Calypso study on social tourism

ROMANIA

Solen Lallement M2 CTC 28/02/12

Romania at a glance

Tourism sector in Romania

Social tourism in Romania

Assessment of social programs

European perspectives

Romania at a glance

Localization:

Surface area of

238,400 km²

Population:

21,5 million people

Median age:

40 years old

Negative population growth

Romania at a glance

GDP: 131,5 billion euros

Unemployment rate: 7%

Membership of Europe since the 1st january 2007

Adoption of the European currency planned for the 1st January 2015

74% of the Romania’s foreign trade was with the European Union

Bucarest

Monuments

Black sea coast and nature

Tourism sector : report Since the 90s econimic, social an political context

hasn’t contributed to the development of Romanian tourism

Chaotic privatisation process : no attractive for foreign investors

No real investment has been made

Difficulties to get a visa for Romanians to go abroad

Many citizens went to work in European countries

( Spain – Italy): A new kind of tourism emerged: work migrations and

diaspora

Main tourist destinations for Romanians: Hungary, Austria, Greece, Bulgaria ( geographic promiximity)

Tourism sector : report In 2009, the Romanian tourism industry faced a decrease of 16,40%

( foreign and Romanians tourists combined)

Why ? High prices

Low quality services

Lack of all inclusive offers

Low income of the most important part of the population

Non existent entertainment opportunities

Strategies of goverment to improve the competiveness of Romanian tourism before Calyspo

Developpement of Spa tourism, eco tourism, mountain tourism, cultural tourism and social tourism

New offers of tourism depend on the target group

Early booking offer in 2010 ( 1st February – 31 March)

Various discount for young people

Massive investments expected to facilitate the accessibility of disabled adults

Social programs for every kind of people

Tourism sector : report National strategy for sustainable tourism

Investors can benefit from European funds

Development of two labels:

European environmental label (by the Ministry of Environment)

Ecotourism certification system ( Association of Ecotourism)

Examples of ecotourism

Guide for Eco

Blue Flag

Social tourism

Big Romanian interest for social tourism issues in

collaboration with other european countries

Social tourism programs are particulary focused

on the kind of population who lacks financial

ressources

Division of target groups

17%

18%

4%

30%

31%

Persons aged 65and above

Retired people

Young people 20-30

Famililies in socialdifficulties

Disabled adults

• retired people = retired people

living with social insurance and

monthly average income= 150 €

+ retired peasants

• Families receive social support

from national social insurance

funds

•Disabled adults receive a

monthly pension of 60 €

Social tourism The different social tourism programs

launched by the government :

The free spa treatment vouchers for retired

people and disabled adults

The « youth camp»

The Romanian holiday tourism voucher mechanism

The national off-season tourism program

Spa social tourism program For who ?

Retired people and disabled adults

Program description Distribution of free vouchers and subsidized vouchers

Vouchers can be used in spa locations managed by the national pension and in private spa location ( national tender every year)

18 days with breakfast, lunch and dinner + 2 spa treatments per day

Off season ( 1 sept – 30 may) is more subsidized

Program supported by the the Ministry of Labour, Family and Social Affairs The national pension and other social insurance rights

The national authority for Disabled people ( ANPH)

Spa social tourism programs Limits of this program

Beneficiairies have discreased from 2003 until 2006

( vouchers quickly running out)

Reasons of Non participation :

Low income ( Extreme poverty means survival)

No much free time

Look after grandchildren and take care of housework

No choice of spa resort destination

Equipments are not adapted to disabled adults

Lack of trained staff, information, transport subsidies

Health problems

The youth camps For who ?

Young people and students (18 – 30 years)

Program description One week

Holiday destination depends on the season: ski resort, black sea coast

Festival and cultural events tourism in priority

Bulgaria and Greece : low cost of all-inclusive offer 200- 250 euros for seven days

25 euro per day and 6 -18 euro per day in national youth camps

Program organized by the Ministry of Education, Youth, Sport and Research

The youth camps

Limits of this program

Reasons of Non participation

Financial difficulties, offers still are quite

expensive for students

Summer jobs or part-time jobs

Not adapt to the University calendar

High unemployement rate for the 15-25

year group ( 21%)

The romanian holiday tourism voucher mechanism

For who ?

Everybody, if the company (private firms) or public

institutions participate

Program description started in February 2009

Distribution of free vouchers by the company (average 400

€) to the employees ( 6300 people = 2,5 million Euro in

2009)

Fiscally deductible

For promoting internal tourism and fighting against the black

or infomal tourism economy

Program supported by:

The Ministry of Regional Development and Tourism and

Committee for Tourism Development

The Travel agencies National Association ( ANAT)

The Romanian holiday tourism voucher mechanism

Limits of this program

Reasons of Non participation

No specific support exists for families

Chronic illness

Not successful among private firms ( must have made

profit during the preceeding fiscal year)

More followed by public administration, who bought

vouchers for civil servants

Financial crisis in 2010

The holiday voucher system has not been well accepted

by the travel agencies ( limitation of the commission)

Not avalaible to buy a trip outside of Romania

The national off-season tourism programs

For who ? Not for specific target group

But priority for people going on holiday without direct grants from the state

Program description Discounted off-season offers

Never been promoted abroad

« the spa decade and a week of recovery in spa », « sea side for all », « one week at the mountain or at the seaside », « one week in the countryside »

Different programms have been organised by: The Federation of Romanian tourism Employers (FPTR)

The national Association for Rural, Ecological and Cultural Tourims

( ANTREC)

The spa tourism employers Association

SIND Romanian inheritated from communist trade Union system

Calypso program

The national off-season tourism program

Limits of this program

Reasons of Non participation Families have no specific support

Prefer to go on holiday during the school holidays

Result of social tourism measures

The government has limited financial funds to

sustain social program

Private operators can’t offer low prices

Low profitable rate generated by these

programs

can’t allow investments to renovate facilities

The future of social tourism in Romania The government wants to continue these programs

The goal is to attract foreign tourists to stimulate the development of specific facilities

Romania needs help from Europe even if there is a difference between average income of the Romanians compared to most European countries ( Western European countries) France budget = 9 times that of Romania

Public sector and NGOs want to study new social tourism products

The off-season programs can be adapted to the Calypso programs : a web portal is created.

Thank you for your attention

QUESTIONS ?