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Romania's National Association of Travel Agencies (ANAT) supports keeping up the Ministry of Entrepreneurship and Tourism even after the next ministerial rotation, but with specialists in the area at the helm in order for tourism to contribute 10% to the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and get10 million foreign visitors annually.
"Tourism should be considered a concrete national priority, and in order to reach the threshold of 10% of Romania's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and 10 million foreign visitors annually -- which is constantly being talked about lately -- technocrats are needed , with indisputable entrepreneurial experience, able to ensure a permanent and constructive dialogue between the public and the private sector," ANAT wrote on Friday in a press release after the annual general meeting of the association on April 19 that passed a resolution in this sense.
ANAT Chairman Dumitru Luca says that tourism represents one of the most important economic sectors of Romania and should be treated as such given that in the past it was often ignored or considered "the fifth wheel to the wagon" in public policy.
"Despite that, tourism could make a significant contribution to the Gross Domestic Product of our country if there were political will and real communication between the public and private sectors. It is vital that the relevant ministry is led by tourism specialists who understand the demand and challenges in the sector. ANAT has been involved with many projects that contributed to the development of Romanian tourism when they were approved, but there are still many unexploited opportunities. ANAT supports keeping up the Ministry of Entrepreneurship and Tourism, as we consider it essential for the development tourism in Romania. As a representative organisation of travel agencies in Romania, we are involved with decision-making and management inside the European Travel Agents' and Tour Operators' Association (ECTAA). We are confident that, through co-operation and collaboration, we can promot integrated tourism in Romania, which will bring significant economic and social benefits to the whole country," adds the ANAT chair.
ANAT became a member the European Travel Agents' and Tour Operators' Association in 1999. It organised two semi-annual ECTAA meetings in Bucharest, the first in 2002 and the second in 2007, and intends to host another such meeting in Brasov, in 2024. This event brings together the leaders of travel agents' associations from all EU member countries and beyond.
ANAT is said to have played an important role in initiating several projects that support the local tourism industry , including holiday vouchers, a legislative package to incentivise incoming tourism, establishing destination management organisations (DMO).
Also, ANAT supports the establishment of a national DMO. The promotion departments have to be financed from tourist taxes paid by tourists as anywhere in the world, not from public money or from overtaxing businesses. AGERPRES
