The Ministry of Tourism launched a competition in this year too under the EDEN (European Destinations of Excellence) project with the theme of health and relaxation tourism. Harghita County ranked fourth as a tourist destination.

Initiated and supported by the Harghita County Council, the Harghita Community Development Association (ADI Harghita) has nominated Harghita County as a tourist destination for the 2019 EDEN Award, which can be given to five destinations each year. A fifty-page summary was prepared for the competition, mainly on health and relaxation tourism offers in the county, as well as religious and other thematic programs. The presentation of the health tourism potential was a priority, but well-known attractions and popular programs were not missed.

Candidates had to meet some of the criteria, so the submission included the activities of the Harghita Community Development Association, participations in European Union projects, marketing strategy, summary of communication channels, list of promotional materials, etc. Although the theme of the project was health tourism, it was necessary to address all factors that influence it, such as infrastructure, events, program type, gastronomy, online communication, etc.

Winners of the 2019 EDEN competition:

I. Tăuții Măgherăuș/Miszmogyorós
II. Albac/Fehérvölgy
III. Parc balnear Băile Figa/Fügefürdő
IV. Harghita County
V. Ocna Șugatag/Aknasugatag

The winning tourist destinations are included in the National and European Network of Excellent European Destinations and become members of the EDEN Association. The destinations are also promoted through the Ministry's channels and are awarded at a nationwide festival.

The European Destinations of Excellence is a tourism program launched by the European Commission in 2006 and a related project aimed at developing sustainable tourism, relieving classic destinations, reducing seasonality, directing the flow of tourists to new destinations and promoting networking among project participants.

The competition was co-funded by the European Commission as part of the 2019 EDEN Contest Project. There are currently 36 EDEN destinations in Romania.

 

 

We would like to thank the representatives of the county tourist information offices, the representatives of the wellness centers and wellness hotels, the staff of the health centers and the balneo lodges, and the tourism NGOs and entrepreneurs for supplying us with all the requested information. Special thanks are due to the tourism providers who have uploaded a lot of recreation facilities to the Visit Harghita application.