Romania received last year EUR500 million from incoming tourists. That was 20% more than in 2004, but still a fraction of the EUR2.5 billion neighboring Bulgaria got.
"A regular tourist visiting Romania spends EUR50 per day, but a tourist visiting the country on business spends EUR150," explains Florin Leonte, vice-president of the National Association of Professional Organizers of Conferences and Exhibitions, or RCB - a company operating for the past six years on the Romanian market.
In 2005 the business tourism in Bucharest went up 33%, and 17% nationally. "And for 2006 the estimates are the hike will reach 76% in the capital city alone," said Paul Marasoiu, RCB president.
However, more needs to be done, say the RCB officials.
"We aim to assure our clients that business events at world class standards may be organized in Romania too," explained Marasoiu.
"We have the advantage of a secure location, since there are no bombs going off in metro stations or other attacks," added Malin Malinescu, vice-president with the RCB.
Still, the list of issues to be solved by the central-east European country is long: the lack of accommodation, of conference rooms, of quality service, and of funding.
The RCB management believes more fairs should gather together companies which specialize in organizing international business events. "Romaniaâs display at IMEX Frankfurt, Germany, received 371 registered visitors, which is a lot for us," explained Roxana Balcescu, president with C&b Travel. Romania received last year EUR500 million from incoming tourists. That was 20% more than in 2004, but still a fraction of the EUR2.5 billion neighboring Bulgaria got.
"A regular tourist visiting Romania spends EUR50 per day, but a tourist visiting the country on business spends EUR150," explains Florin Leonte, vice-president of the National Associ
