The Romanian coastline - Făt Frumos wants to return to the story

For years, the Romanian coastline was the Beauty of summer vacations. After the 90s, Făt Frumos stepped out of the story step by step, the causes being multiple, and at one point it seemed condemned to oblivion. Things begin to return to normal and the thread of the story is renewed in the middle of a construction site that stretches from Mangalia to Mamaia. In terms of plans, things are going well and if at least half of them are implemented, the Romanian Riviera has a future.

The National Association of Travel Agencies (ANAT), in partnership with industry employers, gathered under the umbrella of the Destination Management Organization - (OMD) Constanţa County, organized a Mega Infotrip on the Romanian Riviera. More than 300 travel agents and journalists from all over the country visited the hotels that have benefited from investments and modernizations. The good things are obvious, as are the things that need correction.

Adrian Voican, vice-president of ANAT, said on this occasion: "From June 1, more than 2,000 accommodation units and 304 hotels are open on the coast. Hotels are the most important. We have a diversity of services because people have diversified their desires. In the south of the coast, parking is free. Tourism on the Romanian coast is for families and there are hundreds of hotels open with family rooms. We have 19 open units with SPA. The coast is and will be a strong point of Romanian tourism. The coast is and will be a strong point of Romanian tourism. You can't do without the Romanian coast, even if there are Romanians who want to go to other places as well, very good, it's nice, but we grew up thinking about the big vacation and on the big vacation we went to the Romanian coast and as long as we are we will supports the Romanian coast with all his heart. Now, if we have the Ministry of Tourism with us and we know how much the fact that we had vacation vouchers mattered during the pandemic - we kept them with difficulty, because there were all kinds of political negotiations. They introduced them as a recovery measure after the pandemic and congratulated us for having such a measure in Romania. So we have to promote Romanian tourism because there are others who promote their destinations and steal our customers. Everyone wants to take advantage of the money made in other economies. Let's take advantage too! Romania has 1% of European accommodation nights. We have 30 million accommodation nights out of three billion. It is easy to bring tourists, because they have a budget, they have money, they spend money on vacations, we can bring them here, but we struggle with professional marketing. Everyone wants to bring their tourists to his home."

George Măndilă, president of the OMD Mamaia Constanţa, pointed out several aspects related to development: "We intend, in collaboration with the county OMD and ANAT, that every year this infotrip becomes bigger and bigger and becomes a tradition on the Romanian coast, we are waiting for the other tourist resorts to join us. We need to clear up the issue of apartments versus hotels. We must encourage the development of the resort during the winter as well. We need to rethink the public domain in large portions. We are interested in what will happen to Mamaia Boulevard. The OMD must propose the type of urban furniture and the way of lighting, the visiting card of the resort. (...) We intend, in collaboration with the county OMD, in collaboration with ANAT, with the other patronages and of course with the Ministry of Tourism, so that every year this infotrip becomes bigger and bigger, manifests itself as a tradition at the beginning of the season on the Romanian coast. This year we have chosen a name: "From Mamaia to Mangalia", but we are waiting for the other tourist resorts to join us, so that we can make, from Vama Veche to the exit from Năvodari, the entire coast as one destination, if possible say so". The vice-president of OMD Mamaia Constanţa, Sebastian Puznava, said in turn: "Mamaia resort is a resort that continues to develop, although sometimes it is believed that it is not. In this way, I am telling you that three four-star hotels, an international chain hotel, Crown Plaza, are to be opened in Mamaia. I can tell you that in the last two years, three- and four-star hotels have been renovated here in Mamaia, and further new investments are being prepared to provide facilities and well-being to tourists who come to the Mamaia Constanţa destination. We were all partners in this great event and we hope to have it year after year present on the seashore during this early summer season and we would like to have such an event at the end of the summer season as well, where I think it should let's all draw a line, let's see what we did well, what we didn't do well, what we can improve and where we all want to reach in the next year. In the Mamaia resort, in addition to the investments that are taking place at the moment, it must be stated that we are also developing in the area of wellness and well-being, because the Siret hotel in the Mamaia resort is the first where such a base opened its doors, in complementing the other hotels where facilities of this type are offered through spas and indoor swimming pools, places where even during the winter we had tourists".

The Romanian Riviera keeps the upward trend, the reservations for the first two months, compared to the similar period last year, being on average 25% higher. The "Early Bird" programs have enjoyed great interest, with bookings starting as early as last fall with discounts of up to 60% off the basic package rates. The holiday vouchers, the value of which in 2023 was almost two billion lei, contributed to this, 95% of which have already been settled. The rates on the Romanian Riviera have increased by 10-15% on average, but some hotels have kept those from 2023. Thus, the average price of a stay on the coast is 2,250 lei, compared to 1,750 lei, as it was last year, with an average length of stay of 4.5 nights. According to ANAT, the resorts preferred by Romanian tourists are, in order: Mamaia and Mamaia Nord, Eforie Nord, Venus, Neptun-Olimp, Jupiter, Saturn, Cap Aurora, Costineşti, Vama Veche, Eforie Sud, Techirghiol, Mangalia.