Egypt unrest could cost Romanian agencies 15m euros in travel packages

Egypt protests could take nearly 15 million euros from the pockets of Romanian travel operators, who say if the situation in Egypt fails to stabilise, Egyptian travel destinations could be compromised, reveals a ZF analysis.
In other words, the nearly 25,000 Romanians, that travel agencies expected to attract this year with holiday packages to Egypt, could find an alternative to the one-week holiday to Egyptian resorts, which costs 600 euros on average. Egypt is one of Romanians’ favourite travel destinations, behind Greece and Turkey last year. In 2009 Egypt attracted 12.5 million tourists, who fetched 10.8 million-dollar revenues, contributing 11% of the country’s GDP.
Traian Bădulescu, representative of the National Travel Agencies Association said there was currently only a group of 15 Romanian travellers in Egypt, who left on a travel circuit with Tez Tours agency.
“We have cancelled the charter flights scheduled for January 29th and February 5th to Sharm El Sheikh and Hurghada. All groups of Romanian travellers have been brought home,” said Doina Grigoraș, representative of Tez Tour tour operator, which sells holiday packages to Egypt.