Dragoș Anastasiu shares some of his expectations for 2022
In an interview granted to Mr. Vitalie Cojocari at ProTV, Mr. Dragoș Anastasiu highlighted a series of aspects regarding his entrepreneurial activity in the tourism sector.
Although he declares himself an optimist, he observes that 2022 will be a year under the pressure of a lack of predictability, problems with accessing labor, and the energy and supply chain crises. The problems generated by the pandemic will fade starting in April, but better collaboration between authorities and the business environment is needed to have a 2022 that is truly better than 2021.
Examples of problems were provided from his business in the Danube Delta, where the price of energy will increase threefold. All price increases on the supply side are reflected as much as possible in the final prices to the client, where he was able to budget an increase of only 10%. Labor is very difficult to access; he has had around 8-9 workers brought from Sri Lanka, Nepal, Thailand, and Bali and wishes to access more such new workers because they tend to migrate further toward Western Europe. Despite the advantages of an innate talent for providing services, there are many disadvantages regarding these workers, starting with a recruitment time of approximately 9 months, language, eating habits, and mentality; however, Romanians have left for Western Europe and a return trend is not yet observed. Although a waiter can reach a salary of 8,000-9,000 RON in Bucharest, the average is around 3,000-4,000, while in Germany the same person earns 1,200 EUR. In our country, high labor taxes also appear, where for every 1,000 EUR net, approximately another 1,800 EUR total cost is added.
To the question of why we do not offer salaries like in Western Europe to keep Romanians, obstacles related to the feasibility of the investment arise. In the Danube Delta, there are 6 months of season that everyone strives to extend to 9. What is earned in the summer is lost in the off-season. It is possible to give salaries like in Germany during the peak season for 2 months, but for the rest of the time, it is no longer feasible to maintain the same salary level. People left due to the lack of predictability and the attraction of high-growth fields such as courier services.
Another problem is related to the discrepancy between the image of tourism and reality. Romanian tourism is better than its image and is not, as they say, only expensive and poor quality. In the last 5 years, great progress has been made and the mentality has begun to change.
Entrepreneurship remains the solution for Romanian tourism; young people are expected to come with full openness because they are capable of changing the world. While the old generation did not have mentors or consulting firms to learn from, things have changed, and this area is a field of personal commitment, Mr. Dragoș Anastasiu further stated during the ProTV interview.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the main challenges for Romanian tourism in 2022?
The main challenges include a lack of predictability, labor shortages, the energy crisis, and supply chain disruptions.
Why is it difficult to offer Western-level salaries in the Danube Delta?
Due to seasonality; profits made during the 6-month peak season are often offset by losses in the off-season, making high year-round salaries financially unfeasible.
How is the labor shortage being addressed in the hospitality sector?
Entrepreneurs are increasingly recruiting workers from Asian countries like Sri Lanka and Nepal to fill the gap left by Romanians working abroad, despite long recruitment processes.