Bucharest General Mayor Ciprian Ciucu said on Tuesday that he intends to establish the Bucharest Destination Management Organisation (DMO) by the end of the year, arguing that the Romanian capital has so far lacked a coherent tourism promotion strategy.

'Until now, Bucharest has not had a coherent promotion strategy, and through this Destination Management Organisation we are bringing together representatives of the hotel industry, travel agencies, transport operators and the Horeca sector. The organisation's main objective will be to develop a strategy backed by a clear budget for promoting Bucharest,' Ciucu told AGERPRES during a debate on the creation of the DMO.

According to the mayor, the organisation will be funded primarily from the city tax paid by tourists visiting Bucharest. A draft may be submitted to the General Council within the next few weeks, with the goal of securing approval by the end of the year.

Acting Minister of Economy, Digital Transformation, Entrepreneurship and Tourism Irineu Darau said similar efforts are under way at national level to establish a national DMO.

'In my view, this is perfect synchronisation to ensure that a national DMO can operate efficiently and provide a unified strategy. We have hundreds of local DMOs in the process of being registered, but I believe regional DMOs and the Bucharest DMO are essential for the effectiveness of the national organisation,' Darau said.

Ciucu stressed that the Bucharest DMO would not be controlled by the City Hall and should be led by a professional with credibility in the industry.

'It will have a considerable budget and I don't want it politicised. The municipality will have veto rights and oversight over the budget because we are talking about significant amounts of money. Bucharest, especially its central area, will change dramatically for the better through upcoming urban regeneration projects. It is important to have a clear action plan,' the mayor wrote on Facebook.

The Bucharest City Hall said the founding members are proposed to include the National Association of Travel Agencies, the Romanian Hotel Industry Federation, the Romanian Hotels and Restaurants Employers' Organisation, the Federation of Romanian Tourism Employers, universities through an association and cultural organisations.

The organisation will have a general assembly made up of founding members, which will appoint a board of directors. An executive director with recognised expertise and professional standing in the industry will be responsible for implementing the management strategy.

The DMO will function as a promotion agency, running campaigns, including on social media, and developing partnerships. Its role will be to establish a unified national and international branding and visibility strategy aimed at increasing both the number of tourists and the length of their stay in Bucharest.

The new structure will not organise events and will not replace museums or travel agencies.

According to the municipality, the Bucharest DMO should become operational by winter, or at the latest by spring, after which it will complete its internal organisation. AGERPRES (RO - writing by: Iulia Carciog; EN - writing by: Simona Klodnischi)