Alba Iulia Municipality is a medium-sized city in Romania with 74.500 inhabitants also known as the Other Capital. Alba Iulia based its sustainable development on attracting non-reimbursable funding. So far, the municipality managed to attract during the 2007-2021 period over 250 million Euros for Sustainable development projects in virtually all fields (including energy efficiency). The city is nowadays considered good practice at the national level in this field and is shown as an example of efficient administration oriented towards the needs of the citizens, investors, and tourists.
The development vision for Alba Iulia outlines an inclusive, open, and Smart City. Alba Iulia aims to become a territory where strategic urban management facilitates growth, improves living standards and competitiveness. The city also aims to become an area where urban quality, with its various facets, attracts and maintains local and foreign businesses, as well as a talented workforce, a place where jobs are created and promoted through different forms of sustainability, coherent and resilient development, in accordance with European Union's territorial and urban policies.
The main priorities of the city are disseminated within the Integrated Strategy for Urban Development 2014-2023:
The strategic objectives contributing to the achievement of Alba Iulia vision are:
1. Alba Iulia – A SMART, accessible and coherent city;
2. Alba Iulia – A GREEN city with efficient public services;
3. Alba Iulia – A COMPETITIVE and CREATIVE city;
4. Alba Iulia – A European CULTURAL and TOURISTIC OBJECTIVE.
Alba Iulia City Hall, the historical capital of Transylvania, has launched a unique invitation to the Prince Charles of Wales of Great Britain to visit the city and receive the honorary title of "Prince of Transylvania ". The initiative is marked by an unconventional campaign aimed at persuasion His Royal Highness to give effect to the invitation. This decision comes as a result of the activity of the Prince of Wales to promote Romanian tourism and the region in the world Transylvania. This initiative has been appreciated by well-established marketing experts city and resonated around the world:
”Many destinations today compete to stand out, therefore it is a rather difficult mission for them to come out of anonymity. Destinations need to start acting and think more about consumer brands in their media and social approach mediate. I think the city of Alba lulia in Romania was really smart through how he used Prince Charles' declared love for Transylvania to succeed in obtaining such impressive international media coverage. This is smart and very valuable marketing. "
Julian Stubbs, Brand Manager of Stockholm City
”Alba Iulia arrived this week on the biggest news portals on the planet. Together with the Heraldist team (which also created the Alba Iulia brand).”
Dany Serrano - a communication expert with 14 years of experience in the London market
Dany launched in the global press the news about Alba Iulia City Hall, which proposes to Prince Charles of Wales this honorary title. In just a few days, the campaign became the most successful marketing campaign of a Romanian city. ”
Today, this unconventional campaign to get through the Prince in a creative way Charles de Wales reached the press around the world: Daily Mail, Daily Mirror, USA Today, Washington Post, Der Spiegel:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1bwM5NqP__tMVefPdVeBSU2FVxaFJ8XC3?usp=sharing
Thus, through a unique marketing campaign, a whole world found out, among other things, that Alba Iulia was the historical capital of Transylvania.
The British Ben Southall, known worldwide after winning the competition “The best job in the world” wrote about Alba Iulia on the famous tourism blog bestlifeintheworld.com, after his visit to the Other Capital: http://bestlifeintheworld.com/adventurous-side-romania/
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/ioana-budeanu/25-reasons-to-visitroman_
13_b_8771384.html
Photo credits: Lucian Craiu
