GfK Study: Most Romanians Spend Holidays In The Country

C.C.

Romanians retain the preferences for vacation destinations and transport noted in the past, despite the fact that the country is going through a period of significant changes, according to a recent GfK report. Approximately 60% of the Romanians aged over 15 do not intend to go on vacation this year, the same as last year. The category consists mainly of people aged over 55 living in rural environments in Moldova and Oltenia with primary education and an income per family below 1,000 RON.

Those who do go on vacation take an average of two and a half weeks per year. July and August are the peak of the vacation season. Seaside resorts, either in Romania or abroad, attract 39% of those who will go on vacation this year. Mountain resorts attract 22% of them and are particularly preferred by those living in Dobrogea and Bucharest. While 13% of the Romanians have not yet decided where to go on vacation, 20% are sure they will not go anywhere because of precarious finances.

Over half of the Romanian tourists will go on vacation with their family, while 22% will be accompanies by friends and colleagues. This option is particularly chosen by those aged under 24. Only 6% of the tourists will go on vacation by themselves. In terms of destination, the Romanian shore of the Black Sea is the most preferred. Turkey, Italy, Greece and Spain remain the leading foreign destinations, as they were last year.

Driving the personal car or car pooling with friends is by far the most popular means of transportation as more than half of the Romanian vacation-goers opt for it. Trains and buses are popular with 20% of the tourists, while airplanes are preferred by only 9%. Some 17% of the vacation-goers have not yet decided on the means of transportation.