TouristsGo.Ro: Romanian Music Festival hijacks "tourists go home" street messages, offering an unexpected alternative to over-tourism in Ba
Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Wandering through Barcelona's streets, it's impossible to overlook the graffiti messages echoing a disquiet among locals. Phrases such as "Tourists Go Home," "Dear Tourists, Please Leave," and "Tourism Kills the City" are now being recast in a fresh light with the introduction of the "TouristsGo.Ro" movement by the Electric Castle Festival. The festival organizers have ingeniously repurposed these city wall messages by adding "www." and ".ro", potentially providing an alternative destination for the thronging tourists crowding the Spanish metropolis.
Ancient castles, beautiful landscapes, unique art, and vibrant music events - these aren't exclusive to Spain. They are equally abundant in Romania. Electric Castle Festival is promoting a shift in tourist traffic, encouraging travelers to explore the remarkable offerings of Romania, while also inviting locals to become ambassadors of an innovative concept: the problem of over-tourism in Barcelona could be mitigated just a three-hour flight away, in the heart of Transylvania.
This clever initiative, "TouristsGo.Ro," transforms protest messages across Barcelona into domain names leading to a singular website promoting Romanian attractions. The mechanism is ingenious: by simply appending "www." and ".ro" to any protest message, the Electric Castle team transforms it into a domain redirected to touristsgo.ro. The website includes options for tourists in fighting over-tourism, while enabling locals to join the movement and invite tourists to uncover Romania's unseen treasures.
Over 100 partner locations and locals have already endorsed the campaign and proudly displayed messages in support of this alternative narrative.
"Turning hate messages into love is a great idea. We need to be more open and discover new places. Romania sounds great. More people should know." says Julia Delgado, Catalan artist
For explorers seeking out novel destinations, Electric Castle, set in the historic 15th-century Bánffy Castle, promises an extraordinary five-day experience. The festival features non-stop performances from over 300 artists on 12 different stages, set in the midst of 400,000 square meters of natural beauty. Attendees can immerse themselves in music while taking in the serene landscape.
As global cities grapple with over-tourism, this campaign shines a light on potential solutions, demonstrating that alternative destinations can provide remarkable experiences while relieving pressure on overloaded locales. By highlighting Romania as a viable travel choice, Electric Castle strives to lessen over-tourism and promote sustainable tourism practices. For more details about this campaign, visit www.TouristsGo.Ro