Employers in the hospitality industry are asking the authorities to increase Romania’s tourism promotion budget for 2025 to at least EUR 4 million, from EUR 1.1 million in 2024, to participate in the most important trade fairs in the world and to set up a Destination Management Organization (DMO) at national level.
“We have asked the current minister to increase the promotion budget to at least EUR 4 million. Of course it’s a big increase and we understand that we are in a year of austerity for the whole country and we don’t have high hopes for this amount, but obviously we are saying what we would need. If we are allocated EUR 3 million, we should be satisfied, but it must also be spent in a way that decisions are taken together with us,” said Corina Martin, secretary general of the Federation of Hospitality Industry Employers in Romania (FPIOR).
She said that last year Romania’s budget for tourism promotion was only €1.1 million, while Vienna has an annual budget of €35 million.
Mrs. Corina Martin pointed out that the unprofessional administrative apparatus has been dealing with the industry’s problems for years only “from the office”, while the reality in this area is completely different.
The establishment of a national Destination Management Organization (DMO) is one of the objectives of the hospitality industry federation.
Corina Martin added that there are currently very few MDGs compared to the number that should exist at national level, and promotion is still done by a single decision of the ministry in charge of this field.
In his opinion, it is extremely important that all the money from taxes paid by tourism operators and local taxes collected from tourists is spent on promoting and developing Romanian tourism.