<p align="LEFT"><strong><span style="font-family: Cambria, Cambria, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, Times New Roman, serif;">CHRISTIAN TOUR launched </span><span style="color: #000000;">HelloRomania.eu</span></span></span></strong></p>
<p align="LEFT"><span style="color: #000000;"> <span style="font-size: large;">HelloRomania.eu is an on-line B&amp;B reservations platform, a 100% Romanian concept. Created by the largest Romanian tour operator <span lang="ro-RO">-</span><span lang="ro-RO"> Christian Tour -, it offers a real time experience, from checking availability, to preferential prices and instant confirmation of booking. In only minutes travellers around the globe can book a room in a hotel or tourist pension in Romania. The new platform has as a slogan „Romanian Soul” and a team of professionals with experience in the hotel industry an online marketing. At the moment of launching the website recommends about 500 hosting units in the country, with a forseen expansion to 2000 units by the end of 2017. „ About 150.000 nights will be sold and the estimated turnover is over 10 million lei”- said Cristian Pandel, Chairman of the Board Christian Tour, at the opening.
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<p lang="ro-RO" align="LEFT"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">Investors from USA expressed interest in the HelloRomania.eu project , being attracted by the unlimited development potential of this travel portal, announced Andra Constantin, Business Development Manager of HelloRomania.eu.</span></span></p>
<p lang="ro-RO" align="LEFT"><strong><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Corvin Castle received EU funding</span></span></strong></p>
<p lang="ro-RO" align="LEFT"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Corvin Castle in Transilvania received 5 million euros from EU funds for its restauration, a project financed through the The Regional Operational Programme 2014-2020. The 5 years span of the financing and works aim to develop and promote the castle and its surroundings. It is estimated that there will be an increase in vizitation from the current 260.000 persons to 348.000 vizitors in 2021. „This contract proves once more how important it is to attract the european financing that we have access to. The castle in Hunedoara (named Corvin or Huniade) is one of the most important gothic style monuments in Romania, considered one of the most beautiful castles of this kind worldwide. Through the works to come we wish to bring it as a destination to euroean standards” – mentionned an official of The Ministry of Regional Development, Public Administration and European Funds. </span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT"><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">BUCHAREST CITY TOUR<span lang="ro-RO"> – a new season
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<p align="LEFT"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">End of May the double-decker buses of </span></span><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="ro-RO">Bucharest City Tour started theyr tours in the capital city. The 4 buses run daily, stopping every 20-25 minutes in the assigned stops, all along the city. They offer 77 seats each, and an audio-guide in Romanian, English, French and Italian. The buses connect sights and attractions in the City centre and Norhern area, from the Palace of Parliament, University Square, Roman Square, Victory Square, to the Arch of Trimph, Village Museum to The House of Free Press Square. The travel card is bought on the bus (25 lei, which is approx. 5 euro), but can be purchased in partner travel agencies and hotels as well. It is valid 24 hours from the first travel. </span></span></span><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">More info can be found on </span></span><a href="http://bucharestcitytour.ratb.ro/"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><u>http://bucharestcitytour.ratb.ro/</u></span></span></a><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">.</span></span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT"><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">SIGHI<span lang="ro-RO">ȘOARA - Mercure opens this fall
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<p align="LEFT"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="ro-RO">The Binderbubi Hotel and Spa in Sighișoara (Transilvania) revamps, getting on board the Mercure family, and will be adminsitrated by Orbis Hotel Group. This will be the first Mercure Hotel outside the capital city of Bucharest. The complex will offer </span>52 rooms, 3 conference rooms, 2 restaurants, a bar and a spa centre. “In Romania we aim a leadership position by developing partnerships with local businesses. I am thrilled by the launching of Mercure in Sighișoara. New openings throughout Romania will follow, confirming our dynamic development strategy in the country.” – said Gilles Clavie, President and CEO of Orbis Hotel Group. </span></span></p>
<p lang="ro-RO" align="LEFT"><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">CANADA – simplified VISA procedures</span></span></strong></p>
<p align="LEFT"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="ro-RO">Starting last month (may 2017) Romanian travellers can enter Canada, by plane, just by asking an on-line pre authorization from the Embassy. It takes couple of minutes and, as the Canadian Embassy in Bucharest announced, the tax is 7 canadian dollars. The person must have travelled in Canada in the past 10 years, or must have a valid USA visa, in order to benefit from this facility. </span>All other travelers will still need a visa. All Romanian travelers will need a visa when entering or re-entering Canada by car, bus, train, and ship or cruise liner. The new facility introduced comes in anticipation of 1<sup>st</sup> of December 2017, when all Romanian citizens will be able to travel to Canada without a visa. </span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT"><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="ro-RO">ALBA IULIA –</span> Money for The Princely Palace
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<p lang="ro-RO" align="LEFT"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #000000;">An European financing of 4,8 million euro, was granted through </span>The Regional Operational Programme 2014-2020, in order of remaking <span style="color: #000000;">The Princely Palace</span> in the medieval city of Alba Iulia – Transilvania. It is estimated that the attraction will be vizited, after 5 years time of works, <span style="color: #000000;"> by 26.000 turists per year, as a comparaison to 2.000 vizitors per year as per this date.</span></span></span></p>
<p lang="ro-RO" align="LEFT"><span style="color: #000000;">„<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">An architectural masterpiece The Princely Palace in Alba Iulia is close to regaining its beauty from five centuries ago and I am glad that we are able to finance this plan with european funds. It is once again a proof that the money alloted to Romania by the EU is an extremely important source in developping the economy and the society in general” – said </span>an official of The Ministry of Regional Development, Public Administration and European Funds. Over 8,25 billion euro are to be alloted by the authorities, for regional development, over the comming years, in Romania, through the 2014-2020 campaign mechanisms.</span></span></p>