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 international tourism fair "World Travel Market" (WTM) and through an outdoor (OOH) campaign carried out on buses in London, Manchester, Birmingham and Liverpool.

According to a press release of the Ministry sent to AGERPRES on Wednesday, these initiatives take place simultaneously in November, around the winter holiday season, being aimed at attracting British and international tourists.

MEAT participates, between November 5-7 this year, in WTM London, a Business-to-Business (B2B) event of reference for tourism professionals. Romania's national stand brings together 35 co-exhibitors, including tour operators, hoteliers, professional associations and federations and Destination Management Organizations.

The co-exhibitors will have dedicated spaces for B2B meetings and a conference area available at Romania's stand where, during the three days of the exhibition, they will give presentations about the local tourist offer. In addition, the folk ensemble from Craiova will be present to interact with visitors, in order to promote Romanian authenticity and traditions. Also, the Mayor of Craiova, Lia Olguta Vasilescu, will be present to make known the story of the Craiova Christmas Market, recognized as one of the most beautiful in Europe and ranked 2nd in the European Best Destinations list.

Simultaneously with the presence at the WTM, Romania runs an OOH campaign on the double-decker buses in London, Manchester, Birmingham and Liverpool, over November 4 - December 4. The campaign includes 150 buses in Greater London, providing an estimated coverage of 51.1% of the London population, with an impact of over 16 million impressions. A further 50 buses will run through Central London, generating an estimated 5.6 million views. In Manchester, Birmingham and Liverpool, the campaign is running on 50 regional buses, ensuring a coverage rate of 4.41% nationally. The action, which carries the message "Hop on Board to Romania," will thus benefit from an extended visibility, amplified by the urban agglomeration and the diversified audience in these cities.

The United Kingdom is among the main markets of interest for Romanian tourism. According to the estimates for the current year, the British will make more than 97 million international trips, with their spending being estimated to reach 90.46 billion US dollars. Their interest in Romania has grown steadily in recent years, in the period 2007-2017 the destination Romania registering the highest rate of growth in the British citizens' holiday options, with a spectacular return in 2022, when a 280% increase was reached against 2021. The upward trend was maintained in 2023, with an increase of 26.5%.

In general, British tourists are attracted by the diversity of natural landscapes, cultural tourism and the city-break offers, as well as by the optimized air connectivity between the two countries.

Through the de minimis aid scheme approved by Order no. 330/2023, the expenses of the economic operators present at Romania's stand at WTM London, are fully covered, in terms of the participation fee, rental space and personalization of the desks, the ministry mentions.

Also, MEAT bears 50% of the external transport costs for one representative of each economic operator, provided that this amount does not exceed 500 euros, as well as 50% of the price of the first night's accommodation. AGERPRES (RO - author: Cristian Anghelache, editor: Mariana Nica, EN - author: Cristina Zaharia)