The travel agencies of Moldova complain about the lack of conditions for developing internal tourism. Over 50% of the tourist settlements do not have infrastructure, while most of the facilities that provide tourism services do not respect minimum sanitation norms. Statistics show that the number of foreign tourists coming to Moldova has decreased over the last three years. The lack of infrastructure and hygienic conditions prevent the travel agencies from establishing cooperation relations with different regions of the country.
According to the Global Competitiveness Report 2012–2013, Moldova ranks last in Europe by the competitiveness of tourism. The situation in the southern districts is the worse. Contacted by IPN, Valentina Ivachenko, senior specialist at the General Culture and Tourism Division of Gagauzia, said that in the International Economic Forum held in Comrat, she during three years proposed projects to work out tourism strategies, but they weren’t studied. “I was contacted by several tourism agents who asked me to provide them with guides if they came to the south. The problem is that we do not have roads to show them the monuments in Gagauzia, not speaking about toilets and elementary conditions for washing the hands,” she stated.
The misinformation of potential foreign tourists by foreign publications about the situation in Moldova also contributes to a lower number of tourists in Moldova, considers Alfredo Lorenzo Ferrari, director of a Chisinau travel agency. In a discussion with IPN’s reporter, the director said that Moldova’s embassies and consulates abroad are not willing to become involved in cooperation relations for tourism purposes.
The services of a high quality are expensive. However, the prices in the most visited areas are exaggerated, according to tour operators. Accommodation for a day costs between €60 and €150, the main meals being included. “Unfortunately, one cannot take a pit stop as in other European countries. Things in our country are at the limit of what is acceptable. There are several nice pensions, but prices there are very high. A broth there costs 100 lei,” said Ileana Luta, travel agency director.
Asked by IPN, director of the governmental Tourism Agency Nicolae Platon said that the plan of action for developing tourism will start to be implemented in April. “Immediately after the package of laws for developing tourism is adopted, the owners of filling stations will be obliged to ensure hygienic conditions. There were designed 20 tourist routes based on which tourist stops will be set up,” he stated.
According to the National Bureau of Statistics, 271,500 tourists were accommodated in Moldova in 2013. Most of them came from Russia, Romania, Germany, Ukraine, and Turkey.
