{"id":19062,"date":"2024-07-16T07:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-07-16T07:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/reinvantage-dev.eonserver.com\/?p=19062"},"modified":"2024-07-16T07:00:00","modified_gmt":"2024-07-16T07:00:00","slug":"in-a-small-corner-of-transylvania-the-fightback-against-mass-low-cost-tourism-has-begun","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/reinvantage-dev.eonserver.com\/?p=19062","title":{"rendered":"In a small corner of Transylvania, the fightback against mass, low-cost tourism has begun"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>The travel industry in Central and Eastern Europe was built on offering budget accommodation and low-cost (and usually poor quality) services to western European tourists seeking inexpensive holidays. It&#8217;s time to change the narrative.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Arguably Romania\u2019s best-known attraction, <a href=\"https:\/\/bran-castle.com\/\">Bran Castle<\/a> remains, nearly 700 years after it was first built, a proud,&nbsp;majestic sentinel on the border of Transylvania and Wallachia (two of the three historic principalities which make up the modern country of Romania).&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Perched atop a dramatic cliff, the fortress boasts a storied history almost always laced with tales of Vlad the Impaler\u2014the inspiration for Bram Stoker\u2019s Dracula. There\u2019s little evidence that Vlad ever made great use of the castle, and Stoker never set foot in Transylvania, but at night, its walls and towers lit up with cinema-set precision, it certainly looks the part. If any castle in the world was home to Dracula, then this was it.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-text-color has-background has-cyan-bluish-gray-background-color has-cyan-bluish-gray-color is-style-wide\"\/>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><a href=\"https:\/\/emerging-europe.com\/after-hours\/travelling-through-central-and-eastern-europe-and-central-asia-five-essential-reads\/\">Travelling through Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia: Five essential reads<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/emerging-europe.com\/after-hours\/autumn-in-the-high-tatras\/\">Autumn in Slovakia\u2019s High Tatras<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/emerging-europe.com\/after-hours\/why-budapest-is-probably-central-europes-greatest-city\/\">Why Budapest is (probably) Central Europe\u2019s greatest city<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-text-color has-background has-cyan-bluish-gray-background-color has-cyan-bluish-gray-color is-style-wide\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p>Romania has never been afraid of cashing in on the Dracula legend, and at Bran, it shows. Over the past half century a booming tourism industry has flourished along the mountain pass that links Transylvania and Wallachia either side of the castle. A seemingly endless chain of pensions and hotels, many of questionable design entirely out of keeping with their surroundings, lines the road from Rucar in the south to R\u00e2\u0219nov in the north. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A single carriageway road hardly copes with the number of vehicles permanently scuttling up and down, creating an endless traffic jam that when combined with the incongruous&nbsp;roadside constructions further fades the splendour and grandeur of what was once perhaps the most majestic spot in all Romania. Only the castle itself, quite literally, manages to rise above the morass below.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-text-color has-background has-cyan-bluish-gray-background-color has-cyan-bluish-gray-color is-style-wide\"\/>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/emerging-europe.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/bigstock-117720116-1024x678.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-89065\" width=\"840\" height=\"556\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-right\"><em>Bran Castle. It certainly looks the part<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-text-color has-background has-cyan-bluish-gray-background-color has-cyan-bluish-gray-color is-style-wide\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p>Bran is a microcosm of the problems facing tourism not just in Romania but throughout Central and Eastern Europe. The overdevelopment of Bansko ski resort in Bulgaria, or the seafront at Batumi in Georgia, are just two other (of many) negative examples of loose planning laws and a culture of \u2018stock \u2018em high, sell \u2018em cheap\u2019 combining to spoil what made these places attractive to visitors in the first place.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It is a culture that is fed by a constant stream of articles in the global press luring tourists with the promise of \u2018budget-friendly\u2019 (the polite term for \u2018cheap\u2019) adventures, food, and drink,&nbsp;as if the low price of beer is reason alone to visit a region, city, or country.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Equally depressingly, many countries in Central and Eastern Europe have done little to shed this image as \u2018low-cost\u2019 destinations. Some have openly embraced it. It is, perhaps, a lingering relic of pre-1989 times when these nations, all under communist regimes, focused on attracting travellers primarily through affordability.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Back then, the travel industry in these countries was built on offering budget accommodation and low-cost (and usually poor quality) services to western European tourists seeking inexpensive holidays.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This legacy has been hard to shake off, as decades of promoting low-cost tourism have deeply ingrained this image in the global consciousness. The challenge now is for these countries to rebrand themselves, shifting the focus from cheap prices to unique, high-quality experiences that highlight their rich cultural heritage, stunning natural landscapes, and growing capabilities in delivering premium services.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Value-rich experiences&nbsp;<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p>Indeed, as the travel and tourism sector evolves, so too must the region. The narrative of \u2018cheap\u2019 travel is becoming outdated (in many places it is now simply wrong) meaning that it\u2019s high time for CEE to reposition itself as a hub of premium, value-rich experiences.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This shift is not just necessary but essential for sustainable growth and alignment with global travel trends. Owners of places such as <a href=\"https:\/\/matcahotel.com\/ro\/home-romana\/\">Matca<\/a>, hidden away in the hills around nine kilometres from Bran Castle, understand this.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Open just a few months, Matca, which last week became part of the Relais &amp; Ch\u00e2teaux association of individually owned and operated luxury hotels and restaurants, is\u2014we must hope\u2014the future of tourism in the region. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Foregoing the temptation to build yet another eyesore, Matca&#8217;s investors\u2014who are Romanians\u2014instead created accommodation in beautifully converted farmhouses complemented by a central building that hosts a stunning spa and a restaurant whose menu respects local traditions and makes use of local ingredients; all with a contemporary twist. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-text-color has-background has-cyan-bluish-gray-background-color has-cyan-bluish-gray-color is-style-wide\"\/>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/emerging-europe.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/406284893-122143734464021669-3467394375662578951-n-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-89066\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-right\"><em>One of the converted farmhouses at Matca<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-text-color has-background has-cyan-bluish-gray-background-color has-cyan-bluish-gray-color is-style-wide\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p>Matca offers a glimpse of Romania as it once was, but also a portal to its future. The views, in every direction, are unspoilt by development, a reminder that this was once grazing land and little else. We can but hope that it will not for long be the exception, but the rule. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As the world becomes smaller and the horizons of travellers expand, moving up the value chain and offering exclusive experiences (Matca can even arrange private tours of Bran Castle) is arguably the only way for the tourism industry throughout Central and Eastern Europe to remain sustainable.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A fragile model&nbsp;<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p>Indeed, it\u2019s a hypothesis that holds true for the region\u2019s entire economy and not just for travel and tourism. Several studies confirm it; notably <a href=\"https:\/\/wiiw.ac.at\/study-eu-cee-countries-need-an-industrial-policy-for-a-new-growth-model-n-604.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">a major 2023 report<\/a> from the Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies (wiiw) which advocates for a new growth model for the region given that the \u2018extended workbench\u2019 (read: \u2018cheap labour\u2019) template that has been successful until now has reached its limits.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Mass tourism, characterised by low-cost travel packages and large crowds, has led to various problems globally, including environmental degradation, cultural erosion, and overcrowded attractions.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In Central and Eastern Europe, even large cities such as Prague, Budapest, and Dubrovnik have witnessed the negative impacts firsthand. The influx of budget-conscious tourists attracted by those promises of cheap beer has strained local infrastructure, angered locals, and has led to the creation of a tourism model that is unsustainable and benefits neither the local population nor the environment.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Covid-19 pandemic further underscored the fragility of relying on mass tourism. As travel halted, many CEE destinations faced economic hardships, revealing the need for a more resilient and diversified tourism strategy.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\">New Prague? No thanks&nbsp;<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p>Bra\u0219ov, a medieval city 30 kilometres northeast of Bran, has never relied on mass tourism, which partly explains its enduring appeal. Aside from a&nbsp;couple of modernist aberrations and a kitsch and unnecessary Hollywood-style sign on the T\u00e2mpa Mountain that overlooks the city, Bra\u0219ov &#8211; its medieval quarters at least \u2013 remains charming and rewarding of long strolls along streets that in part remain cobbled, lined with hidden courtyards, shops, cafes and restaurants.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The opening of an airport last year has nevertheless raised some fears of an unwanted invasion of the wrong kind of tourist. \u201cWe really don\u2019t want to become the next Prague,\u201d one local tour guide tells me. But if any city in Romania is well-prepared to fend off an incoming invasion, Bra\u0219ov is it. The many fortified churches in the surrounding area did just that for centuries.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-text-color has-background has-cyan-bluish-gray-background-color has-cyan-bluish-gray-color is-style-wide\"\/>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/emerging-europe.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/etheris-pool-party-0003-1024x684.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-89158\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-right\"><em>Bra\u0219ov, seen from the rooftop pool of the Radisson Blu Aurum<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-text-color has-background has-cyan-bluish-gray-background-color has-cyan-bluish-gray-color is-style-wide\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p>More recently, strict rules on the development of the city\u2019s old town have largely prevented the appearance of ugly, cheap hotels, an approach that has gently nurtured the creation of a market geared towards a more affluent and conscientious traveler willing to pay a premium for unique and responsible travel experiences.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.radissonhotels.com\/ro-ro\/hoteluri\/radisson-blu-aurum-brasov\">Radisson Blu Aurum<\/a>, at the entrance to Bra\u0219ov\u2019s old town, is evidence of that \u2013 a modern hotel whose design is at once contemporary and unintrusive. A rooftop swimming pool offers enviable views of the city and the mountains beyond.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One of these is home to Poiana Bra\u0219ov, Romania\u2019s leading ski resort which has become a year-round destination for active types thanks to the development of an extensive network of mountain biking trails. There\u2019s also hiking for those months of the year when the snow is absent.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Poiana Bra\u0219ov is arguably another example of Romania getting tourism broadly right. Almost the definitive template for cheap and (not always) cheerful mass tourism before 1989, development of the resort over the past three decades has focused on quality over quantity. Only a handful of big hotels have been built, almost all at the upper end of the market.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-text-color has-background has-cyan-bluish-gray-background-color has-cyan-bluish-gray-color is-style-wide\"\/>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/emerging-europe.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/ana-hotels-bradul-1-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-89157\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-right\"><em>Bradul Hotel,<\/em> <em>Poiana Bra\u0219ov<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-text-color has-background has-cyan-bluish-gray-background-color has-cyan-bluish-gray-color is-style-wide\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p>Instead, money has been poured into renovating existing hotels, such as the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.anahotels.ro\/ro\/sport\">Sport<\/a> (one of the oldest in the resort) and its neighbour, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.anahotels.ro\/ro\/bradul\">Bradul<\/a>. Both played host to cheap package tourists in the not-so-distant past \u2013 today they offer accommodation, food, and a spa experience in keeping with their magnificent setting at the foot of a mountain covered in fragrant pine trees.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\">An old template becomes the new&nbsp;<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p>Once the template for mass tourism, Poiana Bra\u0219ov (though not perfect \u2013 some of its apr\u00e8s ski bars can be very loud during the ski season, lift queues long at weekends, and some locals grumble that prices have become too high) is arguably now an example of a new template for a new era of travel in Central and Eastern Europe&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By moving up the value chain, the region can offer richer, more sustainable travel experiences that attract a higher-spending, discerning clientele. This transformation requires strategic investments in infrastructure, services, and marketing, along with a commitment to sustainability and authenticity. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It also needs travel writers to end, once and for all, their obsession with \u2018cheap\u2019 and \u2018low-cost\u2019 destinations. The future of travel belongs to those who can adapt and innovate. For Central and Eastern Europe, the time is now to create a new narrative and set the stage for a vibrant, sustainable tourism industry that will stand the test of time.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>From Matca above Bran to Poiana Bra\u0219ov, a small corner of Transylvania is doing just that.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-text-color has-background has-cyan-bluish-gray-background-color has-cyan-bluish-gray-color is-style-wide\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Unlike many news and information platforms,&nbsp;<em>Emerging Europe<\/em>&nbsp;is free to read, and always will be.&nbsp;There is no paywall here.&nbsp;We are independent,&nbsp;not affiliated with nor representing any political party or business&nbsp;organisation.&nbsp;We want the very best for emerging Europe, nothing more, nothing less. Your support will help us continue to spread the word about this amazing region.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>You can contribute&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/emergingeurope.krtra.com\/t\/NlQnFuOA2C9c\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">here<\/a>. Thank you.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/emergingeurope.krtra.com\/t\/NlQnFuOA2C9c\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/emerging-europe.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/copy-of-add-a-heading.png\" alt=\"emerging europe support independent journalism\" class=\"wp-image-50811\"\/><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-text-color has-background has-cyan-bluish-gray-background-color has-cyan-bluish-gray-color is-style-wide\"\/>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The travel industry in Central and Eastern Europe was built on offering budget accommodation and low-cost (and usually poor quality) services to western European tourists seeking<span class=\"excerpt-hellip\"> [\u2026]<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":19063,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[7603,7605,7610,7606,7607,6579,7609,6320,379,7608,7604,237,18,6631,6632],"class_list":["post-19062","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-analysis","tag-bansko","tag-batumi","tag-bran","tag-bran-castle","tag-brasov","tag-bulgaria","tag-draculas-castle","tag-featured","tag-georgia","tag-matca","tag-poiana-brasov","tag-romania","tag-travel-tourism","tag-vienna-institute-for-international-economic-studies","tag-wiiw"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/reinvantage-dev.eonserver.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19062","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/reinvantage-dev.eonserver.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/reinvantage-dev.eonserver.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/reinvantage-dev.eonserver.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/reinvantage-dev.eonserver.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=19062"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/reinvantage-dev.eonserver.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19062\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/reinvantage-dev.eonserver.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/19063"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/reinvantage-dev.eonserver.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=19062"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/reinvantage-dev.eonserver.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=19062"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/reinvantage-dev.eonserver.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=19062"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}