More than 1,500 tourists from the U.S. and Canada have chosen Romania for Halloween, up some 4 percent against the previous year.

The North American tourists spent around USD 3.5 million on accommodation, food and souvenirs during their holidays.

“The American public’s fascination for the legend of Dracula is obvious. A trip in Transylvania, on Dracula’s footsteps, fits the imagination of many young Americans. The interest is obvious and U.S. travel agencies offer Halloween tours in Romania,” Simion Alb, head of the Romanian Tourism Office in North America told local news agency Mediafax.

According to Alb, the American tourists arriving in this period in Romania can be split in two categories: they are either curious to see the well-known Bran Castle, or they are fans of Dracula, who follow in Vlad Ţepeş’s footsteps.

The 1,500 tourists chose to spend their holiday in Sighisoara, Bran and Brasov, but also Bucharest or Targoviste.

Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com

(photo source: Sxc.hu)