We’re only six months in for the year 2020 and I’m sure I’m not alone in saying that it feels like 2020 has been going on for at least two years now.
Let’s go back to the beginning of 2020, when all of us were bright-eyed and optimistic about our travel plans. If you are to look back on your original travel plans for 2020, do they now seem quite far-fetched and almost impossible?
It’s not at all surprising if our plans have changed 6 months later. After all, we all just went through (and are going through) what is likely the most significant life-changing pandemic in modern history.
As human beings, we’re naturally resilient and in order to survive, find different ways to still pursue our plans. Slowly we will get back to travelling. It may not be the same as what we’re used to, but we will get there once more.
A good news to start this off is that Europe is opening its internal borders by the 15th of June. It’s not like there will be a sudden deluge of travellers in Europe, but people worldwide are at least starting their travel plans again, or adjusting their travel plans to the new normal.
Because people’s travel requirements have now changed, there’s also been a shift in travel destination preference. Forbes Travel recently came out with their list of top safest European destinations for travel post Corona Virus. And one destination (10th place) in that list is making us want to pack our bags soon: Romania.
It’s actually Sibiu, the historical Transylvannian city northwest of Bucharest that Forbes has included in their list, but here are the reasons why we believe that Romania as a whole will be a destination that travellers will set their eyes on in 2021 and beyond.
1.) It has a relatively low number of Covid-19 cases
Comparatively speaking, Romania has a low number of Covid-19 positive cases, making it a safer travel destination. Sibiu County in fact, does not have a single reported case of death. Compared to European cities that have been affected the most by the Corona virus, Romania has 15 times fewer cases.
Romania will re-open its doors to travellers again on the 1st of July, if they keep up with the decreasing number of positive cases, the country may soon find itself one of the most travelled place in Europe.
2.) Romania is attractive to both local and domestic travellers
One of the changes in traveller preference is the renewed focus on local communities, and slower travel overall. Because Romania still has many unexplored villages and areas , this will be great for local tourists. And overall, Bucharest and its nearby villages are attractive to foreign travellers ready for unique rural experience.
Outdoor activities in Romania is a locally-owned tour operator in Romania that specialises in local experiences and outdoor adventures. As they have been in this business for several years now, they have built contacts in rural villages around Romania, making it perfect for travellers wishing to have local experience in their trip.
And more importantly, in light of the current situation and putting all guests’ health as its utmost priority, Outdoors in Romania caters to individuals and small groups. This not only ensures the health and safety of everybody, but their guests are sure go enjoy more out of Romania with a smaller group.
Here’s a message of positivity and hope from Outdoors in Romania founder and guide Dan Chitila:
3.) Romania is a perfect destination for families
Because of the pandemic and restrictions / quarantines set in place due to it, many families have been apart from each other for at least a couple of months. And even if they were quarantined together, the pandemic has made many realise that the future is just too uncertain so it is crucial for families to make memories together while they still can.
Romania is a great destination for families especially those who love to bond outdoors. Outdoor Activities in Romania have been specialising in custom-made, and private tours for years so family tours are very popular with them. They take families or active groups of friends around Transylvania, Harghita County, and Trascau Mountains with activities such as hiking, caving, waterfall excursions, biking and sightseeing around local villages.
4.) Romania is an ideal ‘fresh and pure’ destination
The health crisis is making people realise the importance of good health and they will naturally want to go to places that have important things that became scarce during the pandemic: fresh, clean air and open spaces.
And if it’s clean air and fresh open spaces we’re talking about, you can’t get more ideal than rural Romania. Romania remains to be one of Europe’s least urbanised cities. As of 2017, Romania’s rural population stands at 46.4 %. There are plenty of countryside to explore all over the country, each with their own distinct culture. (Here’s a unique Romanian countryside experience I did years back with Outdoor Activities in Romania).
Outdoor Activities in Romania offer plenty of country break tours that match your experience preference and level of activeness.
5.) Romania is ideal for travellers from afar.
One of the travel trends predicted for 2021 is that travellers will take things in two contrasting ways: either travel near, or travel very far. Local travel will no doubt increase due to international flight restrictions, but people will still pursue international travel, but with much less frequency. So if someone used to travel 3 or 4 times a year pre-Covid years, they will now be travelling just 1 or 2 times a year. And because of that, they will want to travel to more far-flung areas to make use of their time, and also to avoid the tourist crowds.
Romania’s popularity as a tourism destination is rising (in 2019, it saw a 3.6% increase in arrivals, welcoming 13.26 million tourists the past year), but it’s still not as crowded as other more popular European destinations.
There are plenty more adventures and destinations to be explored and discovered in Romania and Outdoor Activities in Romania is the best locally-owned and operated tour company to accompany and guide you in this.
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