Somewhere Between Hospitality and Culture, w/ Raluca Spiac (Romania)

This conversation with Raluca Spiac is a little different to some of my other conversations & interviews here. And that was on purpose. I've been connected to her for years, but haven't actually been to Romania ... nor sent clients to Romania, yet. And as many places within Europe largely become over-toured, when looking ahead to 2027 planning for my agency's clientele, I'm hyper-focused on secondary or emerging destinations on the continent. To create an entire trip from, or to pair with something nearby like a Greece, Italy, Croatia, Turkey, Hungary, Slovenia ... Raluca shares the different aspects to Romania, and what make it a truly unique destination at this particular time in history. We also dive into the politics of Romania. The country is only just now trying to come out of the ramifications left from decades of the brutal form of communism it was under until the 1980s.We discuss hospitality and tourism in general. No one on their team has studied tourism in school. They operate in a destination that essentially has no demand. No ministry of tourism, no tourism board. There's no easy connectivity, unless you're flying in. There's a rail system, but it's archaic and for some travelers, could be uncomfortable. Some may see all of this as a deterrent. I see it as a giant hell yes. Let me go and explore it, the way it is now, largely untouched by governmental tourism, outside influence, before others get in ... other business, other tourists. Romania is not for everyone, and Raluca and her team see that as a plus. They are not trying to market the country to everyone, but rather to a specific type of traveler. The type of traveler that is curious, adventurous of mind, a slower paced traveler, it's usually the type of traveler who is the first in their friend group venturing into a place ... the type of traveler who opts for Romania's version of the Camino, bypassing Spain's. Until Spain's falls out of the zeitgeist.If you liked this conversation, you may also like my interview with Chamindra Goonewardene from Sri Lanka … similar type of destination in the sense that both Raluca & Chamindra see themselves as ambassadors of their respective countries, doing it their way, with their taste, and style, because neither Romania nor Sri Lanka have trad tourism boards per se. Challenge? Sure. One of the most splendid blank slates in hospitality? Bar none.