ANAT President Corina Martin: Domestic Tourism To Grow 15% This Year

Cristina Mihalaşcu

If the draft law regulating vacation tickets becomes effective in the near future, thus bringing benefits to both employers and employees, domestic tourism will grow approximately 15% this year, according to Corina Martin, President of the National Association of Travel Agencies in Romania (ANAT).

"We have been waiting for this law for four years. The introduction of vacation tickets is a measure to revitalize domestic tourism. However, the process is slowed down by technical, economic and legal problems," she said. According to her, the implementation of the law is blocked by the imposition of an unconstitutional limit on travel agencies, which obtain only 1-2% of the 10% commission for the vacation tickets.

The Black Sea shore, mountain resorts, spas and rural attractions are the best selling travel destination this year. Spas have reported a decrease in the average age of the customers, which currently stands at 30-40 years, which could mean that spa treatments are no longer used exclusively for curing illnesses, but also for preventing them.

Greece, Turkey, Bulgaria, Tunisia and Spain are the best selling foreign destination, with Montenegro and Northern Cyprus being the newest additions to the offer.

• Foreign tourists complain about toilets

Following repeated complaints from various travel agencies, the National Association of Travel Agencies in Romania (ANAT) has started a campaign to identify the tourist areas which do not offer (sufficient) toilets.

The presidents of the eight regions of ANAT have one week to make a list of the areas where the problem is the most severe. According to ANAT, there were cases where travel agencies had to rent public toilets and place them on the hiking routes.

"The problem of the missing toilets has been reported especially in Bucovina, Sinaia, the seaside, in some museums and even in Bucharest. It is a general problem and that is why we plan to identify the affected areas and send the list to the Ministry to find solutions," the ANAT president said.