Against the background of the changes and travel restrictions imposed on European countries, the end of 2020 was marked by an increased interest of Romanian tourists in distant exotic countries or in the area of the Middle East and the Arabian Gulf. According to the latest data recorded by Vola.ro, searches for plane tickets in exotic destinations such as the Maldives, Egypt, Dubai, Zanzibar, Abu Dhabi, Cancun and Punta Cana have also increased by up to 400% for certain destinations.
Zanzibar - one of the most sought after destinations
The lack of restrictions in exotic destinations, the low number of COVID cases and the measures announced by airports, airlines and resorts have contributed to increasing Romanians' interest in exotic holidays. According to Vola.ro data, in December and January there were increases of up to 400% for exotic destinations such as Punta Cana, Zanzibar, Cancun, Maldives, but also for destinations in the Arabian Gulf area, such as Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
The Canary Islands and the Balearic Islands, the most sought after European beach destinations
For Romanians who prefer paradisiacal beaches closer to home, the Spanish islands have been a viable option during the winter. Thus, Tenerife and Palma de Mallorca are among the first choices of Romanians looking for a sunny holiday in Europe during this period. Prices start from 115 euros / person.
"In the reservations made by Romanian tourists, several trends are already observed for the beginning of 2021. For example, we can already say that last minute reservations predominate, 3-7 days before the trip. For distant destinations, the travel period has increased to a minimum of 10 days or even two weeks, unlike previous years when Romanians preferred to have more and shorter vacations," added Claudia Tocila, Marketing Director of Vola.ro.
50% higher prices for plane tickets in Dubai in early 2021
The Middle East and Gulf states have been a popular destination for Romanians seeking sun and sand during the winter months in recent years. Amid the halving of flights to Dubai and the increase in the number of requests for airline tickets, the prices of airline tickets to Dubai increased by 50% in January 2021. Thus, if a year ago Romanians paid 287 euros for a plane ticket to Dubai and had 3 airlines available for this trip, this year the average price in January exceeded 430 euros for a plane ticket, given that only one airline still operated flights to the main travel destination in the Gulf area. According to Vola.ro, a decrease in airfares to Dubai is expected, with the reintroduction of flights operated by a low-cost company starting in February . "Dubai is undoubtedly the most sought-after destination in the Gulf area by Romanians. Despite higher prices than last year, in December over 2000 Romanians traveled to Dubai per week. Starting in February, the main low-cost operator will reintroduce flights to Dubai and we expect a price drop to almost last year's level. At the same time, starting in January a large low-cost operator will resume flights to Abu Dhabi and we expect an increase in demand for this destination as well," said Claudia Tocilă, Marketing Director of Vola.ro.
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