2011 – 2016

Travel writer and presenter Charlie Ottley is the writer, producer and presenter of Wild Carpathia, also featuring HRH King Charles. This five-part series has had the largest impact of any travel documentary on Romania, massively raising its profile abroad and promoting tourism internationally and domestically. The series, which has been broadcast around the world in 110 countries and translated into 11 languages, has been watched by millions across the world on Travel Channel and CNBC and at home on TVR, ProTV, Digi, Antena, and Kanal D, plus European national TV networks and countless millions on YouTube and Social Media.

The series focuses on showcasing the beauty of Romania, protecting and preserving its pristine forests and historic landscapes, and highlighting eco-tourism initiatives and conservation issues.

For his work, Charlie has been awarded:

  • The Cross of The Royal House of Romania for Wild Carpathia

  • Best Promotion For Romania Abroad from the Romania Insider Awards

  • Best Initiative in Journalism and Marketing from the Romania Top Hotel Awards

  • The Award for Excellence for Promoting Romanian Tourism from the Ministry of Economy, Energy and Tourism

  • The Order of Romania, status of Knighthood by President Klaus Iohannes

2016

Charlie wrote, produced and presented episode 4 of Wild Carpathia (the result of the largest crowd-funding campaign in the history of Romania). The film aired on TVR, Digi World, Digi Life, Kanal D and Antena as well as on international media. Due to its success, he was invited to screen the film at the United Nations to 193 member state representatives and 400 VIPs at the Headquarters in New York, for which he received a standing ovation and a commendation from President of the UN General Assembly Peter Thomson for his work promoting Romania.

2017

Charlie raised the funds to create a nine-part series called Flavours Of Romania, which he wrote, presented, produced, and directed for Romanian National Television and subsequent broadcast around the world. First premiering on TVR, the series subsequently aired on Digi 24, Digi World, Digi Life, TVR International, and Kanal D.

2018/2019

Charlie fundraised and produced the final episode of Wild Carpathia titled White Carpathia, which offers a unique portrait of Romania through the winter months. It premiered on National Romania Day on Digi24 and subsequently aired repeatedly on Digi World, Digi Life, and TVR. White Carpathia was awarded Best Documentary 2020 at the Alpin Film Festival in Brasov.

2020

  • April: Following Covid and to correspond with the end of lockdown, Charlie fundraised 45,000 euros to promote Romania on BBC World News. The campaign reached its target in less than three weeks and Charlie wrote and produced four short films which were broadcast daily on the BBC across Europe, The Middle East, and America throughout June. An independent survey for the BBC showed the campaign to be an unqualified success, with 91% of viewers expressing interest in visiting Romania and recommending it to friends. It was also the first time Romania had ever appeared on BBC World.

  • Simultaneously, Charlie recruited Digi Network, ProTV, TVR, and Antena to screen Romanian versions of all four films every day for over a month to encourage domestic tourism with a campaign called “Romania – Redescopera Te”.

  • July: Charlie worked with Brasov City and County Councils to raise 100,000 euros to create four further films to promote Brasov and Transylvania again on BBC World News. This new campaign began in August and ran every day for 3 months across Europe, America, and the Middle East.

  • August: Charlie was commissioned to make a short promotional campaign for Covasna County, which aired in October and achieved over a million views worldwide on Facebook in its first month.

  • September: Charlie was made honorary citizen of Brasov by former mayor George Scripcaru, and his hit series Flavours of Romania began screening on Netflix Eastern Europe, remaining in the top ten for over a month following a week at the Number 1 spot. The show was announced as the most watched documentary series on Netflix in 2020.

  • October: Charlie bought and started restoring a traditional house in Sirnea, which he televised as a campaign to encourage patrimonial conservation and rural rehabilitation.

2021

Charlie received the Order of Romania from Romanian President Klaus Iohannes for Cultural Services, status of Knighthood.

He also teamed up with His Majesty King Charles to produce a five-minute film encouraging Romanians to rediscover their country. This was viewed millions of times online and was circulated widely amongst the Romanian Diaspora.
https://youtu.be/swMoHl0QVWk

January – December: Charlie fundraised, produced, wrote, and presented a feature-length cultural documentary film on the Danube Delta called Wild Danube, which premiered on National Romania Day on Digi24 and DigiLive International. The film was dedicated to the memory of his friend Ivan Patzaichin, who gave his last interview for the production.

2022

  • February: Charlie began pre-production on a sequel to Flavours of Romania for Netflix. Filming commenced in June and ran until October.

  • April: Charlie wrote and produced a critically acclaimed series of short films to promote Timis County, which are currently being used as part of Timisoara’s City of Culture initiative.

  • September: Charlie fundraised for a new BBC World Campaign. With the help of seven regional councils – Craiova, Brasov, Timis County, Maramures, Oradea, Sibiu, and Tulcea – he raised 65k Euros to run a six-week campaign every day across Europe in the run-up to Christmas and New Year. The campaign represented a total rebrand of Romania with four one-minute films focusing on key aspects of Romanian tourism including History, City Breaks, Nature and Eco-Tourism, Health Tourism, The Danube Delta, and Culture and Crafts. The films have also been circulated globally on social media and represent the largest international promotional campaign ever produced about Romania.

And Finally:

Charlie is a lifetime Ambassador for numerous NGOs including Via Transilvanica, Bookland – a charity renovating and reopening local schools in remote areas, FCC – creating the largest wildlife reserve in Europe, and The Gentleman Biker’s – a group dedicated to promoting the dangers of drug abuse in schools.

Charlie also works as a volunteer to promote other charities including ADEPT, MET, The Architects Ambulance, and Tasuleasa Social, and has organized several public campaigns including an anti-litter campaign to clean up Bran and Bucegi National Park, for which he mobilized the local school, two rubbish lorries, and collected just under four tons of litter.

Charlie has given two separate TEDx Talks on Natural and Cultural Conservation in Romania and has also brought numerous journalists to Romania to originate travel and conservation stories, as well as writing articles of his own such as a four-page feature on Transylvania for Vanity Fair. Charlie remains a freelance journalist and contributor for The Daily Mail, Food and Travel Magazine, The Express, the BBC, and many other foreign and international media titles.

There are few private individuals, other than His Majesty King Charles, who have done more to promote a positive image of Romania abroad and rebrand Romania as the last wild and unspoiled corner of Europe.