Country of Sylvania, abode of authenticity

The hall has a territorial marketing and branding strategy

Sălaju is a county with an impressive tourist potential, which is not sufficiently valued. It is the main conclusion of the meeting which aimed to present the Territorial Marketing and Branding Policy of Sălaj County for the period 2023-2033.

The event, organized by the Sălaj County Council, together with the service provider that developed the document, SC Brandberry SRL, took place on Wednesday, April 24, in the presence of over a hundred people: representatives of the tourism business environment, NGOs from the tourism area, representatives of the county town halls, representatives of the subordinate institutions of the Sălaj County Council, representatives of the Sălaj County Council’s own apparatus.

The document highlights the major potential of Sălaju, as well as the solutions we have at hand for a better promotion of tourist destinations in the county.

We have, as advantages, a “clean” image, a rich cultural and historical heritage, diversity in traditions, vast natural landscapes, local gastronomy, communities unaffected by mass tourism. Also on the list of advantages that we must take advantage of are the high degree of curiosity that the county can generate, the completion of the highway, which will make the area more accessible, the fact that we can develop rural tourism and eco-tourism in an integrated manner. Also, the proximity to Cluj County, which is overcrowded, should be seen as an opportunity.

As disadvantages, the fact that the county is currently difficult to access, that we are still unknown, that the tourist infrastructure is limited, with few places to stay, the lack of experience in serving tourists, which leads to a poor quality of services, the competition in increase, the public perception that Sălaju would not be a tourist destination.

“We wish with all our heart that the Hall becomes as well known, as attractive as possible and as frequented as possible by all the tourists who can come to us. We are the county of Sălaj and, as a brand, we can be the Country of Silvania. We want to grow through the brand we could have, at the country level. We have history, we have present! It is mandatory for us, those who are in the local administration, to create a future as desired by all the citizens of Sălaj county. If we look at faith, in the Country of Silvania there are the most wooden churches in Romania. Speaking of gastronomy, we have Mircea Groza here. Who in Romania has written so many books and given so many recipes of local gastronomy? If we talk about multiculturalism, we also have Slovaks, Hungarians, and Roma. Related to traditions, we are the county with the most ethno-folkloric areas in Transylvania. We have five distinct valleys, plus other quirks. No other county has anything like this. If we talk about history, we have the most important archaeological complex in Romania, the Porolissum Archaeological Complex. So, we are rich”, pointed out the president of the Sălaj County Council, Dinu Iancu-Sălăjanu, in his speech.

The values of Sălaj, summarized in 10 words, are: faith, authenticity, modesty, gastronomy, nature, multiculturalism, history, solidarity, tradition, community, and the slogan that best defines us is “Country of Sylvania, home of authenticity”, experts believe who developed the “Territorial Marketing and Branding Policy of Sălaj County”.

Călin Ile, tourism expert and Brandberry senior partner, spoke at the event about the importance of authentic experiences in attracting tourists. “We look at Sălaj County as a great opportunity to become a sustainable and attractive tourist destination for tourists looking for authentic Transylvanian experiences. The key to the development of tourism in Sălaj county lies in the social culture that tourists will discover through gastronomy, traditions, community solidarity and the multiculturalism of the place”, he explained.

“From all the research carried out during the six months of documentation, we identified a defining element of identity, which is “Sylvania”. The primary value associated with the Hall by all who have interacted with this area is authenticity. Starting from the reality of a multi-ethnic and multicultural space – which reflects the purest attributes of Transylvania – and from the positive association with the definition of the region as the Land of Silvania, the concept “Country of Silvania, home of authenticity” naturally arose. The development of authentic tourism, unaltered by consumerism, will be possible with the solidarity effort of the villagers. Only by working together and supporting each other will this project be successful. That’s precisely why, for the residents of Sălaj, our proposal is “Country of Sylvania, house of solidarity”, said, for his part, Dr. Romulus Oprică, sociologist and Brandberry manager.

Vote for Porolissum in the “Destination of the Year 2024” competition!

A first step we can take to promote the beauty of the county is to vote for Porolissum Archaeological Complex in the “Destination of the Year 2024” competition. It entered the finals of the contest in the “Cultural-educational attractions” category, after the Sălaj County Council, through ADI-ITI Țara Silvaniei, submitted, in March of this year, a project to promote the most valuable tourist objective of the county .

“Porolissum is a real tourist treasure not only of Sălaj, but also of Romania. Qualifying in the finals of the competition is a confirmation of the inestimable value of this archaeological site and its tourist potential. Porolissum Archaeological Complex richly deserves to win this competition. Therefore, I urge all those who love Sălaju, love history, culture and nature, to support us in this endeavor and vote for Porolissum. Together, we can transform this site into a top tourist destination on Romania’s map,” said Dinu Iancu-Sălăjanu, president of the Sălaj County Council.

The procedure is as simple as possible. Enter the website www.destinatiaanului.ro, click on “Vote”, then choose your favorite destinations from at least three categories. Continue with “Press to validate the vote!” at the bottom of the page, then enter a valid email address and check “I have read and agree to the Terms and Conditions”. On the email address used for voting, you will receive a confirmation link that you must access to validate your vote.

You can find the Porolissum Archaeological Complex in the “Cultural-educational attractions” category.

“Destination of the year” is one of the most important platforms for promoting tourism in Romania. The competition with the same name is organized annually, the public being the one who chooses the most attractive, the most visible and the most loved tourist destinations in the country.

The winners of this year’s edition will be announced on May 21.