Romania Is Eight Years Behind Bulgaria Regarding Tourism Development – TUI Official

Hohne said Bulgaria made a significant progress following privatization, adding Romania is still unable to attract foreign investors and is about eight years behind Bulgaria as regards tourism development.

Hohne added that Romania could be a popular tourist destination, but at the moment it is unable to promote its offers and failed to take advantage of being a European Cultural Capital in 2007, when it should have used the opportunity to promote its tourist attractions.

According to Hohne, another problem in Romania is the summer season, which is too short, determining foreign investors, who want to conduct businesses for at least six months, not to invest in Romanian tourism .

In 2006, TUI discarded its flights to Romania and eliminated from its catalogues any destination towards Romania, citing bad accommodation conditions, high hotel prices, too much noise and dirty resorts.

Germany’s TUI, one of the world’s leading tour operators, will resume operations in Romania this spring with a charter flight from Munich to the Romanian Black Sea Coast, which will be operated by Air Berlin as of May 18.

TUI Romania general manager Tim Grosse said in February the budget allotted to promote Romania as tourist destination is of EUR5 million for 2010, adding the money is not enough to obtain satisfactory results.