The economic downturn is affecting Romanian travel agencies. The domestic tour operators have failed to meet original forecasts, as H1 sales were either flat or posted a very slight increase.
“Travel agencies logged roughly the same revenues as in the year-ago period, though a slight increase might have occurred,” Cornel Gaina, chairman of the Romanian Travel Agencies National Association (ANAT), told Ziarul Financiar.
The number of tourists plunged. “Ticketing and outgoing boosted revenues, but the number of incoming foreign tourists and of Romanian tourists travelling across the country went down,” Gaina mentioned.
“The economic downturn visible both in Europe and in Romania has hit the tourism operators’ revenues,” the ANAT official added. The number of tourists will be smaller this year as compared to 2002 because of international issues. The economic slowdown, on the one hand, and the Gulf conflict, on the other have driven many Europeans to give up their vacation plans. Moreover, the number of Romanian tourists is free falling, as the purchase power is shrinking, analysts say.
Tour operators had said early in the year that the business of Romanian travel agencies would grow 10%, with a similar increase having been posted in 2002. According to estimates, revenues amounted to $360 million last year, which means Romanian tour-operators should post some $400m turnover this year.
“The first-half trend is likely to maintain all year,” Gaina added. In other words, the number of tourists will not see a spectacular increase in the next period. bogdan.neagu@zf.ro