FERM 2024 | Message from the Acting Director of the National Tourism Office of the Republic of Moldova, Valentin CEBAN

„TOURISM” Panel

18th Edition of the Moldova Regional Economic Forum, Vatra Dornei, 2024

SPEAKER – Valentin CEBAN, Interim Director of the National Tourism Agency of the Republic of Moldova

THEME: “Cooperation in the Tourism Sector between the Republic of Moldova and the North-East Region of Romania”

Valentin Ceban, the interim director of the National Tourism Agency of the Republic of Moldova, delivered a speech during the “Tourism Panel” focused on cross-border cooperation between the Republic of Moldova and the North-East Region of Romania, manifested through ongoing projects and future initiatives.

Joint Initiatives for Tourism Development

Cooperation in the tourism sector between the Republic of Moldova and Romania has seen significant progress in recent years, materializing through concrete projects and joint initiatives. Valentin Ceban highlighted the importance of these collaborations. “We have common cross-border tourist routes, a joint group of tourism experts, we develop common tourist packages, learn from each other’s success stories, and promote common tourist destinations,” stated Valentin Ceban.

Concrete Projects and Clearly Defined Objectives

Priority directions for tourism development include creating new tourist products, promoting offers in both markets, organizing informational tours, and B2B sessions. “The priority directions and objectives for implementing projects in the field of developing tourist products, promoting tourism offers in both markets, and organizing informational tours and B2B sessions have been established,” added Valentin Ceban.

The Role of Romania in Moldovan Tourism

Statistics show that in the first quarter of 2024, 59.1% of international travelers who visited the Republic of Moldova were from Romania. This fact underscores the importance of the Romanian market for Moldovan tourism. “The National Tourism Agency of the Republic of Moldova continues to focus on promoting our country as an attractive tourist destination in the Romanian market,” emphasized Ceban.

National Tourism Development Program “Tourism-2028”

One of the strategic pillars for the development of Moldovan tourism is the National Tourism Development Program “Tourism-2028.” This program aims to provide a holistic and sustainable approach to leveraging the tourism potential of the Republic of Moldova. “Tourism-2028 is a strategic planning document designed to establish a policy framework capable of providing a holistic and visionary approach to the medium-term development of the tourism industry,” stated the interim director of the National Tourism Agency of the Republic of Moldova.

Pilot of the First Destination Management Organization

Another important step is the pilot of the first Destination Management Organization (DMO) in the Republic of Moldova, focusing on the Prutul de Jos region.“The Republic of Moldova has launched the process of piloting the first Destination Management Organization (Prutul de Jos); this will leverage the tourism potential of the southern part of the country, promoting culturally significant places, hospitable environments, and recreational activities”, mentioned Ceban.

Innovative Tourist Routes

Notable achievements include the organization of innovative tourist routes, such as:

• Route of Voievod Ștefan cel Mare și Sfânt
• Route of Craftsmen and Crafts
• Gastronomic and Romantic Route Moldova – Romania

These initiatives not only diversify the tourism offer but also strengthen the cultural and historical ties between the two countries.

Extended Cross-Border Cooperation

Cross-border cooperation is expanding into specific areas, such as cultural, religious, wine tourism, gastronomy, and romance tourism. Promoting and developing cultural, religious, wine tourism, gastronomy, and romantic tourism; creating and developing new common tourist routes; joint participation in exhibitions; producing joint promotional materials; and organizing informational tours are just a few of the initiatives described by Valentin Ceban.

In conclusion, the cooperation between the Republic of Moldova and Romania in the tourism sector is based on concrete projects and a clear strategic vision aimed at leveraging the common tourism potential and promoting the tourist destinations of both countries in an integrated and sustainable manner.