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Paralela 45, one of the biggest travel agencies in Romania, ended 2017 with sales of EUR 50 million, up by 25 percent compared to 2016, due to the increasing demand for circuits and stays abroad and in Romania, as well as the opening of new travel agencies in Bucharest and across the country.
”Bucharest generates the largest volume of agency’ sales, of over 50 percent,” Alin Burcea, Paralela 45 owner, who is also president of the National Association of Travel Agencies in Romania (ANAT), stated in a press conference on Wednesday. For this year, the company estimates an increase in sales by 20 percent.
”2018 will be a good year for the tourism industry. I do not foresee any economic problems that could affect us. It is a year in which Romanians are even more open to traveling abroad,” Burcea also stated.
However, according to him, in a few years, the sales of holiday offers in the rest of the country will surpass those coming from Bucharest.
The growing demand of those outside Bucharest for foreign holidays has led the travel agents to bring charter flights from all cities with airports: Iasi, Cluj, Timisoara, Sibiu, Craiova etc.
In 2017, Paralela 45 recorded the highest increases in circuits (+ 35 percent), the Romanian tour operator having over 120 programs in its offer. Russia tops the most sold circuits in Romanians’ preferences, followed by Israel, Jordan, Portugal, Italy, Spain and Greece. As regards the individual tourism, Paralela 45 registered a 23 percent increase, the most wanted destinations being Romania, Bulgaria, Greece and Turkey.
The charter flights from Bucharest, Cluj-Napoca, Iasi, Timisoara had an increase of 18 percent in 2017, with weekly flights registering an average occupancy rate of 98 percent. The islands in Greece (45 percent), but also Spain (24 percent), Turkey (20 percent), Cyprus (5 percent), followed by Italy, Portugal and Croatia (6 percent), were the most wanted destinations.
Moreover, with the launch of the new website last fall, direct holiday sales amounted to EUR 1 million. For this year, Burcea estimates sales of EUR 2 million. This comes after investments of EUR 40,000 in IT field (website, data security software, corporate booking system). Also, Paralela 45 has recently invested EUR 120,000 in expanding its network to 43 own agencies and franchises, inaugurating seven new units in Bucharest, Brasov, Arad, Bacau and Sfantu Gheorghe. The newest one opens in February, in Bucharest, in the Militari area.
Alin Burcea also pointed out that the destinations in Romania have seen a very high growth compared to previous years. According to him, there is a huge demand on domestic spa services.
”There is a big demand on the spa segment this year, as it has not been in the 28 years since I activate in the private sector. Domestic tourism is on the wave,” Paralela 45 owner concluded.
For 2018, the Romanian tour operator added in its offer charter flights from Bucharest to the islands of Samos and Lesbos (Greece), the Albanian seaside, Alanya (Turkey), stays in Puglia (Italy), as well as charter flights to Antalya from Tirgu Mures. As for new itineraries, Paralela 45 launches this year holidays in Panama, Nicaragua and Costa Rica.
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