Paralela 45, 25% below estimates

Paralela 45 travel agency last year posted some $7.5 million turnover, up nearly 25% compared with the 2001 turnover, but still 25% below the initial estimates, Alin Burcea, the company’s owner told Ziarul Financiar. Early last year, Paralela 45 manager Elena Anghel was saying the agency estimated to make $10 million turnover. Burcea did not volunteer any further details as to why the company had failed attaining the initial goals. Burcea, who was state secretary within the Tourism Ministry until the end of last year, would not estimate 2003’s turnover. “Considering last year’s results, I would rather not make any forecasts, but I am positive we will post significant growth,” he said. Burcea was relieved from his position last year on the grounds of “differences of opinion over the development of Romanian tourism, between himself and minister Dan Matei Agathon,” as he explained. The business of the travel agencies in Romania will grow by about ten percent, the same as in 2002, Marcel Badescu, honorary chairman of the National Association of Travel Agencies (ANAT) has recently said. ZF