Field Visits, MREF 2025 | Mayor Dănuț Candrea, Dorna Candrenilor Balneoclimatic Resort: “We reopened the resort not just for ourselves, but for the entire Țara Dornelor”

MOLDOVA REGIONAL ECONOMIC FORUM 2025

19th Edition – Vatra Dornei, July 9–13, 2025

Section:

Field visits – Lessons from the practical experiences of small producers

Participant:

Dănuț Candrea – Mayor of Dorna Candrenilor

Presentation objective:
“Reopening the Dorna Candrenilor Balneoclimatic Resort and its impact on regional development”

As part of the Moldova Regional Economic Forum (MREF 2025), held between July 9–13 in Vatra Dornei, participants had the opportunity to discover a truly remarkable project in Dorna Candrenilor. Accompanied by the commune’s mayor, Dănuț Candrea, the delegations visited the Dorna Candrenilor Balneoclimatic Resort, a place rich in history and tradition, with major potential for the development of health and wellness tourism throughout the region.

A place with history and tradition

The resort has an impressive story, begun 126 years ago, when Cosma Donisă established the first baths in Dorna Candrenilor. In the interwar period, the resort was recognized at European level, ranking second in Europe in terms of the quality of its mineral waters and treatment facilities. The last mayor to continue balneal activity was Ilie Ursu, in 1937. Afterwards, activities gradually moved to Vatra Dornei and Iacobeni, while development in Dorna Candrenilor stagnated.

The reopening of the resort is today regarded as the repair of a historical injustice and a revival of a symbol of Bukovina.

The most modern SPA center in the county

The new balneoclimatic center in Dorna Candrenilor is designed to be a landmark for health tourism throughout Bukovina and Transylvania. The complex already includes:

• four pools for adults and one for children;

• sauna areas and a salt room;

• massage and relaxation spaces;

• modern facilities focused on comfort and health.

The development plans do not stop here. Mayor Dănuț Candrea announced that starting next year, the tradition of burcut baths, mud therapy and specific treatments that made the area famous until 1936 will be revived.

“It is a dream come true in Dorna Candrenilor. This large-scale project will contribute not only to the development of our locality, but also to that of all Bukovina and the Ardeal-Maramureș area.”

An involved and hospitable community

The commune of Dorna Candrenilor has a population of approximately 3,000 inhabitants, hardworking, active people involved in the development of the locality. In recent years, tourism investments have intensified, with guesthouses and accommodation facilities serving both the resort and the entire Dorna region.

“We did not make this project just for Dorna Candrenilor, but for the whole Țara Dornelor and for everyone who wants to come here for relaxation and treatment.”, emphasized Mayor Dănuț Candrea.

Tourism, health and regional development

The balneoclimatic resort has all the premises to become a tourist and economic attraction hub for the Dorna area, integrating into the development strategy promoted by the Moldova Regional Economic Forum.

Participants at MREF 2025 had the chance to see firsthand how strategic vision and local partnerships can transform a community into a benchmark of tourism and wellness.

Conclusion

The visit to the Dorna Candrenilor Balneoclimatic Resort demonstrated not only the revival of a symbol of Bukovina, but also the strength of local vision placed in the service of regional development. Through an ambitious investment and the desire to revive a tradition of more than a century, the local administration shows that balneal tourism can once again become an economic pillar for the entire Dorna region.

The project has a dual dimension: on the one hand, it responds to the current need for wellness, health, and quality tourism; on the other hand, it reintegrates into a European circuit a destination that, in the past, was recognized at continental level.

Through such initiatives, the Moldova Regional Economic Forum proves its role as a platform for dialogue and collaboration. Dorna Candrenilor can become a model of good practices, showing how local resources, tradition, and strategic vision can transform a small community into a development benchmark for the entire region.