I've been thinking about what the retrospective of 2020 might look like! No matter what sentence I write on the virtual paper of my tablet, I can't avoid the following words: pandemic, coronavirus, and the names COVID 19 and SARS COV2. But 2020 wasn't just BLACK! The funkytravel.ro platform grew beautifully, the published articles reached the opening of Yahoo news, we continued our collaboration with Republica.ro and stirileprotv.ro , and several tourism companies trusted and chose funkytravel.ro to promote themselves.
"The outbreak is a dot on the map of China, so the risk of such a virus reaching the territory of Romania is substantially reduced" - Streinu Cercel, January 27
And as the pandemic seemed to be "playing" thousands of kilometers away from Romania , January began with vacation plans. Tickets bought overseas and countries, accommodations paid in advance to get the best prices on the balcony overlooking the ocean, but also short getaways in Europe. Then in March, Romania entered a state of emergency, and everything turned upside down. No one knew how long the restrictions would last, but vacation plans continued.
"The President of Romania, Mr. Klaus Iohannis, signed the decree regarding the extension of the state of emergency on the territory of Romania." April 14, 2020
The beginning of April makes us all understand that it's no joke. Vacations are falling apart, scandals begin with travel and airline companies unable to refund customers, and the Romanian seaside is preparing for a May 1st without tourists.
No one knows how hotel facilities will work or how tourists will move in the European Union. Specialists meet virtually and put together the first proposals regarding the reopening of tourist routes, but also establish sanitary measures for hotels and restaurants.
The Romanian coast thus gets the chance to renovate or at least to clean the old communist buildings.
Bulgaria and Greece open their tourism sector before Romania. The first Romanian tourists on vacation talk about the new travel conditions.
At the beginning of June, the organizers Neversea and Untold officially announce that they will reschedule the two festivals. Meanwhile, hoteliers on the coast are preparing to welcome the first tourists. The roulette becomes a beach accessory.
Romanians are rediscovering the country, whether we're talking about the sea, the mountains or the Danube Delta. The fear of coronavirus infection is pushing us all to stay in vacation homes, away from crowds.
In August, tens of thousands of Romanians also choose the coasts of Greece and Bulgaria . With COVID 19 tests, in the case of Greece, and with additional protective measures, in the case of Bulgaria, it seems that we are resuming the life we had before the coronavirus pandemic.
Greece remained the preferred destination in September as well.
October brings new restrictions around the world. There are clear signs that Christmas market escapades will be banned. We live only from memories.
The month of November brings not-so-good news for those who had planned Christmas and New Year's Eve parties in the mountains , on the coast or in the Danube Delta. Vacations for 2021 come with COVID 19 insurance.
December comes with announcements that calm the whole world: the approval of more vaccines to protect us from COVID 19. The good news keeps coming!
2021 is coming, and I'm making vacation plans 🙂
