Antonio Nitu, Aerotravel Lufthansa: Financial crisis likely to grip tourism market volume in 2009

“In actual conditions triggered by financial crisis’ sputters, we can only wait the outcomes of analysis made on the macroeconomic evolution of Romania, based on which we will estimate the overall volume of tourism market for 2009. For the moment we forecast similar trend next year but a different pace,” Antonio Nitu stated for Wall-Street.

Incomes from tourism exceed one billion euros

Last year, incomes from Romanian tourism mounted to one billion euros, and Romanians’ expenses abroad exceeded this value, especially after Romania’s accession to EU according to ANAT statistics. Internal tourism advanced 10%, ongoing tourism rose 25% from previous year and airplane tickets issued by tourism agencies neared to 350 million euros.

For 2008, sources in the market estimated a 20% growth fuelled by events such as NATO summit organized at Bucharest. Moreover, Antonio Nitu forecasted a 15% growth of business tourism in Romania that continues to outrank leisure tourism.

Even if for 2009 the market growth will be moderate, Antonio Nitu thinks the demand for wider tourist packages will climb together with purchase power of Romanians. This season, more Romanians than last year will spend winter holidays abroad.

“Until now, as compared to west European countries, in Romania, the bookings were made shortly before the vacation. Due to appetite for vacations in Alps or in exotic areas, Romanian client adopts purchase habits of Western inhabitants in order to have access to better prices, and to find vacancies.

Aerotravel forecasts one million euros from winter packages

In late 2008, Antonio Nitu forecasts the “turnover to mount to 36 million euros and in the winter season we aim at selling winter holiday packages worth one million euros”. Most of the revenues will come from bookings that were already made by loyal customers, whereas the company targets 25% growth compared to last year for new clients.