Ailing Romanian tourism looks to Bulgaria

Southeast European Times, By Paul Ciocoiu from Bucharest, 4th August 2006

Bulgaria has always attracted more foreign tourists than Romania. But when Romanians themselves start choosing the neighbouring country's coastal resorts over their own, it's a sign that something must change.

Scores of recent media reports have highlighted an ongoing phenomenon in Romania. Thousands of Romanians are flocking to Bulgarian seaside resorts, turning their sun-screened backs on their own coasts.

Although the official tourist season started over two months ago, hotels on the Romanian coast are only half full, and tourism operators anticipate an even lower rate of occupancy for the remaining two months. According to the National Association of Tourism Agencies (ANAT), the main operators in this sector sustained losses between 10 per cent and 25 per cent so far this summer.

Low quality services, panic over bird flu, flooding, and a beach licensing scandal have all contributed to this negative trend. Ovidiu Iuliu Marian, head of the National Tourism Agency, resigned this week in frustration.

Meanwhile, the Romanian daily Cotidianul cites ANAT officials as saying the number of Romanian tourists choosing to spend their holidays on the Bulgarian seaside this year has increased six to eight times more than last year. The number of vacationers heading to the neighbouring country's beaches each weekend is about 1,500, as opposed to last year's average of 150.

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