The volume of holiday tickets issued in the first 11 months of 2025 decreased by more than 66% compared to the similar period in 2024, and the “economy” that the state registered was directly reflected in the decrease in domestic tourism, ANAT reports.
The snow on the slopes did not bring the expected number of tourists to the resorts PHOTO: archive/Daciana Stoica
In 2025, the state also granted its employees with salaries of up to 8,000 lei net only 800 lei for vacation, and these on the condition that the employee put in another 800 lei for tourist services. People from tourism have warned that the reduction of the value borne by the state will lead to drastic decreases, because many employees, forced to pay even more for tourist services that they can only benefit from in Romania, will no longer request them. The figures for 2025 show very large decreases in both the issuing and settlement of holiday vouchers, but they are not the final ones. The wave continues to spread, say tourism specialists.
Members of the National Association of Travel Agencies (ANAT) indicate, based on data taken from the Ministry of Finance, that in the first 11 months of 2025 the volume of tickets issued decreased by more than 66% compared to the same period of the previous year. The decrease is 240 million euros, money “saved” of which the state did not return even one leu to tourism.
There was also a decrease in the settlement of holiday vouchers, with 30% lower amounts being settled compared to the previous year, which indicates that the wave of decreases will continue, according to representatives of ANAT.
“The fact that we only have 30% decline on settlement versus 60% on issue shows that
The total value of vouchers issued in November was 86,117,255.88 lei, and of this amount, the actual settlements were 42,876,578.58 lei. In the first 11 months of 2025, 3.18 million lei of vouchers that the beneficiaries did not use were also returned.
Travel agencies and HoReCa operators in Romania relied on this tool, which in recent years led to the development of the sector, the decreases recorded in 2025 in domestic tourism being largely attributed to the changes in the granting of these holiday vouchers. The money that did not end up supporting domestic tourism through holiday vouchers didn't end up in other ways either, the vice-president of ANAT signaling that there are still not enough funds for promotion so that the decreases recorded in the arrivals of Romanian tourists in our resorts can be compensated by attracting foreign tourists.
“The more than 60% drop in vouchers represents a direct blow to Romanian tourism. These vouchers were not only a social benefit, but the engine that kept our resorts busy outside of the summer months and in developing tourist towns. Without this constant flow of capital, Romanian tourism suffers a decrease in investment and an increase in prices to cover the volume losses”show ANAT representatives.
Added to the lower volume of holiday vouchers issued were the increase in VAT in the sector and the decline in purchasing power, all of which contributed to the steady declines recorded in domestic tourism in 2025, with November being the month of the year with the biggest decline, 8.9% (compared to November 2024).
“If measures are not taken to restart the economy and tourism as a priority branch, as the authorities declare, the decline will continue in the first part of 2026. But we have a new minister and we hope that the statistical figures already reach the ministry and it can be seen that the measures to brake the economy, involuntarily, must be counterbalanced”Voican also said.
Tourism does not decrease by itself, the vice-president of ANAT also drew, but it will also involve sectors such as transport, public food, agriculture. It will also directly affect the production of cultural and sports events, urban development, the investment sector, etc., hence the importance of restarting domestic tourism. “It is very easy for Romanians to go abroad, because there are many attractive destinations and they spend significant budgets for promotion and attracting those who bring Romanian tourists to them in the country, and we, if we do nothing, continue to see how we lose tourists. And we look at the grain of salt. Vacation vouchers may not be a perfect tool, but we don't have a better one, and it still brought a fourfold increase in classified units, taxed tourism, supported the low salaries in the public and private areas, because there are also private individuals who granted holiday vouchers”, Voican also said.
The signs for 2026, on the other hand, are mixed. The early registrations for 2026 started well in December, the vice-president of ANAT appreciated, being also very big discounts that encouraged tourists to buy their summer vacation in time, instead the fact that the much-awaited snow is present in the tourist resorts but the degree of occupancy is low is no longer an encouraging signal.
