Rural guesthouses, the Mocanita train and cycle tourism remain among the most attractive summer holiday options for Romanian and foreign visitors choosing Maramures as their destination, Livia Sima, president of the Maramures branch of the National Association for Rural, Ecological and Cultural Tourism (ANTREC), told AGERPRES on Tuesday.

According to her, there are small groups of Romanian and foreign tourists who take day trips on the Mocanita train along the Valea Vaserului/Vaser Valley.

'The Mocanita train takes passengers along the Vaser Valley gorge. The train travels at a fairly low speed, allowing tourists to enjoy nature throughout the nearly 20-kilometre route. Of course, photography enthusiasts come especially to the Vaser Valley and spend several days in the area to visit other places as well. The Mocanita train continues to fascinate tourists and is one of the most appreciated attractions in Maramures. We also have the advantage of guesthouses located near the railway station from which the train departs, acceptable services during the journey and a wonderful place that delights the eye,' Livia Sima said.

The ANTREC president also pointed out that in recent years cycle tourism has begun to gain popularity in the hill and lowland villages, alongside the development of cycling paths.

'The administrations of several communes in the county have secured funding and built dedicated roads for cyclists, redeveloping former rural roads located across fields or near forests. Interest in these exceptional routes has won over both local residents and tourists,' Livia Sima added.

According to her, religious tourism includes organised tours arranged by specialised travel agencies in Romania.

'We have a route of wooden churches, as well as another route that includes the churches that are part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. They are churches that are hundreds of years old and well preserved. The wooden churches are the greatest value of our local heritage; they are part of our identity and the history of rural communities. Regardless of the times, these wooden churches have been protected and have survived so that we can enjoy them today and so that they can remain a legacy for future generations,' Livia Sima explained.

According to the ANTREC representative, more than 20,000 Romanian and foreign tourists visit Maramures County every year.

In this context, Maramures County Council President Gabriel Zetea told AGERPRES on Tuesday that a new passenger terminal has recently been opened at Tausii Magheraus International Airport, serving domestic, international, charter and holiday flights.

'We have departures to holiday destinations in Turkey, Greece and Egypt, and the airport administration is now exploring new routes to European countries,' Gabriel Zetea said. AGERPRES (RO - writing by: Leontin Cupar; EN - writing by: Cristina Zaharia)