The December 1989 Revolution is emerging as the main theme of Timisoara 2021- European Capital of Culture (ECC), especially for foreign tourists, while the Timisoara 2021 ECC Association also wants the expansion of the extra-seasonal must see events to attract tourists throughout the entire year, Simion Giurca, Timisoara 2021 ECC Association tourist consultant said on Friday.

A former head of Romania's Tourist Promotion Office of in Vienna, Giurca told the first national incoming tourism conference hosted by Timisoara that he does not want a main attraction for Romanian tourists and another for foreign tourists, but he wants equal treatment for all.

"We have read a lot of news stories, browsed through catalogues of foreign companies that recommend us, followed bloggers from all over the world; we have conducted surveys on international markets to see what foreigners can associate with us, but also the Romanians who are interested in Timisoara. I don't want us to make a main attraction for the Romanian tourists and another one for foreign tourists, but we want to treat them all equally. The word of reference when mentioning Timisoara is the [December 1989] Revolution, and in December 2019 being 30 years since then, the subject has been resumed. No news story in the foreign media has failed to say that the Romanian Revolution started in Timisoara. It is a starting value that would help us tremendously with the construction of a museum of the Romanian Revolution in line with European values," Giurca told a news conference.

He explained that the must see events are aimed at attracting tourists off-season, in February-March, October-November, as people come to "experience feelings, not just to see buildings."

On the other hand, Giurca said that it is desirable for a Timisoara of the future to be also displayed at international travel fairs, and in that sense some sensational solutions have been found to use all the advantages technology can offer to make people want to come and see what is there to conquer them.

He pointed out that in 2019 around 345,000 tourists came to Timisoara, slightly more than in the previous year, and a very important thing is that the increase in the number of overnight stays outpaced the increase in the number of tourists by almost 10%.

"We want the chance of Timisoara being a European Capital of Culture to turn it into a success story for Timisoara, to position the city as a tourist destination, without excluding business tourism. An important thing is access to information; we live in a world of digitisation and we have to provide the necessary information in a timely manner to all those who are interested in Timisoara, either from their country or from here. The year 2021 is only the beginning year of intensive tourism, of consolidating the place of Timisoara on the map of national tourism. Today's event is very important to promote Timisoara in the world of Romanian tourism, as a tourist destination," concluded Giurca. AGERPRES (RO - author: Otilia Halunga, editor: Karina Olteanu; EN - author: Corneliu-Aurelian Colceriu, editor: Adina Panaitescu)