MEETING UNESCO House, Bucharest Meeting Romania

Europe’s newest meeting & incentive destination

Dear event planners, welcome to Romania. We’d like to invite you on a jour- ney of discovery to this new EU member country, a country full of surprises.

Romania is about the same size as the old West Ger- many (238,391 km2), yet has a population of only 22 million. You’ll be impressed by the variety of its unspoiled landscapes and the diversity of its ethnic groups. In some places you can even hear German spo- ken –for instance in unique, stylish Sibiu, one of Roma- nia’s most colourful cities and one of European Capital of Culture in 2007.

In Bucharest you can organize meetings in the second largest building of the world or in one of many modern conference room that you will find in greats hotels. Fast-paced, lively and offering multiple professional services, Bucharest is a modern meeting city with a long European tradition.

Our universities, colleges and research centres have a good reputation internationally. The ﬁrst-class investment climate also provides material for meetings. Ro- mania’s spas and high-quality resorts give planners plenty of ideas. And if you want to find something spe- cials and only made in Roumania we offer outdoor activities like wolf and_or bear watching in the Carpathi- ans mountains, or canoe trips in the Danube delta. An undiscovered jewel, Romania is just waiting to be explored.

We looking forward to seeing you.

Romanian Atheneum, Bucharest Arch of Triumph, Bucharest

4 | Romania - explore the Carpathian garden National Library, Bucharest

Romania, full of surprises and an astonishing country , here in 18 conservation areas. attracting visitors from all around the world. … that the Palace of the Parliament is the world’s second largest building? Did you know? With a total area of 330,000 sq metres, twelve storeys above ground and eight below, it also doubles as a con- … that Hollywood stars has long been a regular ference centre with a 2,200 sq metre conference hall. visitor to Romania? Unspoilt landscapes and authentic medieval towns make … that 50 percent of Europe’s brown bears live in ideal backdrops for films. Francis Ford Coppola worked on Romania? “Youth Without Youth” in Bucharest. Romania boasts 4,500 brown bears, abundant unspoilt nature and over 580 conservation areas. … that the Danube delta is Europe’s unique river delta? … that Romania is ranked 12th best wine-growing The Unesco biosphere reservation and European Land- country in the world? scape of the Year 2007/2008 covers almost There are around 242,700 ha of vineyards, producing 5,000 sq km. 25 million birds and over 160 fish species live 3.1m hl of fine wines.

Romania - explore the Carpathian garden | 5 New EU partner Romania

EU membership builds trust in the new eastern European partner.

Since joining the EU on 1 January 2007, Romania has become a reliable eastern European partner for planners. With growth of 5%, healthy consumer demand and following the privatisation of the largest Romani- an bank and oil company like Petrom, the investment climate is excellent and demand for conventions and meetings high.

Transit trade with CIS countries and a tradition of sci- ence and research lend the industry further impetus. While the city of Timisoara with its well-known technical university has attracted companies like IBM, SAP and Siemens, Bucharest boasts leading European institutes like the Department of Biophysics at Carol Davila University of Medicine. The government of Pres- ident Basescu increased the R&D budget by 82% in 2006 and plans another 50% increase in 2007.

Sibiu, European Capital of Culture 2007, showcases the cultural riches of the country that gave birth to Eugène Ionesco and Constantin Brancusi. The landscape is di- verse, taking about Carpathians, Transylvania, Molda- via and the Danube delta. The last one was ”European Landscape of the Year 2007/2008 ”. Good accessibility

Good connections make meetings feasible in Romania.

Tarom, Romania’s national carrier, ﬂies daily from Frank- furt to Bucharest and four times a week to Cluj Napoca (Klausenburg). From Munich the airline ﬂies daily to Bu- charest and to Sibiu, which is also known as Hermanns- tadt (www.tarom.de).

Carpatair, which was set up in 1999, flies from Düssel- dorf, Stuttgart and Munich to Bucharest, Bacau, Sibiu, Iasi, Suceava, Satu Mare, Cluj Napoca and Oradea every day except Sunday via Timisoara and three times a week to Constanta. Carpatair also flies from Stuttgart and Munich to Craiova (www.carpatair.com). Lufthansa flies from Frankfurt and Munich to Bucharest, Timisoara and sibiu (www.lufthansa.de).

Blue Air (www.blueair-web.com) flies from Cologne/ Bonn and Stuttgart to Bucharest and Sibiu and Ger- manwings also ﬂy from Co logne/Bonn and Stuttgart to Bucharest (www.germanwings.de).Wizz Air ﬂies from Dortmund to Bucharest (www.wizzair.com).Berglandschaft Karpaten

6 | Romania - explore the Carpathian garden House of lions, Bucharest

Romania - explore the Carpathian garden | 7 On the Danube Travelling by train

River boats A-Rosa Mia and A-Rosa Bella offer a total of Train journeys to Romania can be booked at www.die- three stopovers, providing the opportunity to sample bahn.de. Berlin to Bucharest takes 30 hours, including a little more of Romania. The stopover at Turnu Severin changes, and costs about 250 euros. You will ﬁnd infor- includes an excursion to Baile Herculane (Herkules- mation on Romanian railway connections, at www.cfr.ro bad), where the Empress Elisabeth (Sissi) try the waters. The stopover at Tulcea offers an initial opportunity to explore the Danube delta, where there are 300 bird species, while from Oltenita you can get to Bucharest, the capital. Group bookings and full charter trips are possible (www.a-rosa.de).

“Little Paris” Driving to Romania Romania’s fast-paced, stylish capital makes an attractive By car you go via Passau/Linz or Munich/Salzburg to prospect for investors and meeting planners. Vienna, then Budapest and via the E65 to Bucharest. A 250 km motorway connects Bucharest with Constanta Bucharest is booming. A city of 2 million, it is often on the Black Sea. Drivers need a green insurance card compared to Paris because of its architecture (includ- and a motorway permit. ing an “Arc de Triomphe”), culture and Romance lan- guage. Bucharest even hosted the summit of the

8 | Romania - explore the Carpathian garden Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie, at- fairs, including the International Tourism Fair (ITF) and tended by 2,800. Thanks to research institutes and for- the Luxury Show. www.romexpo.org eign investors, particularly in the construction industry, the convention industry is thriving. Demand for hotels The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Roma- is growing. nia has 17 conference rooms with capacities of up to 350 that are bookable through agencies. In a class of its own is the 330,000 sq metre Palace of the Parliament, with 12 ﬂoors above ground and eight The Palace of the Parliament offers 10,000 sq metres below. The world’s second largest building after the of conference space for up to 2,200 delegates in eight Pentagon, it has a 2,200 sq metre, 16 metre high con- halls with marble ﬂoors and chandeliers. ference room. The U Business Center is a popular meet- www.cdep.ro/cic/ ing venue, while events for up to 1,000 can be held at the historic inn Hanul Lui Manuc. The Athenaum concert hall, which opened in 1888,

Palace of Parliament, Bucharest

offers space for 300 under its cupola. The foyer can Meeting magnet Bucharest. host receptions for 500 guests. It is bookable through agencies. Romania’s capital offers an abundance of conference facilities and event locations. The U Business Center (UZINEXPORT) is a modern conference centre in the city centre with capacities of up to Romexpo in Bucharest offers 55,000 sq metres of in- 150 in the On Top of Bucharest auditorium, large foyer door space and 45,000 sq metres outdoors plus eight and ten seminar rooms. [email protected] conference rooms for up to 700. In 2006 it hosted 31 The World Trade Center Bucharest offers a plenary

Romania - explore the Carpathian garden | 9 Main Square, Sibiu

10 | Romania - explore the Carpathian garden capacity of up to 300 in the World Trade Plaza and 14 rooms for up to 160. Under the same roof as the Hotel Soﬁtel Bucharest, it is close to the international airport. www.wtcb.ro

The Palace of the Parliament and the new Radisson Blue Bu- charest have the largest capacities

Multicultural Sibiu

A “city of cultures, languages and religions”, Sibiu is a model of European integration in 2007

Crowned European Capital of Culture 2007, Sibiu (also known as Hermannstadt) was founded at the foot of the Carpathians in 1180 and now has a population of 185,000. Home to a long- established German com- munity, and with a German mayor since 2004, unspoilt Sibiu boasts an array of Gothic, Renaissance and baroque architecture. Recently renovated at a cost of 500,000 euros, the Casa Luxemburg is a symbol of the city’s recent revival. Now the historic 80-hectare old town is to become a Unesco world heritage site.

Six universities and over 30,000 students lend vital- ity and youth, while investors are attracted by Sibiu’s favourable position in the country’s road and rail net- works. The international airport is being expanded at a cost of 22mil euros. In the land of the vampires

Dracula is still Transylvania’s best known resident. The legend of the bloodthirsty count written by novelist Bram Stoker gained new momentum when “his” castle (Bran Castle) was sold at the beginning of 2007. The home of the fearsome Vlad the Impaler (1431 – 1476), the inspiration behind Stoker’s character, was sold for 100 million euros.

The picture book castle in the southern Carpathians and the bloodthirsty legend are in turn the inspiration for tailor-made incentive programmes in Transylvania.

Transylvanian fair. Cluj-Napoca, to which Tarom ﬂies four times a week from Frankfurt, is Romania’s third largest city. Its Babes-Bolyai University has an international reputation, and Expo Transilvania is Romania’s second largest fair centre. www.expo.ro

Carpathian outdoor paradise. The Carpathian Moun- tains, which form a horseshoe in central Romania, boast with peaks of up to 2,544 metres and slopes offering excellent skiing in the winter. There are pistes of

Romania - explore the Carpathian garden | 11 up to 10 km in the area around Predeal in the south- Carpathians there are thriving populations of chamois ern Carpathians, and in Clabucet there is even ﬂoodlit and brown bears and ﬁrst-class medicinal springs. skiing at night. Râsnoavei Gorge is a fabulous place for paragliding, bungee jumping and mountain bike tours Steam nostalgia. Travelling through unspoilt scenery in the summer. In the picturesque western Carpathians in luxury, vintage carriages is a unique experience. SFT- you can explore spectacular caves, while in the eastern CFR’s lovingly restored steam trains in wich you will

12 | Romania - explore the Carpathian garden find meeting facilities and can also be booked for in- The Patriarch’s Palace offers unique ﬂair for up to 900 centives. www.turismferoviar.ro delegates in four conference rooms. patriarhia@patriarhia.ro The 300-year-old Mogosoaia Palace lies 10 km outside the city centre, offering ten rooms for receptions for 100 guests and meetings for 50.

The Castle of Huniads, Hunedoara

Romania - explore the Carpathian garden | 13 Sighisoara

de Afaceri Timisoara, with nine rooms for up to 1,200 Banat and Bucovina delegates. Hotels are planned to meet the growing demand for meetings. The North Star Continental has a In western and north-eastern Romania, planners will find conference room for 125, while the NH Hotel has three up-and-coming cities, wild landscapes and unique monas- for up to 140. www.turismbanat.ro teries Gateway Timisoara. Direct flights from four German The city of Oradea is notable for its Austrian Seces- cities indicate the importance of Timisoara in west- sionist architecture, Baroque palace and 100 religious ern Romania. With a highly regarded technical univer- buildings, including three synagogues. The Casa de sity and the third largest fair centre in the country, the Cultura Sindicatelor has eight rooms for up to 750, economy of this city of 340,000 is booming. Nowhere while the Hotel Dacia Continental Oradea has five for else in the country is there such intense investment. 200. The spa town of Baile Felix is nearby. Its range of The largest conference centre is the Centrul Regional outdoor activities make Banat an excellent incentive

14 | Romania - explore the Carpathian garden Magheru Street, Bucharest

destination. Rambling, climbing and cave exploration “Sixtine Chapel of the East” due to the colourful blue (in the famous Bears’ Cave at Chiscau, for example) are frescos on its external walls. www.bucovinaturism.ro attractive options. Banat’s scenic attractions include the Iron Gate gorge on the Danube at Drobeta-Turnu Meetings in Bucovina. The largest city in Bucovina Severin. The Iron Gate national park has the longest ge- is Suceava. The regional convention centre holds 410, ological history of any area in Europe. At over 115,000 and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry offers hectares, it is one of Romania’s largest national park. 650 sq metres of exhibition space. In Gura Humorului, a good starting point for visits to monasteries, the Ho- Bucovina is Romania’s most famous cultural landscape tel Best Western Bucovina has seven state-of-the-art – and home to some unique monasteries that are now conference rooms for 500 delegates, a spa centre and UNESCO world heritage sites. Stefan cel Mare built one two restaurants and offers a variety of team-building after every victory over the Turks, the most well-known activities, including rafting and quad-bike and off-road being Voronet Monastery. Its church is known as the tours.

Romania - explore the Carpathian garden | 15 Romanian Atheneum, Bucharest

Grand Hotel Rex, which has seven rooms for up to 150 White sand of the Black Sea coast delegates, followed by the Hotel Iaki with four rooms for up to 220, and the Hotel Majestic Mamaia with a ca- The Black Sea coast offers beaches, spa resorts and cultural pacity of 150. monuments. Constanta is the international gateway. In the footsteps of Ovid. In the port city of Constanta, Meetings at the sea. Romania’s 240 km Black Sea coast the regional capital, there is a statue of the Roman poet belongs to the south-eastern region of Dobrudja. White Ovid, who made Constanta his second home. With a sandy beaches, mineral springs and mud baths attract casino, museums, a mosque and a dolphinarium, Con- international visitors. In Venus, Neptun, Eforie Nord stanta is an attractive seaside city with plenty to offer. and Eforie South there are many hotels with meeting facilities. The most well-known resort is Mamaia, which New meeting hotel. Cocor is the name of a 4-star hotel boasts the Aqua Magic theme park and water sports opening in May 2007 in the holiday resort of of all kinds. The biggest conference hotel here is the

16 | Romania - explore the Carpathian garden Neptun-Olimp. Built at a cost of 15 million euros, the Anti-aging with Ana Aslan. Ever since gerontology complex lies only 50 metres from a white sandy Black professor Dr. Ana Aslan founded her eponymous insti- Sea beach, offering 242 rooms, a large wellness cen- tute in 1952, Romania has been a top anti-aging desti- tre and ﬁve conference rooms with capacities of up to nation. Charles de Gaulle, John F. Kennedy and Claudia 400. The nearest airport is Mihail Kogalhiceanu Airport, Cardinale have all used the products. which is 40 km away in Constanta. www.hotelcocor.ro The Aslan products Gerovital GH3 and Aslavital are still believed to be effective against unpleasant aging proc- Health from Romania esses, arteriosclerosis and depression. Treatment can be obtained at the Ana Aslan Health Spa of the 4-star A third of all Europe’s mineral water springs are in Romania. Hotel Europa in Eforie Nord on the Black Sea. The hotel 160 spas make it a wellness destination of the future. also has conference rooms.

Romanian Parliament

Romania - explore the Carpathian garden | 17 It helped Empress Elisabeth, and it still helps today. Therapeutic mud baths can be taken in the lakes Baile Herculane (Herkulesbad) has an idyllic location in along the Black Sea coast. Therapies with sapropel the Cerna Valley. Empress Elisabeth (Sissi) and Goethe mud, which is known to be good for the musculoskel- are among those to have beneﬁted from the iodine- etal system, bones and joints, are offered in Techirghiol rich mineral water. The ﬁne buildings of spa architect and Neptun. Up to 800 patients a day can be treated Wilhelm Doderer are tangible evidence that this was a at the sanatorium in Techirghiol, which was founded in stylish Imperial spa. 1973.

Baile Felix in north-eastern Romania can trace its his- Large salt mines with “salinas” help have a beneﬁcial micro- tory as a spa town back to Roman times. The mineral climate that helps people with respiratory complaints. One and spa waters of the Carpathians were appreciated of the most well-known I at Slanic Moldova on the eastern even before the Romans. The 180 thermal springs of slope of the Carpathians, which has an underground sanato- Baile Felix are today recommended, above all, for treat- rium at a depth of 150 m. The salina at Praid has a sanatorium ing the locomotor system and more. and a range of special rooms at a depth of 120 m.

18 | Romania - explore the Carpathian garden Fishing paradise. Sturgeon 6 metres in length, pike and The unspoilt Danube delta 160 other species make the Danube delta an angler’s paradise. From Tulcea you can reach ﬁshing areas like Duna- 18 conservation areas and 320 bird species make the Dan- rea Veche or the Bogda Proste channel. In the village of ube delta a unique jewel of a landscape. Mila23 you can see traditional ﬁshermen’s houses. The Danube divides into three before reaching the sea, spanning an area of 5,000 sq km that is home to 25 mil- Meetings in the delta. The 4-star Hotel Mon Jardin near

Danube Delta

Tulcea in Mahmudia has 26 double rooms, two apart- lion birds. Six bird migration routes cross in the skies ments, a holiday apartment and a conference room with a over Europe’s largest river delta and UNESCO biosphere capacity of 100. The restaurant and terrace seat the same reserve. Rare redneck geese and pelicans fascinate the number. The Delta Nature Resort is a very attractive eco- visitor. This unique area can be explored from the com- resort with 30 villas and conference rooms for up to 80. fort of a hotel houseboat, or you can get closer to the www.deltaresort.com action in a canoe.

Romania - explore the Carpathian garden | 19 20 | Romania - explore the Carpathian garden Bear

Team-building vineyard

Conacul Dintre Vii is an eco-oriented complex 94 km outside Bucharest in the Urlati region, where groups are offered team training in a country house based on sustainable principles. Bears, wolves and eagles

The mountain village of Magura in the Piatra Craiului national park, 35 km from Brasov, is the starting point for wolf- and bear-watching tours. The four-day tours include an introduction to the Romanian technique of “forest harvesting”, reading the tracks of wild animals and encounters with semi-tame wolves. Participants live in comfortable guesthouses and can ﬁnish off, if they choose, with a ﬂight to “Dracula Castle”. www.eco- romania.ro

Romanian convention bureau

16, Splaiul Unirii, etaj 8, camera 811, Sector 4, 040035 Bucuresti, Fax. 021.211.10.59 [email protected] [email protected]

Destination Management Companies, Professional Conference Organizers (PCOs) and Profesional Exhibi- tion Organizers, ( PEOs / EMC)

CongrExpo Service SRL Radu Cimponeriu (GSM +4 0722 684 007) 2, Frunte Lata Street, Bl. P4, 5th floor, Suite 24 050685 Bucharest 5, ROMANIA Phone: +4021 410 1529, Fax: +4021 410 1581 [email protected] , [email protected] www.congrexpo.ro

Ralcom Exhibitions SRL Liviu Radacineanu (+4 0723 622 286) Monica Bozienita (+4 0724 200 100) 20A, Strada Raspantiilor, Sector 2, 020548 Bucuresti Phone/Fax: +4021 211 30 60, +4021 210 58 14; +4021 610 34 17, +4021 610 73 81 [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected] www.ralcom.ro

Romania - explore the Carpathian garden | 21 Accent Travel & Events SRL Danubius Travel Ageny SRL Lucian Boronea (GSM +4 0723 309 013) Ciprian Popescu Virginia Bercu Adriana Radulescu 5, Episcopiei, ap. 2, Sector 1, 010292 Bucuresti Cladire Danubius, Complex Pelican, 900001 Mamaia, Phone: +4021 314 1980, Jud. Constanta Fax: +4021 314 1981 Phone: +40241 480 351, [email protected]; +40241 480 369 [email protected] Fax: +40241 480 360 www.accenttravel.ro [email protected], [email protected] CMB International Eximp T/A CMB Travel SRL Cristian Mihai Balcescu Congress Rental Ltd Roxana Balcescu (GSM +4 0722 224 101) Marian Danut Telescu 20, Bd.N.Balcescu, Sector 1, 010052 Bucuresti Diana Dogarescu Phone: +4021 317 1346 / 47, 162, Splaiul Unirii, hala nr. 4, Sector 4, 040042 Bucuresti +4021 311 3107 / 10 Phone: +4021 311 0996 Fax: +4021 311 3106 Fax: +4021 300 0722 [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] [email protected] www.cmbtravel.ro www.congressrental.ro

Danco Pro Communication SRL Prestige Tours Daniel Rodea Mircea Vladu (GSM +4 0744 561 760) Florin Leonte Valentin Boboc 29C, Maior Coravu sector 2, Bucuresti 31, George Enescu, Apt.1 , 010303 Bucuresti Phone: +4021 250 0221, Phone. +4021 312 6095; Fax: +4021 250 3312 +4021 319 7794 - 97; [email protected]; Fax: +4021 312 1255 [email protected] ; [email protected]; [email protected] [email protected], www.dancopro.ro [email protected] ; www.prestigetours.ro Olimpic International Turism SRL George Sorin Nicolescu (GSM +4 0722 244 222) Peacock - Global Hotel Management SRL 5, Visana, Bl. 43, Sc B, Etj 5, Ap 66, Sector 4, Adriana Marasoiu (GSM +4 0744 53 83 97) 040392 Bucuresti 16, Splaiul Unirii, et. 6, cam. 609, 040035, Bucuresti Phone: +4021 330 5658; Phone: +4021 211 1058 +4021 330 6152; Fax: +4021 211 1059 +4021 330 4471, [email protected] Fax: +4021 330 5123 [email protected] [email protected]; [email protected] www.olimpic.ro

22 | Romania - entdecke den Garten der Karpaten Main Square Brasov

Rumänisches Touristenamt Dachauerstr. 32- 34, 80335 München [email protected] Legend www.rumaenien-tourismus.de First cover: Vilacross, Bucharest Tel: 0049 - 89 - 515 67 687 Last cover: Cismigiu Park, Bucharest Fax: 0049 - 89 - 515 67 689 2011 © Ministry of Regional Development and Tourism Project selected withintheOperationalProject selected RegionalProgramme andco-fi nanced by theEuropean Unionthrough theEuropean Regional Development Fund. in order to convey apositive imageofRomaniaasatourism destination. 38 Dinicu Golescu Blvd, Golescu 38 Dinicu 1stdistrict,Bucharest, Romania Ministry ofRegional DevelopmentMinistry and Tourism Ministry ofRegionalDevelopment and Ministry Tourism The Promotion oftheNational Tourism Brand, Directorate of Tourism Promotion Investing inyour future! [email protected] May 2011