Romanians favorite destinations in 2007: Greece and Bulgaria

Rompres - Online News
December 17, 2007

Bucharest, Dec 17 /Rompres/ - Higher incomes and living standards, as
well as a slight reduction in tourist packages' prices, offered by the
travel agencies in Romania led to a visible rise, estimated at almost 30
percent, in the number of Romanian tourists who chose foreign
destinations in 2007. Romanian tourists' favorite countries continued to
be the neighboring ones, Greece more exactly (both preferred for the
small relative distance to Romania and for its exotic character),
Bulgaria (the distance till its seaside that can be reached in a few
hours, by car) and Turkey (with its east seaside). As summer
destinations, countries such as Spain, Tunisia, Egypt, Malta, Cyprus
etc., were also very much sought after by Romanians. A special category
includes tourists who opt for exotic holidays - in Seychelles, in the
Maldives, Thailand up to as far as Mexico and Cuba - characterized by
high prices, given the distance. Coach trips were also attractive for
Romanians in 2007. The most sought after were those with Italy or France
as final destinations, but also those that included Austria, the Czech
Republic or Hungary. As for the winter season, Romanians' favored
destinations in 2007 included Austria, followed at a big distance by
Italy, Switzerland or France. Weekend travels, for various tourist
attractions and mainly for shopping were also Romanians' favorites in
2007. Ranked first is Paris, followed by Vienna, Barcelona, Budapest
etc. In 2007, cruise demand doubled compared to 2006, with approximately
5,000 sold packages. Kenya was a first in terms of destinations, the
same as Madeira. The United States of America have become, in their
turn, a holiday destination increasingly sought after by Romanians.
Domestic tourism also followed an upward trend. The Black Seaside was
the star of the summer season, having been re-launched due to favorable
weather conditions (up 30 percent). Rural tourism ranks second, with the
well-known boarding houses in the mountains. Mountain resorts were also
much in demand, with Prahova Valley (south) in the top. Likewise the ski
resorts either in Transilvania (Borsa, for instance) or in Moldova
(Vatra Dornei and Campulung Moldovenesc). Spa tourism was in demand as
well. As for the foreign tourists arriving in Romania, the highest
number opted for circuits that include Moldova monasteries, cities in
Transilvania (such as Sibiu, Sighisoara etc.) or the Danube Delta
(south-east). Even though the seaside failed to attract many foreign
tourists this year, ski resorts proved to be more attractive instead -
Poiana Brasov (center), for instance, is a good destination for the
beginners due to ski slopes' big variety. ROMPRES