I try to recover

I come back to my every Wednesday editorial after a 4 month break, in which time I was more “outside” than on “the inside”. I recover hardly after all the time zones, information from other worlds and unforgettable experiences, both the tourist’s point of view, physical, emotional and business as well. I am back at the helm of what I have started in 1994, a dream that I still follow, the building of Romanian strong brands with international recognition.

My writing today comes after the excellent article written by Alex Raducanu on consumers from great companies, a subtle observation. I would also add middle Romanian and international companies, advertising and retailing companies, beer, tires, and mineral water etc companies in Romania. Alex was speaking of that drive that vanished being replaced by an exaggerated mercantilism in the relationships between employees and employers.

I go further and say that between clients and providers , understanding here the majority of relationships with commercial strengths. Of course, capitalism in its essence means this, but I think we interpret it at extremes. I think that wherever I have been meanwhile, both in extremely poor countries, rich or medium, I have not met what Alex wrote in his article, that kind of relationship that can be translated with “give me, maybe you will receive something in return”. For example, the waiters. In Romania they are atypical through their attitude “I shouldn’t be here, but since I am, I will serve you something, why don’t you give me the tip since I have put the stake on your table.

Even a poor Peruan waiter treats you differently, not to mention the French or German, or the Hungarian one. Blasé state? I don’t know, I am not a sociologist, just an observer through the means of my job and the interest that I have towards everything that surrounds me.

Boredom? Lack of horizon? Lack of education? Of the honest and human exercise of a job well done? I confess I have no idea where it comes from but I am interested in the subject because the Ministry of Tourism will have to deal this year with the creation of a tourism brand for Romania.

They have elaborated a Master Plan, approved by the Government, containing thousands of pages. Is it very likely the brief will be based on this plan. So far so good. But what will we do with the waiters, cab drivers and others that the Romanian and foreigner tourist will get in contact with?

Homeless dogs that aren’t even afraid of the official Nato caravan? The grey blocks of flats, and the garbage? The boredom? The coarse populated sea side with buildings and “characters”? The devastated Delta? The authentic abbeys with a four stars hotel in the back?

Wines too expensive for the quality they offer? Now swear at me and tell me I find nothing good here and I will tell you that I do, I find a great number of wonderful islands, either natural, or hand made.

I find wonderful people, also “islanders”. But on the whole we have a dusty atmosphere, a negative attitude and a blaze face that will not help us at all in winning a lot of money by 2026 from the Tourism brand, bringing lots of coaches and planes with all the world’s nations on board to see the final Eastern Europe’s frontier in all its splendor.

I try to recover after my trip in Peru, where the smile and optimism are at their best, also the organizing, the cleanness and impeccable food. Or the real attention shown and proved to those who spend time in their country, much more poorer than ours.

After the authentic Austrian strudel and the perfect and not at all expensive ski resorts. Or the pub in Madrid with no false claims but excellent at serving, food, wine and prices, held by a family. These nations’ brands are sustained by facts and real experiences, pleasant and that you want to repeat. Back to my old and eternal obsession-I have few but immovable ideas-that brands come from the interior and are based on tangible attributes on which tangible are built. Otherwise we have a colored balloon, pretty and attractive. But easy to break.