Tour operators see big losses

Travel agencies in Romania expect to see millions of euros in losses this year, due to the military conflict in the Middle East, which has caused a serious decline in the number of business and tourism trips worldwide. “Statistics show the European tourism sector has registered 15% decline in the number of tourists and in the number of airline flights lately. We are located even farther East so that the decline could be more serious here. As long as international tensions maintain, we estimate we’ll see 20% less tourists at best. I hope we’ll reach at least the 2002 level this summer, though,” Marcel Badescu, honorary chairman of the National Association of Travel Agencies (ANAT) on Wednesday said. The Romanian travel agencies last year posted approximately $360 million turnover, up 10% from 2001. Airline ticket sales accounted for one third of the total turnover. An ANAT poll that canvassed about 5% of the member agencies shows February witnessed a decline in the number of reservations for Romanian destinations made by foreign tourists, especially by those from Germany, Israel and UK. ZF