The Ministry of Economy, Entrepreneurship and Tourism (MEAT) is intensifying the promotion of Romania as a tourist destination in the United Kingdom by participating in the World Travel Market (WTM) and by an outdoor advertising (OOH) campaign on buses in London, Manchester, Birmingham and Liverpool. These initiatives run concurrently in November, in the run-up to the winter holiday season, and are aimed at attracting UK and international tourists. MEAT is taking part in WTM London, a leading Business-to-Business (B2B) event for tourism professionals, from November 5-7. Romania’s national stand brings together 35 co-exhibitors, including tour operators, hoteliers, industry associations and federations and Destination Management Organizations. On the Romanian stand, co-exhibitors will have dedicated spaces for B2B meetings and a conference area where they will give presentations on the local tourism offer during the three-day event. In addition, Craiova’s folklore ensemble will be present to interact with visitors in order to promote Romanian authenticity and traditions. The Mayor of Craiova, Lia Olguța Vasilescu, is also present to share the story of Craiova’s Christmas Fair, recognized as one of the most beautiful in Europe and ranked second in the European Best Destinations. Simultaneously with its presence at WTM, Romania is running an OOH campaign on the London, Manchester, Birmingham and Liverpool overground buses from November 4 to December 4, 2024. The campaign thus includes 150 buses in Greater London, providing an estimated reach of 51.1% of London’s population, with an impact of over 16 million impressions. A further 50 buses will cross Central London, generating an estimated 5.6 million impressions. In Manchester, Birmingham and Liverpool, the campaign is running on 50 regional buses, giving a 4.41% coverage nationally. The “Hop on board to Romania” campaign will thus benefit from increased visibility, amplified by the congested urban areas and the diversified audience in these cities. The UK is one of the main markets of interest for Romanian tourism. According to estimates for the current year, Britons will make over 97 million international trips, with spending expected to reach 90.46 billion dollars. Their interest in Romania has grown steadily in recent years, with Romania recording the highest rate of growth in their vacation choices between 2007-2017, with a spectacular rebound in 2022, when a 280% increase was reached compared to 2021. The upward trend was also maintained in 2023, with an increase of 26.5%. In general, British tourists are attracted by the diversity of natural landscapes, cultural tourism and city-break offers, as well as the optimized air connectivity between the two countries. Through the de minimis aid scheme approved by Order No 330/2023, the expenses of economic operators, present at Romania’s stand at WTM London, are fully covered, in terms of participation fee, space rental and desk customization, the ministry notes.
MEAT also covers 50% of the external transportation costs for one representative of each economic operator, provided that this amount does not exceed €500, as well as 50% of the price of the first night’s accommodation, at the level of the scales set for public institutions.