Sângeorz-Băi, once a well-known balneoclimateric resort town in northern Romania, aims to resurrect its large hotels, which have been either closed or operating at minimum capacity, through the development of a modern spa center, according to G4Media.

The mayor of the town, Cătălin Bota, said that the only asset remaining in the ownership of the town is Mineral Water Spring 6. Based on this, the town hall submitted a project for a treatment facility and a spa complex in the resort park, but political changes and changes at the ministerial level have delayed the financing.

Some of the largest hotels in the town have already closed. The famous Someșul Hotel, owned by the trade unions, has been closed and abandoned for four years, having been emptied of furniture. Hotel Hebe, privatized, operates only during the summer, with minimal investments and a degraded treatment facility, moved to the ground floor.

Nevertheless, the local administration has modernized the utility networks and streets and is carrying out a project financed from European funds for the rehabilitation of the resort park. It will include an open-air museum created in collaboration with the Museum of Comparative Art, where 25 statues have already been restored.

“In the absence of funds from the government, the town hall intends to access European funds under the 2028-2034 financial framework, even if the co-financing rate is 50%,” said Cătălin Bota.

Representatives of the town hall claimed that public investment is the only chance to attract tourists again and to prompt private owners to invest, given that spa tourism has been neglected at the national level in recent years.

radu@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: sangeorzbai.com)