The National Association of Travel Agencies (ANAT) is calling for the urgent implementation of three financial mechanisms to protect Romanian tourists: a guarantee fund for agencies, one for airline tickets, and a repatriation fund for crisis situations. The proposal comes in the wake of the recent conflict in the Middle East, which left approximately 3,000 Romanian citizens stranded in the region, highlighting a major legislative and operational void in managing repatriations when commercial transport is interrupted.
In currently, legislation provides for the repatriation of tourists only upon the resumption of commercial flights, without regulating the organization of special charter flights if airspace remains closed for long periods. ANAT emphasizes that, in the current crisis, agencies covered the costs for the first three nights of accommodation for tourists; however, large-scale interventions exceed the industry’s capacity and depend on specific political decisions or accessing the Government’s reserve fund. The organization proposes the creation of a permanent repatriation mechanism, coordinated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and financed through contributions of 0.5 EUR per air passenger and 0.5 EUR per tourist transported by coach for routes with a point of departure or arrival in Romania.
In parallel, ANAT is promoting the Airline Ticket Guarantee Fund Law to prevent massive losses in the event of airline bankruptcies, citing the example of Blue Air, where 280,000 people lost over 90 million EUR. This fund would be funded by collecting 1 EUR for each flight segment. Regarding the Guarantee Fund for travel agencies, the association estimates that it could become functional from January 1, 2027, in the context of a constructive dialogue with the current leadership of the relevant ministry, after the initiative was not prioritized by former ministers Radu Oprea, Bogdan Ivan, and Radu Miruță.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the three funds proposed by ANAT?
ANAT proposes a guarantee fund for travel agencies, one for airline tickets, and a repatriation fund for crisis situations.
How would the repatriation mechanism be financed?
The mechanism would be funded by contributions of 0.5 EUR per air passenger and 0.5 EUR per tourist traveling by coach.
When is the Guarantee Fund for travel agencies expected to launch?
The association estimates that the fund could become operational starting January 1, 2027.