More Romanians skipped their holiday this year than in 2009

Over 42% of Romanians did not go on holiday this summer, a rise on the same time last year, when only a quarter of them dropped holiday plans. Moreover, 43% of those who did go on holiday spent less than last year, reveals a survey conducted by 360insights for BUSINESS Magazin.
A weekend spent on the Romanian seaside, in the mountains or in a European city has replaced the traditional holiday for many Romanians. “Free time and holidays, high up in Maslow’s pyramid, are not on the list of priority spending,” says Manuela Dănilă, senior research executive of market research company 360insights. The 360insight survey was conducted on a representative sample of 800 people, aged between 16 and 64. In comparison, only a quarter of potential tourists decided against going on holiday.
“It is hard to say how many Romanians went on holiday,” comments Traian Bădulescu, press advisor of the National Travel Agencies Association (ANAT). But estimates say around four million Romanians preferred domestic destinations, down 5% against last year. There was an even deeper decline (by 10%) in the number of tourists that travelled abroad, to 1.2 million.