Business trip to Bucharest, Romania.
Bucharest is the centre of the Romanian economy and industry, accounting for around 14 percent of the Romania’s GDP and about one-quarter of its industrial production, while being inhabited by only 9 percent of the Romanian population. Almost 1/3th of national taxes is paid by Bucharest’s citizens and companies. In 2006, at purchasing power parity, Bucharest had a per-capita GDP of €19.800, or 83 percent that of the European Union average and more than twice the Romanian average.
The city’s strong economic growth has revitalized infrastructure and led to the development of many shopping malls and modern residential towers and high-rise office buildings. In September 2005, Bucharest had an unemployment rate of 2.6%, significantly lower than the national unemployment rate of 5.7%.
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Bucharest’s economy is centered on industry and services, with services particularly growing in importance in the last ten years. The headquarters of 186.000 firms, including nearly all large Romanian companies are located in Bucharest. An important source for growth since 2000 has been Bucharest property and construction boom. Bucharest is also Romania’s largest centre for information technology and communications and is home to several software companies operating offshore delivery centres. Romania’s largest stock exchange, the Bucharest Stock Exchange, which was merged in December 2005 with the Bucharest-based electronic stock exchange Rasdaq plays a major role in the economy of Bucharest.
There are a number of major international supermarket chains such as Carrefour, Cora and METRO. At the moment, the Bucharest is undergoing a retail boom, with a large number of supermarkets, and hypermarkets, constructed every year. For more information, see supermarkets in Romania. A few of the largest and most modern shopping centres in Bucharest are Plaza Romania, Bucharest Mall, City Mall, Liberty Center, Jolie Ville Gallerie and Unirea Shopping Center. There are also a large number of traditional retail arcades and markets; the one at Obor covers about a dozen city blocks and numerous large stores that are not officially part of the market effectively add up to a market district almost twice that size.
Bucharest is most importantly feeling the benefits of the new wealth due to the economic boom that it has seen for the recent years.
For more in-depth information I suggest you buy and read the "Global Business Etiquettes" book.
- Communication:
Use formal names, professional and academic titles. Hierarchy is very important.
Romanians are not direct, they avoid confrontation.
Never interrupt somebody.
Dress formal and conservative. - Meetings and negotiations:
When making appointments use the 24-hour clock time format to avoid misunderstandings.
Be very punctual, if you suspect you will late, call and explain the situation.
Expect to be kept waiting when dealing with state-run companies.
Never cancel a meeting at the last minute.
Shake hands with everyone upon arriving at the meeting and leaving.
Remain standing until invited to sit down or others do so.
Quit some time is spent to getting to know you before the business conversation begins.
Agenda’s are not strictly followed and a meeting can take much longer then planned.
Keep your presentation as short as possible, to the point, accurate and precise, do not exaggerate.
Follow up a meeting with a letter or an e-mail with all agreements outlined. - Table manners:
If unsure on how to behave, mimic the behavior of others.
Wait until you are appointed a seat.
Avoid alcohol if possible, otherwise drink little.
If making a toast, stand up.
The napkin stays folded next to the plate, eat not too much but finish your plate.
Keep your hands above the table when eating.
After finishing your plate lay your knife and fork parallel on your plate with the handles to the right.
Thank your host at the end of the meal.
After the Communist regime was overthrown in the end of 1989, the country experienced a decade of economic instability and decline, led partially by a superannuated industrial base and a privation of structural reform. As of 2000 onwards, however, the Romanian economy was transformed into one of relative macroeconomic stability, characterised by high growth, low unemployment and declining inflation.
In 2006, according to the Romanian Statistics Office, GDP growth in real terms was recorded at almost 8%, one of the highest rates in Europe. Growth dampened to 6% in 2007, but was expected to exceed 8% in 2008 because of a high production forecast in agriculture. The GDP grew by close to 9% in the first nine months of 2008, but growth fell to almost 3 percent in the 4th quarter and stood at 7 percent for the whole 2008 because of the financial crisis.
The entrance of Romania into the European Union in 2007 was preceded by a series of government reforms in order to apply to the conditions of EU membership. Nowadays the requirements of membership make up one of the driving forces in Romania’s program of reform, modernization and investment in infrastructure. More importantly, these directives are accompanied by financings from the European Union in the form of Structural Adjustment Funds and other programs to enable the new members to align their economies with the rest of the EU.
At the same time, Romania’s membership in NATO has fostered the demand for defense and security products, and foreign vendors are well-regarded and active in this market.
Private demands have been large and provided a market for a wide variety of products, and Romanian businesses regularly express interest in oversees suppliers as alternatives to European competitors. The effects of the slowing world economy arrived late to Romania, but are now beginning to announce themselves in the form of rising unemployment, a drop in demand from Romania’s export markets, and a growing budget deficit.
Romania has not yet entered the “Eurozone,” but has set 2014 as the target year to adopt the Euro. In the meantime, many Romanian companies with debts denominated in Euros but income in the local currency, the Leu, are exposed to huge exchange rates losses as the value of the Leu has fallen against both the Dollar and Euro. As a result, both the consumer and the corporate purchasing power have fallen, and investment plans are being reconsidered.
| Currency | LEU |
| Time zone | GMT +2 |
| Population | 21.504.442 |
| Area | 238.391 km2 |
| Population density | 90/km2 |
| GDP | € 164.050.000.000 |
| GDP/per capita | € 7633 |
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Address
Aeroportul International Henri Coanda
Calea Bucurestilor nr. 224 E
Otopeni
Ilfov 075150
Romania
Telephone: +40(0)21 201 4050
Fax: +40(0)21 201 4990
Email: otp@otp-airport.ro
otp-airport.ro
Airport codes
IATA airport code: OTP
ICAO airport code: LROP
Lost property
For any problem you might have related to your baggage contact the Lost baggage/irregularities office corresponding to the airline you flew.The offices are located in the baggage claim area.
All airlines use the services of GLOBEGROUND. Telefon: 021 204 1043.
Except when you traveled with TAROM you must contact the TAROM office.
Phone: + 4 021 201 4976
Terminal info
There are two terminals, Domestic and International, which a free shuttle bus goes between.
Gate no. 1 is situated close to the check-in area.
Gates no. 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 are situated at the first floor of the boarding hall and have direct connection system with the terminal (air bridges). The access of passengers with reduced mobility in this area can be done very easily.
Gates no. 7, 8, 9 and 10 are situated at the ground floor of the boarding hall.Passengers are transfered to the aircraft by buses. These gates can be accessed by the stairs. There is a mobile platform installed in this area which facilitates the access to the gates of passengers with reduced mobility.
Connectivity from the airport
Train
"Henri Coanda Express" trains provide connection between Bucharest Henri Coanda International Airport and Bucharest North Railway Station. The frequency is of one train every hour, between 05:15 - 20:56.
The passengers’ transfer between CFR "Airport Stop" and the airport passengers terminals is provided by buses whose schedule is synchronized with the trains schedule. The buses are parked in front of the International Arrivals/Domestic Flights Terminal.
The tickets are valid both for the train and for the transfer bus, the price being of 6 lei per ticket. Tickets can be purchased from the ticket office located in the public area of the International Arrivals Terminal (first floor), as well as from all the railway station ticket offices and travel agencies in the country.
Taxi
Taxis are in front of the Arrivals Hall of both terminals, Fly Taxi (tel: +40(0)21 201 9440), the price is RON 2.00 per kilometer. There are also cheaper mini buses that you share with other travelers. There is a special taxi counter in the International Arrivals Hall. Complaints about taxis can be passed on to the airport police (tel: +40(0)21 201 3242).
Taxis are very cheap in Bucharest (average fare RON 1.70 = EUR 0.45/km.). It is recommended to choose an yellow cab with an ellipse-plate number (it is a laterally 4-digit number).
Keep the following tips in mind if you need to order a taxi during your business trip to Bucharest.
Taxis in Bucharest are a cheap and safe way of transportation as long as you take one belonging to a company and not a private one.
There are some good companies, but what you should avoid by any means is any taxi marked as "IND" or "Independent". They charge about 4 times what a company taxi charges. It’s legal to do that as long as they have the price written on the car, which they have. They usually have 4 prices written on the car and you’re guaranteed to be charged at the highest price. If you’re in a taxi station and there are 4 taxis waiting but still people wait around and then flock to one taxi who just stopped to leave a passenger, then it’s sure that nobody trusts the independent taxis.
| Company name | Phone number |
| Taxi 2000 | 9494 |
| Taxi Flamingo | 9427 |
| Taxi Total | 9424 |
| Fly Taxi | 9440 |
| SPEED TAXI | 9477 |
Caru cu Bere
Bucharest’s oldest beer house (recently renovated to show off its 1879 birthday) is a classic three-floor beer hall from the days when a night of boozing came with serious pomp. There are set lunches and plenty of pork ribs and minced meat, not to mention mugs of the Caru cu Bere’s own beer. This is an unusual choice for dining during a business trip, but it is fun!
Strada Stavropoleos 3-5
Tel: (021) 313 7560.
www.carucubere.ro
Balthazar
On a side street home to many embassies in east Bucharest, Balthazar is Bucharest’s great fusion restaurant, and one of its classiest. The menu’s in French, but riffs on Thai themes. The setting, in a restored villa, is a winner. If you are on a business trip to Bucharest, this is a great restaurant for entertaining your hosts.
Strada Dumbrava Rosie 2
Tel: (021) 212 1460.
www.balthazar.ro
Haveli Restaurant
Haveli Indian Restaurant is the only place in Bucharest where you may really enjoy the Indian food.
3, Episcopul Radu Street (Mihai Eminescu Area)
Phone: (+4) 021 - 211.03.90
www.haveli.ro
Tips to save money on hotel costs during your business trip to Bucharest.
To get the best price for a good hotel room during your business trip to Bucharest it's not only important to compare the prices the hotel charges for a room, but also compare the prices of the different booking agencies.
This can save you, or your company, a lot of money!
- Go to this hotel listing for Bucharest.
- Select the "Check-in" and "Check-out" date.
- Select filters like: "Hotel brand", "Ratings", "Location" and "Price ranges".
- Select the hotel you like.
- You will get an overview of the prices from up to 24 booking sites
- Select the best offer in the list and book the room!
We have selected the following established business hotels for your convenience:
Athenee Palace Hilton Bucharest hotel
Explore Bucharest from the historic Athenee Palace Hilton Bucharest hotel, built in 1914 and set in the heart of the city. At the Hilton Athenee Palace Bucharest hotel you can enjoy local attractions including the Romanian Athenaeum and the former Royal Palace. Theatres, shops and cafés are all located within walking distance which is very convenient during a busy business trip. All Athenee Palace Hilton Bucharest hotel rooms have wireless internet access.
1-3 Episcopiei St.
District 1, Bucharest
010292 Romania
Tel: +40 21 303 3777
Fax: +40 21 315 2121
More info about Athenee Palace Hilton Bucharest Hotel
Hotel Intercontinental
InterContinental Bucharest is one of the city’s favorite international high-rise hotels, a distinction owed to its ideal location, fine appointments and impeccable service. Within walking distance are business and shopping boulevards, embassies and the Metro. The National Theatre, four significant museums, the old city and Cişmigiu Gardens are just a few minutes away.
4 Nicolae Balcescu Blvd.
Bucharest 010051 Romania
Tel: +40 21 310 2020
Fax: +40 21 312 0486
More info about Hotel Intercontinental Bucharest
Hotel Ambasador
The comfortable and spacious rooms and the kindness of a well-trained personnel are the guarantee of a successful stay. Hotel Ambasador is the perfect base for business travelers. The hotel has 209 rooms out of witch 8 are apartments, 4 studio flats, 41 single rooms, 156 doubles equipped with bathrooms, TV cable, mini-bar, internal and international phone line.
8-10 Magheru Blvd.
Sector 1, Bucharest, Romania
Tel: +40 21 315 9080
Fax:+40 21312 3595
E-mail:hotel@ambasador.ro
More info about Hotel Ambasador Bucharest
The best shopping districts are Calea Victoriei and Bulevardul General Magheru, or on tiny Strada Ion Campineanu, off Valea Victoriei. Popular shopping centres are the new mega-mall Baneasa Shopping City, Soseaua Bucuresti-Ploiesti, and Bucuresti Mall.
The Bucureşti Mall is a shopping mall located in Bucharest, Romania, close to the Dudeşti and Văcăreşti neighbourhoods.Located on Calea Vitan approximately one kilometer outside Bucharest’s historic center, the four-story, 50.000 m² mall opened in 1999, in a Ceauşescu-era abandoned hunger circus, or giant food warehouse, in an area largely shaped during the Communist period (see Ceauşima}. The transformation into a modern mall costed over 25 mil. Euro’s.
Carturesti, 13 Pictor Verona, is a classy bookstore/teashop with many Romanian books in English as well as CDs and DVDs of Romanian films. Another excellent central bookshop is Libraria Noi, Bulevardul Nocolae Balcescu 18, with a section filled with antiques.
Folk crafts, such as embroidered clothing and linen, painted Easter eggs, carpets, pottery, woodcarvings and icons, make interesting purchases. Here you will find the perfect gifts for your loved ones when your return from a business trip to Bucharest. These can be found at the Romanian Peasant Museum, most department stores and the Village Museum shop, where traditional clothing (men’s felt coats and women’s embroidered skirts and blouses) sits alongside Transylvanian ritual masks. The Lipscani area in the centre is a good place to stroll through junk shops and antique shops, particularly at Strada Hanul ce Tei. There are also many art galleries along Calea Victoriei.
Visitors interested in Romanian music should try the massive Muzica, Calea Victoriei 43, where there are CDs of folk singers like Maria Tanase, Romanian rock legends like Compact and Iris, or hip hop acts like La Familia, Paraziti and Bustaflex.
Parliament Palace in Bucharest
The most prominent of these is the Palace of the Parliament, built in the 1980s during the reign of Dictator Nicolae Ceauşescu. Currently the largest building in Europe and the second-largest in the world, the Palace houses the Romanian Parliament, as well as the National Museum of Contemporary Art. The building also boasts one of the largest convention centres in the world.
The Palace was designed and nearly completed by the Ceauşescu regime as the seat of political and administrative power. Nicolae Ceauşescu named it the House of the Republic (Casa Republicii), but many Romanians call it the People’s House (Casa Poporului).The Palace measures 270m by 240m, 86m high, and 92m under ground. It has 1.100 rooms, 2 underground parking garages and is 12 stories tall, with four additional underground levels currently available and in use, with another four in different stages of completion. If you have only a short time for sightseeing during your business trip to Bucharest, this would be the place to visit.
National Museum of Contemporary Art
When you have some time left on your business trip to Bucharest and it’s a rainy day, I would suggest the National Museum of Contemporary Art.
The National Museum of Contemporary Art, situated in a wing of the Palace of the Parliament, was opened in 2004 and contains a widespread collection of Romanian and international contemporary art.
Another well-known landmark in Bucharest is Arcul de Triumf (The Triumphal Arch). Arcul de Triumf is a triumphal arch located in the northern part of Bucharest, on the Kiseleff Road. It was built in its current form in 1935 and modeled after the Arc de Triomphe in Paris.
The first, wooden, triumphal arch was built hurriedly, after Romania gained its independence (1878), so that the victorious troops could march under it. Another temporary arch was built on the same site, in 1922, after World War I, which was demolished in 1935 to make way for the current triumphal arch, which was inaugurated in September 1936.
The current arch has a height of 27m and was built after the plans of the architect Petre Antonescu. It has as foundation a 25 x 11.50m rectangle. The sculptures with which the facades are decorated were created by famous Romanian sculptors such as Ion Jalea and Dimitrie Paciurea.
The Romanian Athenaeum building
This building is considered to be a symbol of Romanian culture and since 2007 is on the list of the Label of European Heritage sights. The Romanian Athenaeum (Romanian: Ateneul Român) is a concert hall in the center of Bucharest, Romania and a landmark of the Romanian capital city. Opened in 1888, the ornate, domed, circular building is the city’s main concert hall and home of the "George Enescu" Philharmonic and of the George Enescu annual international music festival.
The overall style is neoclassical, with some more romantic touches. In front of the building there is a small park and a statue of Romanian poet Mihai Eminescu.Inside, the ground floor hosts an ornate conference hall as large as the auditorium above; the auditorium seats 600 in the stalls and another 52 in loge seating.
Make sure your health care insurance is sufficiently covered.
Maybe this is already covered in your regular health care insurance but often you will need to cover this with the travel insurance. Also a good travel insurance should cover the costs of travel for a relative in case of seriously illness or an accident.
The business trip travel insurance should also cover the costs of search, rescue and repatriation.
When you go on business trips on a regular basis, the easiest way to get insured is with an annual multi-trip insurance.
Keep in mind that you can also use this insurance for your pleasure trips so don`t forget to include to insure your leisure activities.
Romania uses 112 for all emergency calls for police, ambulance and the fire department.
In case of a medical emergency you can contact the Floreasca Hospital.
Address:
Calea Floreasca nr . 8
Sector 1, Bucuresti
Telefon:(021) 599.23.00, (021) 599.23.08
Emergency number:(021) 962
Medical and dental services for international personnel are also available at the Polyclinic for the Diplomatic Corps in Bucharest: Polyclinic of Interdepartmental Hospital (for the Diplomatic Corps), tel.: +40 21 211 3430 (8:00 - 20:00); tel.: +40 321 66 61 (20:00 to 8:00).
Romanian or Daco-Romanian is a Romance language spoken by around 24 to 28 million people, primarily in Romania and Moldova. It has official status in Romania, Republic of Moldova, and the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina in Serbia. In the Republic of Moldova, the language is officially called limba moldovenească ("Moldovan") for political reasons.
English and French are common second languages spoken; German is more prevalent in the Transylvanian region. French used to be the second well-known language in Romania; however, it has been mostly displaced by English. A well-educated Romanian who graduated from an average university can usually speak English and another European language, such as French, German, Italian, Spanish (about 8%) or Russian.
Although in business you will probably speak English, a few Romanian phrases can also come in hand...
| Welcome | Bun venit / Bine ai venit |
| How are you? | Ce mai faceţi? |
| I’m fine, thanks. And you? | Bine, mulţumesc. Şi dumneavoastră? |
| My name is ... | Mă numesc ... |
| Pleased to meet you | Îmi pare bine de cunoştinţă |
| Good morning | Bună dimineaţa |
| Good afternoon | Bună ziua |
| Good evening | Bună seara |
| Good night | Noapte bună |
| Goodbye | La revedere |
| Have a nice day | Îţi doresc / Vă doresc o zi plăcută! |
| Bon appetit | Poftă bună! |
| I don’t understand | Nu înţeleg |
| Please write it down | Puteţi să-l scrieţi, vă rog? |
| How do you say ... in Romanian? | Cum se spune...în limba română? |
| Excuse me | Scuzaţi-mă! |
| How much is this? | Cât costă? |
| Sorry | Pardon! |
| Thank you | Mersi / Mulţumesc / Mulţumesc foarte mulţ |
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