The forthcoming vampire movie of the Twilight Saga has fueled a growth in the number of Brits who consider a trip to Romania's Transylvania region, which is connected to the myth of Count Dracula the vampire. As many as 3,000 British Twilight fans could travel to Transylvania until Christmas, according to Travelex, a global foreign exchange provider. The company has seen increasing demand for the Romanian currency leu - up 14 percent than before the Twilight series. “Based on the uplift in Leu sales to date, Travelex predicts that as many as 3,000 British fans will travel to Transylvania between now and Christmas, in the wake of the film,” according to the company.

“Despite being part of the European Union, Romania is one of the very few short haul European destinations that has kept its own currency, so fans travelling out to Romania will enjoy fantastic value for money. The Pound has strengthened against the Leu in recent months so it will mean fans exchanging GBP 500 now will get GBP 30 more for their money than 6 months ago,” said Graham Edgar of Travelex.

The final film, Breaking Dawn hit UK cinemas on November 18th. The movie also runs in cinemas across Romania. It centers on the relationship between Bella and vampire Edward, who comes from a family remotely connected to the Transylvania region.

When questioned, one in five fans claim that they have considered visiting Transylvania since watching the films. British visitor numbers are up 80 per cent in the three years since the start of the Twilight franchise, with advance bookings up by 50 per cent in the last 4 weeks, compared to the same period last year.

Of those planning on visiting Transylvania, over 90% claim they are planning to go on vampire and Dracula styled trails, including ghoulish activities such as tours to Dracula’s birth place, visits to Dracula’s Castle in Borgo Pass and vampire themed costume parties. Since its launch three years ago, the Twilight Saga has sold more than 155 million copies of the book around the globe and has been attributed with sparking a vampire craze worldwide.

The Twilight Saga - Breaking Dawn part I has recorded box offices sales of almost USD 140 million. It stars Kristen Stewart as main female character Bella Swan and Robert Pattinson as vampire Edward Cullen (both in picture).  

Romania's central region of Transylvania was home to Bram Stocker's Dracula in the book of  the same name. Fiction mixed with history, linking the vampire Dracula to Romanian ruler Vlad Tepes, show used to punish criminals by spiking them.

editor@romania-insider.com