I was reading Shirazi's latest post on travel, travel wiriting and promoting in Pakistan and the web as a means of getting what the country has to offer known.

There was an interesting point about guides and how major international companies are taking over the market, leaving little space to domestic publishers. Well, the situation is slightly different in Romania: we have our guides and CDs and DVDs written in many languages with expensive photos and cliche like destinations, easy access and in hand.

The expensive foreign travel guides, along with all other types of guides, are also published here. They look pretty, but remain there, lonely and unwanted, too expensive and with this thought attached: what do they know of our cuntry better than us? Plus, they are only in Romanian, so our previous versions in foreign languages are better.

Of course we do not worry at the moment about the possibility of the international group translating them and publishing them directly in those foreign countries, where they will get to be less expensive also.

How we promote Romania? Well, if anyone meets foreigners, (I've actually heard a few conversations like this) to show off their good will, they start explaining what not to do and where not to go and who to keep safe from. Those details should be kept "in house" while trying to change the situation, not put them on the wall and hoping they will be extinct some day.

I have to agree, Shirazi's point about using the Internet, as in dedicated websites, blogs and online magazines is a powerful way to promote any country. Yes, the market is highly competitive, but does that mean we should surrender?

I should also mention his blog does justice to Pakistan. His travel posts and those he hosts are trully amazing, detailed and vivid. To find out more about this exotic, contrasting country and to have some examples of such travel writing, read this, this or this.

I am sure each Romanian blogger I know takes an occasional trip, not all to highly advertised sites like Prahova Valley, Poiana Brasov or the Romanian Seaside. What if we give more importance to how we present the experience?

Not criticizing what needs to be criticized is not something I'd support. But to be honest, that is the services part of the experience and should be treated accordingly.

Tags: Travel, Travel Writing, Online publishing, Books