About

The Slow Travellers was born out of the need to slow down and focus on what matters most.

We felt that it is our duty to identify means that tourism can be maintained long-term without harming natural and cultural environments. To promote alternative travel that would minimize the negative impact of tourism and ideally be beneficial to the area in which it takes place.

We knew we could count on the key resources that Romania has to offer: people, places, stories. We just needed to put everything in place and build something sustainable.

The Slow Travellers is an idea that grew in the back of my mind in the past years, while I was building my second career as a Communication Expert for an emerging startup community. Before that, I worked for 12 years as an incoming freelance tour guide, leading small groups of international tourist all over Romania and falling in love with the surrounding nature and the archaic villages.

I now clearly understand that part of the legacy that I am ought to leave behind has to do with helping the incoming tourism thrive.

But I cannot take this road alone. I pitched my dream to one of my best friends and convinced her to join me in this wonderful journey and become my cofounder.

Oana has done amazing work in several social entrepreneurial projects and she has helped the local municipality of Piatra Neamț build the development strategy for the next 4 years. She is a keen observer and an analytical thinker. After working almost a year shoulder to shoulder I can honestly say I couldn’t wish for a better cofounder. My dream is coming true and is in good hands!

We managed to convince the amazing Wave Motion Labs team and the most creative graphic designer, Irina Iacob, to join our mission and translate our vision into what is today The Slow Travellers platform: high-tech features displayed in a friendly community, with human-centric design.

Smaranda Balut – Founder The Slow Travellers

Oana Radu – Co-founder The Slow Travellers

Wave Motion Labs team, Irina Iacob & Smaranda Balut at work

The Slow Travellers is a startup co-financed through the POCU 2014-200 – Social Entrepreneurs Network 449/161/128617.

The content of this website does not represent the official position of the European Union or of the Government of Romania.

For detailed information about the EU’s co-financing programs please visit www.fonduri-ue.ro.

The Slow Travellers website is designed by Irina Iacob and developed by Wave Motion Labs.

2023-2024 © The Slow Travellers

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