Al Jazeera: Romania should attract tourists through “dictator tourism”

Romania’s “once hated communist dictator” Nicolae Ceausescu could become the country’s image to attract tourists, according to Al Jazeera television, which filmed a feature about Romania. This was similar to what the country's Ministry of Tourism has proposed earlier this year. Bucharest is a growing city but with very few tourists, and that is why the Romanian Government is searching for solutions. “Romania is turning to tourism for answers to its financial problems, but some of its initiatives are proving controversial among locals,” according to Al Jazeera. Ceausescu’s palace, the balcony where he held his last speech, and the military unit in the Romanian city of Targoviste might become tourist attractions. However, in Scornicesti, the home town of the dictator, things are different. Ceausescu’s grandson is not happy to see waves of people visiting the house where the communist dictator was born. See the Al Jazeera video filmed in Romania here. In August this year, the Romanian Minister of Regional Development and Tourism, Elena Udrea, said the ministry is working on a “red circuit” that will include the traces of the communist dictatorship in Romania. She added that, in terms of tourism, it would be a great thing to exploit the places related to the former communist dictator, saying that these projects would require private partners. Nicolae Ceausescu was a Romanian communist politician. He was Secretary General of the Romanian Communist Party from 1965 to 1989, and the country’s second and last Communist leader. Ceausescu’s government was overthrown in the December 1989 revolution, and he and his wife were executed following a televised two-hour court session. Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com (photo source: still image from the film 'Nicolae Ceausescu’s autobiography')