Demand for destinations such as Greece, Spain, Bulgaria, Italy, Croatia, Slovenia, and Montenegro will increase by over 10% in 2016
Lucia Morariu, first vice-president of the National Association of Travel Agencies, ANAT, estimates that demand for destinations in Greece, Spain, Bulgaria, Italy, Croatia, Slovenia, and Montenegro will increase by over 10%, in the context of the international geopolitical situation, with “stop sales” situations already appearing for some hotels.
Turkey will remain the main external destination for Romanian tourists in 2016, which is further reflected in Eximtur’s figures, indicating an increase of over 5%, given that Turkey was the main external destination in 2015 as well.
A significant increase is recorded for cruise-type holiday packages, as well as for various exotic destinations, and the trend indicates great interest in 2016 for this type of product. The highest demand recently has been recorded for the Dominican Republic.
Morariu specified that during early-booking periods, the most sought-after destinations are those in Romania.
„We have recorded increases of over 50% for tourism services in Black Sea resorts and over 80% for other domestic destinations, especially for spa resort areas and tourist complexes in resorts with spa centers or for hotels that have their own spa centers. External destinations have grown by over 15% compared to 2015,” stated Lucia Morariu.
Morariu specified that Eximtur has already exceeded 1 million EUR in sales for the 2016 seaside season, and there are periods at certain hotels where they are striving to supplement allocated spots because they have been exhausted.
City breaks maintain a consolidated growth trend of over 15%.
Source: Capital
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the top travel destinations for Romanians in 2016?
Turkey remains the primary external destination, followed by significant growth in demand for Greece, Spain, Bulgaria, Italy, Croatia, Slovenia, and Montenegro.
How is the domestic tourism market performing?
Domestic tourism is booming, with over 50% growth for Black Sea resorts and over 80% for spa and balneary destinations.
Which niche travel segments are seeing the most growth?
Cruises, city breaks (up 15%), and exotic destinations like the Dominican Republic are seeing a major surge in interest this year.