Dracula in the spotlight

The Romanian stall at the Berlin Tourism Bourse 2001, opened on Saturday, displayed many picturesque items and was able to attract more visitors than the neighbouring Hungary and Czech stalls, which spread on an almost double surface and needed about double expenses from their organisers.

The concerts of Ro-mania and Ion Laceanu, the glasses filled with Murfatlar wine, the demonstrations with Gerovital cosmetics and the pale Dracula count performed by an actor and assaulted by curious American and English fans managed to gather lots of visitors, cameramen and journalists enviously watched by the Czech and Hungarian officials.

“Romanian tourism is promoted with only 2 million dollars this year, so we must bank on smart ideas. By contrast, the Czech Republic spends 12 million dollars this year for promotional activities, Turkey allotted 68 million dollars, while Hungary earmarked 14 million dollars,” Tourism minister Dan Matei Agathon maintained.

He is present at Berlin Tourism Bourse in order to discuss with potential investors interested in the projects of DraculaLand and seaside resort Europa.

This year, Romania is expected to double revenues derived from international tourism to 500 million dollars, against 252 million dollars in 2000, Dan Matei Agathon estimated.

By the same token, the Tourism Ministry intends to develop tourism projects backed by four concepts: Dracula, Gerovital (the cosmetics range re-launched after two decades), Romania as a country of wines (with Murfatlar brand promotion) and Danube Delta-Black Sea resorts, the Tourism minister announced.

He did not disclose the locations of the two large projects expected to revive the Romanian tourism – DraculaLand and Europa resort, but specified that the new seaside tourism complex needs 800 million dollars in investments.

“You will know where and when the constructions at DraculaLand and Europa begin when I and the Prime Minister lay down the first brick for the foundation,” Agathon said, adding that the secret is aimed at blocking the rumours that send land prices skyrocketing.