Financiarul

Romanian Minister of Tourism Elena Udrea stated on Friday, in Paris, in the framework of the events occasioned by the international launch of the tourism promotion campaign “Romania – Land of Choice” that she hopes that it will lead to a boost by ten percent of the number of tourists who will visit Romania in 2009.

“We are an European Union member state for two years and should have launched this campaign till now. This is an extraordinary event mainly because today we benefit of the presence of Ilie Nastase and Nadia Comaneci, both famous in France.

This campaign is without doubt very useful and its intense presentation in the media stirred interest of dozens of thousands of Romanians in Paris and of the French citizens in general (…) So that we expect them to come to Romania, especially now, under crisis conditions, when a vacation in Romania is cheaper than on the Cote ďAzur or even one in Croatia”, said in his turn Romania’s Ambassador to UNESCO Nicolae Manolescu.

Minister Elena Udrea underlined that Paris was selected for the international kick starting of “Romania – Land of Choice” event because between Romania and France there are traditional and close relations, because Bucharest was nicknamed Little Paris, which “we hope to retake”, because both peoples speak a Latin language and because both are EU member states.

“We hope that together with Ilie Nastase and Nadia Comaneci we will persuade the French we are hospitable hosts and we will be glad to welcome them home. We hope they leave this place at today’s end with the wish to know Romania better and to find out that our country is the place where every hope can become real, including for the eco-tourism passionates”, said Elena Udrea.

Nadia Comaneci, having arrived directly from American, said she was honored to represent her country of origin.
“Romania needs promotion and this had to be done a long time ago. I am glad Ilie and I represent a beginning and we hope others will continue this initiative.

This event, where people get acquainted with a few Romanian symbols, who accomplished something in sports, people listen to and respect, maybe will make them curious to know the country Nadia and Ilie came.

Afterwards those visiting Romania will further carry out their impressions about the place. Even though I live in the USA, I feel very close to Romania where I will go together with my husband and my little boy, who turned three years yesterday”, said Nadia Comaneci.

Ilie Nastase, in his turn, said that this campaign started in Paris should be continued in the Scandinavian countries and in other countries where Romania is less known.