$5 billion - unattainable goal or realistic target?

The Romanian tourism sector contributes only 2% to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), which is very little if compared to the neighbouring countries, said businessman George Copos, owner of the ANA Group, which controls six hotels across the country. sleadend
on’t make it to 10% of GDP in the next few years, then we do not exist,” Copos said. Since Romania’s GDP is $42-$44bn, tourism should bring some five billion dollars in a matter of years, compared with the current one billion dollars.
The industry representatives say the tourism share in the GDP is a little higher, but still below the 10%.
“Statistics should be adjusted, because tourism includes entertainment, which they do not record, as well as the souvenirs that tourists buy from various resorts, for instance. In my opinion, tourism contributes 3%-4% to the state budget, which is still too little,” Cornel Gaina, chairman of the National Association of Travel Agencies (ANAT) told Ziarul Financiar.
Tourism will come to account for 10% of the Gross Domestic Product, he says, but how long it will take to get there is very much up to the political will. “This is not only about granting incentives for investments in tourism, but rather about creating a stable economic environment. The mentalities and the service quality also need to change,” Gaina added. The ANAT chairman says that tourism will come to total 10% of GDP in four years’ time.
Hotel operators also feel that Government support is needed. “It will be very hard for us to attain this goal for as long as incentives for investments are not granted and taxation stays high,” Marius Pintilie, marketing manager of Unita Turism, one of the major hotel owners, told Ziarul Financiar.
On the other hand, the increase in the number of foreign tourists will remain a difficult thing to achieve for as long as the quality of services is still far from what it should be and the higher prices make the offers of the hotels in Romania less competitive abroad, he adds.