| THE ECONOMIC CRISIS AND ROMANIANS’ HOLIDAYS 30/06/2010 |
| Last updated: 2010-07-01 16:44 EET |
In times of crisis it is only natural that the tourism market also suffers the consequences. Holiday budgets are cut, trips are shortened and leisure time is reduced. Romanians are no exception, but then, they aren’t very fond of long trips, either, according to a recent survey. A poll conducted by GfK in 16 European and North American countries shows that 70 percent of Romanians spend their holidays at home. Of all European respondents, only Bulgarians are more “domestic” than the Romanians, with 71 percent of them spending their holidays at home. Almost 40% of all respondents say do not travel in their free time. It seems that the financial crisis has only accentuated Romanians’ tendency to spend their time off work at home. Raluca Bob, a public relations specialist for GfK Romania, explains:
“We conducted a similar study last year and saw that 60 percent of Romanians over 15 did not intend to go on holiday in 2009. Previous studies conducted in earlier years showed about the same percentage. This year, however, the crisis is clearly showing its effects. The 70 percent obtained this year is very high compared to the global average.”
There are, however, Romanians who choose to travel during their holidays, and their percentage is not very different from that seen in other European countries. Here is Raluca Bob again at the microphone:
“At a global level, about two thirds of the people interviewed choose their home country as a holiday destination. Some 40 percent of Romanians opt for domestic holidays. As for the number of people from other European countries who prefer spending their holidays in their own countries, this figures stands at 66 percent in Italy and Spain, 70 percent in Portugal and 60 percent in France. 95 percent of Turkish citizens choose to visit their home country during the holidays, while 80 percent of Americans don’t travel abroad.”
Travel agencies, on the other hand, are faced with the opposite situation. Most of the Romanians who go to a travel agent to book an organised trip will prefer to travel abroad. Here is what Sorin Vaduvoiu, the manager of a travel agency, told us:
“The best selling holiday destinations are those located close to Romania, at a two-hour flight distance at the most, such as the Greek Islands, Bulgaria and the Turkish seaside. There are quite a lot of people who choose the Romanian coast and the country’s mountain resorts and spas and their number is increasing. The main trend among Romanians who travel, however, is to go abroad. Those who can afford a holiday prefer to make a trip abroad because it’s best value for the money. As for foreign tour operators and hotel owners, they have understood that they need to adapt faster to the situation created by the crisis.”
This adjustment has been done quickly in order to reduce the impact of the crisis. In their effort to keep their clients, providers of tourist services have even started charging less. However, the number of tourists has continued to drop. Sorin Vaduvoiu again:
“The market has shrunk significantly if we take 2008 as a reference point. The annual drop probably stands at 30 to 35%. Although 2010 has so far been a better year than 2009, there are several clear trends. For instance, people no longer buy three and two-week packages. People prefer 6 and 7-day stays and shorter packages in general. People’s holiday budgets have also shrunk, but they can still find convenient deals because travel agents prefer to reduce their profit margins and keep their clients”.
As for the holiday budget is concerned, travel agents’ estimates overlap with market studies. According to a survey carried out by the GfK, Romanians are a bit more cautious than Westerners when it comes to the money allocated to their holidays. 23% of Romanian respondents say their holiday budget does not exceed 1,000 euros, while 16% set aside less than 500 euros per person for their holiday. Sorin Vaduvoiu told us mass tourism was worst hit by the crisis. Many families with an average income whose holiday budgets varied between 300 and 500 euros have given up their plans to spend their holidays abroad.
But how do Romanians spend their holidays? Raluca Bob, GfK’s PR specialist:
“At a global level, for 1 out of 5 people, travelling during their holiday means visiting family and friends, and this is also what 1 out of 4 Romanians does. Sports are another favorite holiday activity. 18% of west Europeans practice sports in their holidays. Going to a bar or a club is another holiday activity. Almost a quarter of Romanians say this is one of the most important things they do in their spare time. When it comes to shopping, Romanians fare well, with 8 % of them choosing this activity during their holidays”.
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2010-09-06
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