The Moldovan tourists no longer ravel to Romanian destinations owing to the difficulties encountered when crossing the Romanian border and because the Romanian vacation resorts are not appropriately promoted. Such conclusions were reached by the Tourism Promotion Federation of Moldova and the Federation of Tourism Promotion Associations of Romania. In a joint press statement, the Federations ask the Romanian authorities to immediately intervene so as to simplify the crossing of the Moldovan-Romanian border in both directions, IPN reports.
The statement says that until last year the vacation resorts of Romania were the main destinations of the Moldovans in winter. This year the Moldovan tourists have other preferences. Chairman of the Tourism Promotion Federation of Moldova Alexandru Filipschi said that an increasing number of tourists during the last three years have complained at travel agencies about the many hours that the buses with tourists have to spent in customs posts, both when entering and leaving Romania.
“It’s inadmissible for the tourists to be classified as potential offenders, to be subject to corporal and baggage checks and to be treated like persons of an inferior level,” stated Filipschi. He noted that he repeatedly asked the National Tourism Agency and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Romania, through the agency of the Romanian Embassy and Consulate in Chisinau, to help solve this problem.
Head of the Federation of Tourism Promotion Associations of Romania Corina Martin said the authorities should become involved and deal with this issue. “We request the National Tourism Agency and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to immediately convene a meeting so as to agree solutions for reducing the waiting time for buses with Moldovan tourists at the entrance to Romania,” she stated.
According to the two Federations, the number of Moldovans who spend the winter holidays at mountain resorts in Romania decreased by almost 30%.
