Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Table 20.1.
Romania: content analysis of images (N
=
109) in two brochures.
No. of
images
No. of
images
Primary category
%
Secondary category
%
Buildings or townscapes
42
38.5
Modern (post-war)
7
6.4
19th century/Fin desiècle
14
12.8
Medieval - monasteries and
churches
10
9.2
Medieval - other
11
10.1
Rural lifestyles and
traditions
20
18.3
People in traditional costume
Folk art
11
6
10.1
5.5
Other
3
2.8
Landscape/scenery
20
18.3
Countryside
3
2.8
Mountains
4
3.7
Coast/Beach/Delta
9
8.3
Urban parks/lakes
4
3.7
Recreation and leisure
20
18.3
Land-based (including spas)
16
14.7
Water-based
4
3.7
Wildlife and nature
5
4.6
5
4.6
Other
2
1.8
2
1.8
Source:
author's original research.
the imagery used to promote Romania.
Table 20.1 presents the results of a content
analysis (Pritchard and Morgan, 1995; Finn
et al
., 2000) of two 'general' English-language
brochures (Ministry of Tourism, undated a;
National Tourism Authority, undated a) pro-
duced in the mid- to late 1990s for the English-
speaking market.
The table indicates that the largest category
of images is that featuring buildings or town-
scapes and, within this category, images of 19th
century and
fin de siècle
buildings (many in
French styles or designed by French architects)
are dominant. Images featuring churches or
monasteries are also prominent. After four
decades of official atheism (even if the Church
was not actively suppressed during the socialist
period) Romania is eager to reassert its
Christian traditions as another means to
emphasize shared values and a common history
with the rest of Europe.
However, the evocation of Romania's
historical and cultural links with the rest of
Europe is partial and selective: in particular,
the promotional materials produced in 1994/95
make almost no mention of Hapsburg influ-
ences in Transylvania. Yet Transylvania was
under Hungarian rule until 1918 and the
architecture of many of its towns displays
obvious AustroHungarian influences. Instead,
Transylvania is presented solely in terms of
Romanian cultural traditions. This mirrors
Romania's long-established wariness of
Hungary (particularly the fear among many
Romanians of Hungarian irredentist claims
on Transylvania, something which was fully
exploited in the early and mid-1990s by nation-
alist politicians) and a reluctance to acknowl-
edge Hungarian influences in Transylvania.
Promotion of rural lifestyles and traditions
A further theme that is prominently highlighted
in Romania's tourist promotion is the country's
rural culture, lifestyles and traditions. Indeed,
there are many leaflets dedicated to the rural
traditions of the various regions of Romania.
Visitors are invited to 'experience for yourselves
one of Europe's best kept secrets - the
Romanian village' (National Tourism Authority,
undated a, p. 18) and to encounter 'the most
important, living, folk culture to be found
anywhere in Europe'. (Ministry of Tourism,
undated c, p. 4). Moreover, the authenticity of
