Top 5 travel agencies in Romania

Eximtur, down 23%

Eximtur travel agency, held by Morariu family, said its first-half sales fell 23%, down to 12.3 million euros (51.8 million lei).

“The market had an atypical evolution compared to previous years. July and August sales increased and compensated at a certain extent the first-half decline. Therefore, the real numbers on Romanians’ summer travels will be released in early September”, Lucia Morariu, owner of Eximtur, told Wall-Street.

The first-half results were largely weighed down by the ticketing segment that fell 31.4% in the period under review, due to the low tariffs practiced by the airline carriers. Revenues from ticketing reached 5.7 million euros.

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Aerotravel - 25% decline

Aerotravel Lufthansa City Center reported sales of 13.2 million euros in the first half, down 25% from year-ago period.

The number of transactions fell 15% in the same period.

“The highest decline in sales in contrast with the fall in transactions reflects the tariff policy of our providers both in ticketing and tourism segment”, Antonio Nitu, managing director of Aerotravel Lufthansa City Center told Wall-Street.

The average value of a transaction was around 265 euros, 16% less compared to the same period of last year. As for the non-ticketing transactions, the decline was around 18%.

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Paralela 45's first-half decline higher than expected

Although the travel agency had projected a mere 10% decline in sales from 52 million euros recorded a year earlier, after the first six months this year, the company’s results stand 100% below estimates.

“In the first half we recorded a 20% decline to 16 million euros. Even though it is too early to make predictions, I think we will end year in the same line”, Alin Burcea, owner of the company told Wall-Street.

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J'info Tours - 35% advance

J’info Tours travel agency reported a 35% increase in sales compared to year-ago half, up to 18.9 million euros.

“The first-half sales was 18,969,000 euros and we expect it to reach 34-38 million euros by year-end”, said the company.

J’info Tours posted sales of 14 million euros in the first half 2008.

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Happy Tour sees 5% growth by year-end

Even though the company declined to comment on its first-half sales, last year, Romania’s largest travel agency had projected a 5% advance in sales in 2009, up to 54 million euros.

The company recorded sales of 27.5 million euros in first half 2008, up 20% from year-ago period. In December 2007, the Spanish-based buyout firm GED Eastern Fund II acquired the majority equity in the Happy Tour travel agency.

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