National Association of Rural, Ecological and Cultural Tourism (ANTREC)

The National Association of Rural, Ecological and Cultural Tourism (ANTREC) in Moldova is a non-governmental, apolitical, non-profit organization. It is founded in 2000 and is the first professional rural tourism association in the country that have created a network of guesthouses.

The Festival of national traditions “Duminica Mare” (Great Sunday) is organized since 2009 and became an annual June event for the Domulgeni Village, Floresti District in Moldova. The event aims to present and promote the local folklore and traditions, handicraft and gastronomic traditions. Each year the organizers prepare rich artistic programme for those who are passionate about traditions, rituals and folk songs. It is mandatory for the visitors to do the traditional hora dance.

The festival also hosts some interesting activities like woodcarving or weaving carpets and rugs workshops, pottery and ceramics demonstration and others.

Besides these mini-shows visitors have the opportunity to visit the village`s attractions: household of a beekeeper, a household-museum of over 100 years and the church "St. Nicolae”.

Marketing approach

The festival is promoted through standard tools – press releases, Facebook and the organizer`s webpage. The mass and best promotion is mouth-to-mouth one which indeed is the driver for the event`s popularity.

However, due to positive visitors` feedback and event`s popularity, it is listed among top 15 Moldovan festivals.

Financial situation

The event is free of charge and with open access for all interested parties. The event is organized with low-costs due to the support of the local community that is interested to attract visitors and potential customers and to the media responsiveness to the nationally recognized organizer.

Key success factors and challenges

Key factors for success of the event are:

• common interest and cooperation between the organizers and the local community;
• diversity of experiences that event provides – from mini-shows of traditions to experiential craftsmen workshops and culinary delights tasting.

Plans for future development

The future development refers to attraction of more foreign tourists from new countries.

Source of the images: ANTREC Moldova website, http://www.moldova-tourism.md/