Bucharest is attracting history buffs keen to see the city’s communist architecture, including the palace of former dictator Nicolae Ceausescu.
“People visit to see the changing face of Romania. The high-rises built in the 1950s and 60s and Ceausescu’s palace have now become tourist attractions,” said Romania Travel Centre managing director James Greig .
“They are part of history. The palace was built in the late 1980s, it is the second largest building in the world after the Pentagon. It is awesome.
“The country suffered under the brutal regime for 50 years, but since the liberation people are starting to smile again.”
While Bucharest is currently a niche destination featured only by specialists, new hotels scheduled to open over the next two years could encourage mainstream operators to feature the city as an alternative to Prague and Budapest. A 210-room Novotel is planned for next year, with a 530-room Marriott and 200-room Holiday Inn to follow in 2001.
Cresta Holidays is considering offering Bucharest for its 2000 Cities programme and could become the first mainstream city-break operator to feature it.
“We’re looking at Bucharest. We will reach a decision by July at the earliest,” said marketing consultant Will Waters.
Specialist operators hope the arrival of new hotels on the market will spur existing hoteliers to bring down rates.
“Bucharest hotel prices are too high, making the city uncompetitive,” said Balkan Holidays managing director Nicky Antonov.
Romania Travel Centre’s Greig agreed Bucharest is overpriced. “There are only 6,000 international-standard hotel beds in Bucharest, yet hotels are half-empty at weekends,” he said.
“We want to fill those beds, but hoteliers won’t play ball by offering realistic prices. We’re getting good co-operation from the airlines, so now is the time to get short breaks moving. I feel Bucharest has enoughto offer to stimulate interest.”
The company’s three-night breaks in the city start from ú291 at the two-star Parc hotel, rising to ú545 at the five-star Athenee Palace Bucharest Hilton. The deal includes flights with Tarom from Heathrow and transfers.
Fregata’s prices lead in at ú365 for three nights at the three-star Minerva, while Balkan Holidays’ three-night prices start at ú448 at the three-star Ambassador.
Belfast-based Balkan Tours sells seats to Bucharest as Tarom’s consolidator and is considering the city for short-break packages. “There’s enough in Bucharest to make it worthwhile,” said manager Roberto Comsa.