Romanian Tourism Marketing and the

Rroma: Connections and Future Directions

http://www.euroalter.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/roma-dancers.jpg

Maria Legault (ID#20266913)

TOUR 604
Professor Judith Cukier
Wednesday, November 30th, 2011

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Table of Contents
1.0 Introduction...Page 3
2.0 Overview of Romanian Tourism...Page 4
2.1 Geographical Context....Page 4
2.2 Historical Information ..Page 6
3.0 Context of the Rroma....Page 7
3.1 Historical Change......Page 7
3.2 Current Situation...Page 8
4.0 Solutions from a Social Planning Perspective .Page 9
4.1 Step One: Foresight Exercises..Page 9
4.2 Step Two: Pragmatic Exercises..Page 10
4.3 Step Three: International Dissemination........Page 11
5.0 Conclusions.....Page 12
6.0 References ......Page 13

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Romanian Tourism Marketing and the Rroma: Connections and Future Directions
1.0 Introduction
The Rroma, one of the most marginalized groups in Eastern and Central Europe, have yet
to be included in Romanian tourism development or tourism marketing initiatives (Ladanyi and
Szelenyi 2001; Banyai 2009; Rughinis 2010; Vasecka and Vasecka 2010). As tourism
development has recently become a focus of the Romanian government, the necessary funding
and personnel resources are available to provide for tourists interested in directly interacting with
the Rroma population through home stays and volunteer tourism (Harrison 1993; World Tourism
Organization [WTO] 2007). Both of these niche forms of tourism are valuable because, if
properly developed, they can promote the empowerment of marginalized groups in society
(Ashley, et al. 2000). However, the Rroma must first be given the necessary marketing tools to
reduce stereotypes against their culture at the national and international level.
The purpose of this analysis is to illustrate how a creative marketing enterprise, facilitated
and controlled by the Rroma, could help to overcome the negative stereotypes against their
culture. Details are first provided on the strengths and weaknesses of marketing the rural
Romanian tourism industry, with particular reference to Dracula tourism. Dracula tourism is
literature-inspired travel, which can help to alter tourists perceptions of a destination as well as
the countrys international image (Smith 2003). Next, aspects of the Rroma culture which could
be either desirable or problematic for tourism marketing are outlined. The creative marketing
enterprise is then described in three distinct steps. Objectives of this initiative are to provide the
Rroma with economic independence, increase their cultural pride, and decrease cultural
stereotypes. Tourism development, an area of increasing interest to the Romanian government
(WTO 2007), could help to achieve these goals.

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2.0 Overview of Romanian Tourism

2.1 Geographical Context
Romania possesses the geographical features necessary to develop a strong tourism
product, although this goal is faced with three key challenges. In the past, the country has
largely played host to tourists interested in mass packaged tours to coastal seaside resorts along
the Black Sea, ski resorts in the Carpathian Mountains, and spa tourism across the country (Hall
2004; WTO 2007; Bodescu, et al. 2009). Consequently, year-round tourism is a feature of this
countrys tourism industry (Muresan and Smith 1998; Roberts and Simpson 1999). Romanias
landscape also possesses man-made features, such as castles and villages, which are desirable to
tourists with romantic inclinations (Iordanova 2007).
Romanian tourism is, however, challenged by authenticity concerns, a largely rural
landscape, and limited entrepreneurial skills within its population. From the tourists
perspective, authenticity is achieved when the destination culture or environment appears natural
or untouched by external manipulation; typically, tourists gain expectations for this naturalness
through destination marketing (Baloglu and McClearly 1999; Revilla and Dodd 2003; Reisinger
and Steiner 2006; Pine and Gilmore 2008). Thus far, the Romanian government has failed to
accurately market Romania to the tourist (WTO 2007). The governments marketing focus to
the present day has been focused on describing the country to foreigners as an urban, culturally
homogenous, and economically powerful region (Woodcock 2007). Inaccurate marketing efforts
and the provision of related services have either dissuaded modern, discerning tourists from
visiting Romania or generated unsatisfactory experiences (Banyai 2009). Tourists seeking
cultural immersion and new, adventurous experiences find the prospect of Romanias packaged
tours uninteresting, and luxury tourists expecting high-class services can leave dissatisfied with
their visit to the country (Muresan and Smith 1998; Schyvens 2002; WTO 2007). Local ethnic

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groups also have no say in the way that they are portrayed in government marketing efforts on
their behalf (Muresan and Smith 1998).
Second, rural areas constitute over 90 percent of the countrys land mass (Ghisa, et al.
2011, 997). The rural landscape challenges homesteads seeking to enter the tourist market
because they are isolated from networks of other tourist providers and lack sufficient
transportation infrastructure (Stroschein 2002; WTO 2007). Communes, the administrative
subdivision of Romania, are dispersed in nature and can have less than 50 inhabitants per km2
(Ghisa, et al. 2011, pp. 998). Infrastructure improvements within communes, in the form of
road, rail, and air upgrades, are currently planned by the Romanian government (WTO 2007).
These improvements are to be funded, in part, by revenue generated through national tourism
enterprises (WTO 2007). Still lacking from the governments tourism plan, however, is the
formation of communication networks and coordinated marketing strategies for individual
Romanians seeking to cater to tourists (WTO 2007).
Lastly, rural areas are characterized by a population that is aging, poverty-stricken,
uneducated, and often transitory (Stroschein 2002; WTO 2007). Training in the business of
tourism management is therefore only provided by government in larger urban centers, and even
non-governmental organizations (NGO) have been unable to move into rural areas and teach the
locals business skills (Ghisa, et al. 2011). Rural homesteads are therefore challenged to
effectively market and develop their available services (Ghisa, et al. 2011). Romanians are also
resistant towards government intervention in their affairs after years of Communist rule (Hall
2004). Overall, Romanian tourism marketing should accurately portray the country to tourists
based on the preferences of local ethnic groups. Necessary preconditions for proper marketing

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are the provision of basic business skills, formation of communication networks, and
coordination of marketing strategies.
2.2 Historical Information
Tourism in Romania has had a long history of tensions between Dracula-inspired literary
tourism and the goals of the Romanian government. As was previously mentioned, the
Romanian government has had little success in taking control of its international image for
tourism promotional purposes (Iordanova 2007; Banyai 2009). Popular media, and in particular
the novel Dracula, has had a much stronger influence over tourists perceptions (Jamal and
Tanase 2005). Dracula tourism began when Bram Stokers 1897 Gothic novel Dracula was
published (Hennelly 2005; Jamal and Tanase 2005).
Dracula tourism has proven a controversial topic for Communist and post-Communist
governments because it appears to denigrate Romania (Muresan and Smith 1998). Stoker wrote
the novel without ever having travelled to Romania; consequently, he portrayed the country as an
economically marginal and culturally backward periphery of Western Europe (Todorova 1997).
This unbalanced power relationship between Eastern and Western Europe has been termed
Balkanism by researchers (Iordanova 2007). Dracula tourism has subsequently been blamed
by some political commentators for Romanias slow ascension into the European Union (Light
2005).
Attempts have been made by the Romanian government to turn literary tourism to their
advantage. A person can be attracted to a literary destination because he or she is interested in
comparing the fictional world of the novel to the tangible, concrete landscape (Squire 1996;
Smith 2003). Destinations such as Prince Edward Island, setting of L.M. Montgomerys novel

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Anne of Green Gables, have gained significant economic benefits from literary tourist interest
(Squire 1996). The Romanian government did attempt to create a Dracula-themed park and
thereby make this phenomenon a positive marketing enterprise; however, this park was
problematic and eventually cancelled (Jamal and Tanase 2005). Marketing the Rroma
population through literary sources derived from their personal perspective could prove more
effective in stimulating positive tourist interest. In particular, tourists would be more likely to
critically evaluate the destination based on what they have read (Jamal and Tanase 2005).
3.0 Context of the Rroma
3.1 Historical Change
The Rroma ethnicity, though hard for researchers to quantify, has a history which could
stimulate tourist interest. Historians recorded the Rroma as being slaves in the 14th century,
followed by a long period of social marginalization throughout the 19th century (Rughinis 2010).
Throughout this time, a lack of land ownership forced them to travel constantly and contributed
to their resilient culture of survival (Rughinis 2010). With the advent of Communism in
Romania, the Rroma were prevented from publically displaying this unique culture and forced
out of their traditional, nomadic ways of life (Vasecka and Vasecka 2010). The Communist
government spent thousands of dollars trying to modernize the Rroma way of life through formal
training and education (Vasecka and Vasecka 2010). Despite these efforts, the Rroma remained
staunchly independent and culturally distinctive (Rughinis 2010). Their long history of
marginalization, nomadic lifestyle, poverty, and cultural strength could be of great interest for
tourists seeking authentic cultures (Ladanyi and Szelenyi 2001). To ensure that tourist interest is
not demeaning to the Rroma culture, however, control of tourism marketing must be guided by
Rroma communities.

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3.2 Current Situation

Ensuring that Rroma communities have control over tourism development could be
challenged by their history of persecution and unclear ethnic boundaries. After the fall of
Romanias Communist government in 1989 and the subsequent loss of the industrial sector,
Rroma were once again isolated from mainstream society and forced to migrate in search of
better livelihood opportunities (Berta 2009). For years, the Rroma were blamed by majority
ethnic groups in government and general society for the failure of Romania to ascend into the
European Union (Vasecka and Vasecka 2010). Physical attacks in public spaces and verbal
slanders in the media were commonplace against the Rroma until Romania was finally accepted
into the European Union in 2007 (Ghisa, et al. 2011). Violence against the Rroma has since
decreased, but is still a significant problem (Vasecka and Vasecka 2010).
Rroma may not want tourists to visit their communities because the complexity of the
touristic system could prevent them from directly benefiting from tourist revenues (Dyer, et al.
2002). Their marginalized status would make it easy for dominant ethnic groups to claim their
revenues from tourism or portray them in undesirable ways. Rroma are also hesitant to accept
government aid after years of manipulation by the Communist government (Woodcock 2007).
Tourism marketing and development for the Rroma should therefore be championed by an
independent, external not-for-profit organization (NPO) or NGO able to provide guidance,
structure, and funding to their efforts (Ghisa, et al. 2011).
In government census surveys, few Romanians are willing to self-identify themselves as
Rroma because they fear an increase of violence against their communities and families (Csepeli
and Simon 2007). Researchers estimated in 2001 that, based on language, lifestyle, and ancestry
characteristics, Romania has a population of between 1.8 and 2.5 million Rroma (Ladanyi and

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Szelenyi 2001, pp. 84). However, this number tends to vary from year to year (Csepeli and
Simon 2007). Rromas hesitancy to self-declare an ethnic affiliation suggests that the individual
facilitating Rroma tourism marketing and development must be of the same ethnicity (Stroschein
2002). The likelihood of finding an educated Rroma has been on the increase since the
Romanian government stated specific goals for the use of the Roma Education Fund, a funding
priority which seeks to facilitate educational efforts for Rroma youth (Roma Education Fund
[REF] 2007). The Rroma culture has a history of marginalization and persecution which may be
of interest to tourists, but they should be empowered to maintain control over tourism marketing
and development. This could be achieved through external NPO or NGO and a facilitator from a
Rroma community.
4.0 Solutions from a Social Planning Perspective
4.1 Step One: Foresight Exercises
The first phase of developing a marketing campaign for the Rroma would involve
choosing a leadership organization, consulting with young Rroma, and initiating foresight
exercises. A committee of government and private representatives would be formed with the
primary task of issuing a Request for Proposals (RFP) to various NPO and NGO groups in
Romania (Getz and Jamal 1994). Many such organizations exist in this country, but are not
active due to limited funding (REF 2007). The RFPs submitted by each group would propose a
comprehensive plan to engage with young Rroma about their life experiences. Each proposal, as
with many other RFPs, would be ranked by the committee according to its originality,
achievability, and proposed cost (Getz and Jamal 1994).
The selected NPO or NGP would then consult with young Rroma across Romania to
determine their willingness to participate in a tourism marketing venture. Rural areas would be a

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primary target throughout this initiative. Consultation would be done through trusted formal and
informal community organizations (e.g. schools) to keep costs low and build a trusting
relationship between the facilitator (an individual of Rroma descent) and Rroma participants
(Gretzel, et al. 2009). Next, foresight exercises would be initiated with willing participants.
These exercises would be based on more formal tourism visioning exercises, but carried out in
small, intimate focus groups (Ghisa, et al. 2011). Questions raised would include: How do you
perceive your past? How do you understand your current life situation? How might you achieve
the vision of your future? This first step is critical in establishing the necessary leadership to
engage young Rroma.
4.2 Step Two: Pragmatic Exercises
The second step would involve training Rroma youth in the production of some form of
creative output based on their foresight exercises. Youth would be trained in technology use
(e.g. radio, internet forums, video recording) and artistic endeavors (e.g. plays, novels, paintings)
that would serve as creative embodiments of their understanding of the past and present, as well
as their hopes for the future. Partnering with the many institutions of higher education in
Romania for this portion of the initiative would provide the necessary technology resources and
allow Rroma to directly interact with higher-level educators. Transportation between rural areas
and the educational institutions could be subsidized by grants.
Funding for steps one and two of this initiative would be raised by the committee of
government and private representatives. In particular, they would apply for grants such as the
Nokia-IYF Global Youth Development Initiative (GYDI) (International Youth Foundation [IYF]
2011). The GYDI program supports projects which enhance the education, employability, and
civic engagement of Eastern European youth (IYF 2011). Money could also be drawn from the

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Roma Education Fund because it would not imply governmental control (REF 2007).
Government funding for the practical components of the foresight exercises would not be used to
avoid manipulation of the Rroma youth.
4.3 Step Three: International Dissemination
Lastly, the message of the young Rromas creative ideas would be spread to the national
and international community. As discussed in this paper, the Romanian government has
struggled with external perspectives of Romania due to the influence of externally-controlled
media (e.g. Dracula). Creating a positive marketing campaign based on the reflections of Rroma
youth and directed towards empowering them through tourism development could therefore be a
desirable option. The cost of spreading this message would be covered by the remaining funds
raised for steps one and two. Funds might also be used to provide a small financial or in-kind
reward (i.e. a prize) to the young Rroma who participated in the foresight exercises.
Overall, the tourism product provided in response to these marketing efforts would be
home stays or volunteer tourism. Home stays could be beneficial because the tourist stays in the
home of the local, increasing cultural communication, direct economic benefits for the
community, and reducing the need for high capital investment (Ashley, et al. 2000; Schyvens
2002). Volunteer tourism would allow the tourist to work within the community on (for
example) school-build projects, thereby satisfying the modern tourists need for an authentic
experience (Pine and Gilmore 2008). It would be more authentic because the tourists
expectations would be based on the young Rromas creative description of their lifestyle. Thus,
marketing the Rroma culture through creative enterprises could be valuable for enhancing
cultural communication at both the national and international scale.

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5.0 Conclusions
In this paper, a creative marketing enterprise was developed as a method for assisting the
Rroma population while concurrently increasing tourist interest in Romania. Problems with
current tourism marketing and development efforts in Romania were first identified. The
government of Romania has not accurately portrayed the country to tourists, and the local
population lacks the business skills necessary to properly coordinate marketing strategies
between geographically separate tourist ventures. Creating an adequate marketing strategy for
the Rroma and ensuring that they have control over tourism marketing and development is
critical as their culture could be of great interest to tourists seeking authenticity. This paper
proposed giving the Rroma youth control of attracting tourists to their communities by detailing
a creative marketing enterprise.
This marketing initiative would be based on the foresight exercises of young Rroma,
facilitated by non-governmental sources, and funded through national and international grants.
End results from these marketing efforts would include:
1. Young Rroma who are interested in higher education through exposure to these
institutions;
2. Young Rroma who have more employable skills through technology training;
3. Greater cultural communication at the national scale through dissemination of the
Rromas creative stories to dominant ethnic groups;
4. Increased tourist interest in visiting Romania to see the Rroma;
5. Increased pride within Rroma communities of their past history; and,
6. Potential for the Rroma to derive an economic livelihood from tourism.

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Rroma communities could be of great interest to tourists seeking an authentic experience

through home stays or volunteer tourism. However, tourism planners should ensure that Rroma
communities desire tourism development and that they are properly outfitted for its evolution.
Rroma culture could be altered for tourist consumption, making it less authentic for both host
and guest (Medina 2003). For overall preservation of the Rromas lifestyle, other societal
changes must occur across Romania (e.g. lessened barriers to their employment in other
industries). Future research efforts may therefore want to investigate the Rromas tourism
development in comparison to other ways that they could derive a livelihood. Evaluating the
types of tourists interested in the Rroma would also be valuable for understanding the long-term
impacts that tourism could have on their culture.
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