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Romanian tourists chose to spend Easter in Maramures county villages (northern Romania) and have booked 90 pct of the rural guesthouses in the area, the Chairman of the National Association of Rural, Ecological and Cultural Tourism in Romania - ANTREC, Livia Sima has declared for agerpres.
"The occupancy level of rural guesthouses slightly exceeds 90 percent, and those who have chosen Maramures as destination for the short Easter holiday are Romanian tourists and a small number of foreigners. Boarding houses in villages and communes situated in the vicinity of monasteries or in the mountains have been booked. Tourists booked the accommodation a month ago, most of them going for all inclusive packages or for a two-day stay and then leaving for another destination. One advantage was that prices of accommodation and meals have been kept at an acceptable level, in addition to an assorted programme for those who have expressed desire to participate in religious services. The owners of the guesthouses left tourists make their own schedule or suggested various options given that it is just a four-day stay," said Livia Sima.
Tourists have largely opted for guesthouses located in villages and communes situated in Iza Valley and Vaser Valley, but also in the hostels in the villages placed at the foot of Tibles Mountain.
"After many years, tourists have booked guesthouses in villages and communes situated in the Lapusului Pass, villages that reach up to the foot of Tibles Mountain. It's an area less sought, too little promoted, an area with spectacular scenery, places where geography combines plains, hills and the mountain, places that convey calm and rest. Travelers in Banat, Oltenia and a small number of tourists in Transylvania chose guesthouses in Lapus villages. Some of them will attend the Resurrection and the first day of Easter religious services, in either the village churches of Rohia and Rohita monasteries," said Ioana Pasca, owner of a travel agency in Baia Mare.
The owner of a guesthouse in Botiza commune, Ilisca Petrus said that tourists chose to spend Easter in the village or a day trip by Mocanita train (e.n. narrow-gauge steam train) through Vaser Valley.
"The families of tourists arriving in guesthouses starting with Friday morning are staying for three days in the village, and one day is allocated to a trip with the Mocanita train. They chose to attend the religious services, a program of rest and outdoors walk, visiting wooden churches in the UNESCO heritage and they depart on Monday evening. The Easter menu will be the specific to the celebration: lamb kell, home-baked bread on stove, homemade wine and plum brandy, but also other goodies from our traditional cuisine," said Ilisca Petrus.
The price of an all inclusive package fluctuates depending on the tourists demands and can vary between 80, 120 and 220 lei per hotel accommodation day.
In Maramures county, according to data provided by ANTREC local branch, there are nearly 500 guesthouses, hotels and restaurants.
