson Blu Hotel, part of Rezidor Group, carried out several actions of social responsibility, such as planting trees. This year, teils were planted (Tilia), action organised in Izvor Park from Capital. The ecological project “Responsible Business” has gained during this round a new partner. We refer to the company Concept Hotels. Every year, in September, the Rezidor hotels of the entire Europe, Middle Orient and Africa are organizing social and environmental activities to raise funds for the charity organisation “World Childhood Foundation”, as well as to support other projects.
