Does the state make economies by reducing the value of holiday vouchers? “The impact was huge. The whole of Romania flourished”
The value of the holiday vouchers that are granted to the employees of the budget sector is only 800 lei in 2025. The governors say that the expenses are reduced, but the people in the tourism contradict them. “You can't think so limited.”
Tourism has been developed throughout Romania, says Vice President Anat Photo: Archive
The holiday vouchers granted by the state of the budget have a half value in 2025 compared to the previous year, which made many potential beneficiaries to say that they will give up. This is because, in order to benefit from these 800 lei, the employee is obliged to get out of pocket at least yet, in order to reach a minimum value of 1,600 lei for a holiday in Romania. In addition, out of 2024 the vouchers are no longer granted to the budgets who in the month prior to the request of this benefit have received a net salary of over 8,000 lei, so since the adoption of this change has already intervened the first substantial decrease of the expenses, because many budgets have not been in the ceiling.
However, the economy of the state will show its unwanted effects not long after, say tourism specialists, who do not see the measure with good eyes and who have drawn attention to the fact that the future income is actually cut.
“If you see the rule of three simple, that you have now cut budget and ready, but in fact you cut your future income, this shows a very limited thinking and it is not an economic thinking. So we should not do any highways, that you will spend today and the money will come indirectly in the next decades. You cannot think so limited.”draws the attention of Adrian Voican, vice -president of the National Association of Travel Agencies (ANAT).
And so the fact that the governors took a long time until the settlement mechanism had effects in the market, missing the great early registration campaign, with holiday discounts of up to 30%.
Even the 640 lei (out of the 800 lei, following the restraints remain about 640 lei) would have meant something, Voican believes.
“It was a small hook. You put something from you and go. It didn't mean much, because last year – we have a statistic on several hundred thousand reservations – the average price in Romania was 2,600 lei. So with 1,600 you were putting 1,000 lei out of pocket. Now, with 800 lei per card you have to put at least 1,800, if the prices have been on the spot. If they have grown up, and more. Or, if we talk about all-including prices, from 4,000-5,000 lei per room, on the family, it does not mean much. A little hook, to keep you there“Says Voican.
Of such instruments, and not only to attract Romanians, but also foreign tourists, but it is very necessary, because, explains the ANAT Vice -President, and the foreigners around us have the same way of promotion and will count who has the stronger magnet.
“If we do not catch the beating, like jumps, we miss. We look at how the Romanians go out and complain that we wanted to save with holiday vouchers, but we let go of the money to go outside. Or Romania's balance is with 8.6 billion euros spent outside and 2 billion attracted here, so you have to go to the country. You can not judge that, with the rule of three simple. “, warns Voican.
The agencies have already felt, in the first part of the year, that reservations are smaller compared to previous years. It is also caution from tourists given the national and international political events, it was also the lack of holiday vouchers and it is difficult to anticipate if things will change along the way.
“It can be seen that reservations are smaller than last year at this time, that there is a contraction in the market, probably between 10 and 15%. And that does not mean that the whole year is necessarily that. Maybe they just were late to buy and will buy further. If the weather is very good, warm, and if vouchers also appear, it may recover its market. But with each passing week we are approaching June, you do not have much to … that is, you do not buy today and stay today. Sales are made more in advance compared to the stay period ”, Voican explained.
Although there was an emergency ordinance that stipulated that holiday vouchers were kept until the end of 2026, at the end of last year it was a moment of work, when the problem was to be suspended. Eventually, the variant of the value of the value was reached, but it has also been established the mechanism, the inconsistency and the lack of predictability only remove the investors, warns Voican.
“I think we have every interest in building the tourist infrastructure of Romania”
“Investors spend some money. If tourism is interesting and is supported by the state, even at the declarative level, that it is a priority branch, and after that there is a measure, such as stimulating the incoming and stimulating internal tourism, the money comes here. If there is no priority for tourism, the money goes elsewhere. Leisure centers – on private money, and that once these 4 -star hotels are built in Romania, and from those affiliated with international chains that know how to bring tourists on their circuit, no one is 100 years old. crises, have access to important data in Europe ”Voican shows how to support tourism can constantly bring money to the budget now and in the future.
The Romanian authorities instead adapt hard. Not even tourist data you can rely on, and with the entry of Romania into Schengen there are no more those from the Border Police, which will show at least how many foreigners they have entered Romania.
“2.4 million foreign tourists are staying in Romania and 13-14 million people enter the border. Statistics before Schengen. And the others where are they? They may have entered and they went out, maybe they were shooting drivers, maybe they came to families, maybe one, maybe another, but we have no data ”, Voican looks. And for such situations there are solutions, other Europeans have done it. Market surveys can be conducted, you can call on mobile operators, who will send to those who cross the border in Romania messages and ask them if they are Romanian or foreign, etc., only, says Voican, the Romanian authorities do not show interest for the subject.
What did the holiday vouchers produced
Although the granting of holiday vouchers does not thank everyone, from the employees of the private environment, coming the most critics – on the one hand they consider it unfair that the state pays its employees and the salary, but also the vacation (or part of it), and on the other there is the suspicion that the vouchers have been granting to Romania, 15 years since it is granted are obvious, says Voican. It is no longer on vacation only at the top of the season and there are no more than a few consecrated resorts.
“The impact was huge. At the moment, all the localities in Romania are tourist. And not that resorts are declared, but simply. It was now the Easter fair in Craiova, it was super full. And Christmas has become top. And there are many cities that have Christmas fairs. Iașul, Alba Iulia, I am not talking about Sighișoara, Timișoara. All Romania flourished, which did not happen before. There were a few resorts, there was going, and in the rest it was deserted, there was no tourism. Now it's everywhere ”says Adrian Voican.
Holiday vouchers also have the merit that they have taken many accommodation units out of the gray area.
“In 2006 we had 6,000 classified accommodation units, last year we reached 26,500. There are 20,000 new accommodation units in 20 years. We have vouchers since 2009. Of course, when you see that the neighbor has a full house, because he receives vouchers and you do not receive, you say:
And the impact could be even greater if, as at one point there was a proposal of a parliamentarian, the state would support this benefit for employees in the private environment. There are private employers who give their employees such tickets, because they have become a good tool to reward, there are also fiscal benefits, but the measure does not include the entire sector.
