The rises expected by travel agencies amount to 5%, with the most optimistic forecast on the market being the 25% growth expected by Perfect Tour, which relies on the business travel segment.
“We have drawn up a cautious budget for next year, when we expect a 5% turnover rise,” said Alin Burcea, owner of Paralela 45 travel agency. The company ended the first three quarters of this year with a EUR27 million turnover, 20% higher than in the similar period of last year.
On the other hand, Javier Garcia del Valle, head of the largest group of agencies on the local market, Happy Tour, says he expects next year not to be a “very comfortable” one.
The group includes travel agency Happy Tour, which currently operates 55 agencies (both its own and affiliated ones), online agency Paravion.ro, Travel House agency for luxury holidays and Prestige Tours – the group’s tour operator in charge of the incoming and outgoing travel segments.
Javier Garcia del Valle also says October, November and December are important months on the travel market, which will positively influence the group’s consolidated turnover. “We estimate that a 20-25% consolidated growth until the end of the year is realistic.”
Ema Condurache, marketing manager of travel agency Aerotravel, which recorded a 25% turnover increase in the first half of 2011, says the agency plans to see growth on its leisure segment next year.
Sorin Vaduvoiu, who runs Perfect Tour agency, with EUR19 million in turnover in the first nine months of the year, 60% higher than in the similar period of last year, says he expects a 25% turnover rise next year, this being the most optimistic forecast.