Romanians are preparing for the longest mini-holiday this year, in the context in which this year the two holidays, May 1 and Easter, follow each other and the effects are also reflected in Romanians' travel reservations, the average length of stay increasing to eight days, compared to five during other mini-vacations of the year, according to Vola.ro data, cited by Agerpres.
Many Romanians have booked flights for the May 1 – Easter mini-holiday. PHOTO Shutterstock
The destinations in the Mediterranean area (Italy, Spain, Greece, France, Malta) represent over 40% of the flight reservations registered by the company during the Easter mini-holiday, and Tenerife (Spain) and Greece entered the top 5 destinations preferred by Romanians for the days free from May, it is mentioned in a press release from the online tourism agency.
Flights to Romania represent over 36% of the total number of reservations
As expected, Romanians from the diaspora return home for Easter, flights to Romania representing over 36% of the total number of reservations during the mini-holiday. Bucharest, Cluj-Napoca, Iasi are among the top cities to which they will fly.
Spain, Italy, Great Britain, Germany and Greece also appear in the top of the countries to which they will fly the most in May.
European destinations preferred by Romanians for the Easter holiday
On the one hand, we are talking about countries where there are large communities of Romanians, a sign that many people chose to spend their holidays with their relatives from the diaspora, but also about Mediterranean areas, where tourists often spend their holidays at the beach.
“Regarding their preferred European destinations for the Easter stay, most reservations are for: Tenerife, Milan, Brussels, London, Rome, Barcelona and Madrid. It is interesting to note that Paris, which until now was not missing from this top, has disappeared from travelers' preferences. A possible explanation could be the fact that this year the city will host several large-scale sports events (Olympics, Roland Garros, UEFA Champions League), which means that it will be overcrowded and that, implicitly, prices will increase significantly”it is mentioned in the press release.
The cheapest ticket sold during this period on Vola.ro was 50 euros, on the route Billund – Milan, a sign that flights to Italy are still among the most affordable. At the opposite pole, the most expensive ticket cost 1,500 euros, on the route Cluj-Napoca – Bangkok.
If we talk about average fares, flight prices are similar to last year, from the same period. The average price for a passenger on a flight is 238 euros, and generally the reservations are for two passengers, which means that Romanians travel most often as a couple.
Most travelers (58%) now book flights in advance, approximately 31-90 days before the departure date. There is also a category of spontaneous passengers (25%) who prefer to book less than 30 days in advance, but also determined passengers (17%), who choose to book their flights more than 90 days in advance.
“In addition to numerous plans for the Easter holiday, this spring also brought us important news: Romania's entry into the Schengen air space, starting on March 31. What does this mean? Romanians no longer have to stand at the border control if they fly in the free movement area, in other words, if they come from or arrive in a state that is part of Schengen“, the statement also states.
55% of Romanians say they will travel more to Schengen countries from now on
According to a survey carried out by Vola.ro on this subject, over 55% of Romanians say that they will travel more in the countries of the Schengen area from now on, especially because they appreciate the speed with which they travel in this area.
27.6% of respondents claim that they will travel abroad for Easter, the plane remaining their main transport option.
At the same time, 89% of respondents claim that they will travel at least as much by plane as a result of joining the Schengen Area, recognizing the benefits that this change brings: reducing the time spent on checks when leaving the country, avoiding queues for document control upon arrival in a Schengen member country, creation of special terminals and gates, similar treatment to other European citizens. Last but not least, over 75% of the participants in the survey are of the opinion that Romania's accession to the Schengen air space will have a positive impact on tourism in the country.
