Record set in 2017: More than 600,000 people visited the Turda Salt.

The Turda salt mine in Cluj County recorded a record of visitors of over 600,000 people in 2017, of which 35% were from abroad, most of the countries like Hungary, Poland, Israel or Spain, the MEDIAFAX correspondent .

The director of Salda Turda, Simona Baciu, told MEDIAFAX correspondent Wednesday that the development plans include the inclusion of the last mine, Joseph, in the tourist circuit, which will lead to doubling the capacity of the salt mine, informs Mediafax.

"Last year, we recorded a record of visitors to Turda Salt, 618,200 people, 35% of whom were from abroad, most of them like Hungary, Poland, Israel or Spain. The number of foreign tourists increased from 30% in 2016 to 35% last year. We are currently working on a feasibility study to include the last mine, the Iosif Mine, located at over 110 meters deep in the tourist circuit, document to be finalized this year, and identifying project financing solutions. We hope to start designing this year, followed by the execution of the works. We estimate an investment of 10 million euros, which will lead to doubling the capacity of the Turda mine, "Baciu said.

According to her, a financing solution for the new project would be European funds, given that the salt mine is an example of good practice from this point of view.

Turda Salt mine has four mines - Rudolf, Terezia, Ghizela and Joseph, the first three in tourism.

The Salt Turda Salt Farm dates back to Roman times. The salt mine was closed in 1932 and was reopened for the public and for patients with respiratory diseases in 1992.

Between 2008 and 2010, it was upgraded following an investment of nearly six million euros from European funds and was inaugurated in January 2010 in the presence of Prime Minister Emil Boc and then Minister of Tourism Elena Udrea.