The Dracula Dilemma - Tourism, Identity and the State in Romania (Paperback)

For many in the West, Romania is synonymous with Count Dracula. Since the publication of Bram Stoker's famous novel in 1897 Transylvania (and by extension, Romania) has become inseparable in the Western imagination with Dracula, vampires and the supernatural. Moreover, since the late 1960s Western tourists have travelled to Transylvania on their own searches for the literary and supernatural roots of the Dracula myth. Such 'Dracula tourism' presents Romania with a dilemma. On one hand, Dracula is Romania's unique selling point and has considerable potential to be exploited for economic gain. On the other hand, the whole notion of vampires and the supernatural is starkly at odds with Romania's self-image as a modern, developed, European state. This book examines the way that Romania has negotiated Dracula tourism over the past four decades. During the communist period (up to 1989) the Romanian state did almost nothing to encourage such tourism but reluctantly tolerated it. However, some discrete local initiatives were developed to cater for Dracula enthusiasts that operated at the margins of legality in a communist state. In the post-communist period (after 1989) any attempt to censor Dracula has disappeared and the private sector in Romania has been swift to exploit the commercial possibilities of the Count. However, the Romanian state remains ambivalent about Dracula and continues to be reluctant to encourage or promote Dracula tourism. As such Romania's dilemma with Dracula remains unresolved.

General

Imprint:	Routledge
Country of origin:	United Kingdom
Series:	New Directions in Tourism Analysis
Release date:	February 2017
First published:	2012
Authors:	Duncan Light
Dimensions:	234 x 156mm (L x W)
Format:	Paperback
Pages:	208
ISBN-13:	978-1-138-27474-7
Categories:	Books > Reference & Interdisciplinary > Library & information sciences > General Books > Sport & Leisure > Sports & outdoor recreation > General Books > Reference & Interdisciplinary > Encyclopaedias & reference works > Reference works > General Books > Social sciences > Sociology, social studies > Social institutions > Leisure Books > Social sciences > Sociology, social studies > Social issues > General Books > Business & Economics > Industry & industrial studies > Service industries > Tourism industry Books > Earth & environment > Geography > Human geography > General Promotions
LSN:	1-138-27474-7
Barcode:	9781138274747

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