Study: Only half of Romanians plan to go on holiday this year, most of them choose home country

Only half of Romanians plan to go on holiday this year, while a third plan their next holiday only for 2015, according to a study conducted by Mercury Research in February this year. In 2013, 22 percent of the Romanians aged over 18 didn’t go on holiday. “This year, the number will double, because half of the Romanians say they have no holiday plans for 2014,” reads the study. In 2014, Romania remains the main touristic destination, and it is the most probable destination for one in four Romanians who intend to go in holiday. Romania is followed by Greece, as 14 percent of Romanians prefer this destination, and Italy - 6 percent. Touristic circuits that include several countries represent an option for 15 percent of Romanians. “Over 80 percent of those who plan to go on vacation this year didn’t make any bookings, while only seven percent arranged the details for the entire trip, such as transport and accommodation,” according to the study. Over half of the Romanians chose to go on international trips with their own cars, while air travel was the option chose by 47 percent. For holidays in the country, only eight percent traveled by plane, while 85 percent chose to drive their own cars to the destination. In 2013 too Romania was the most popular destination, a choice for almost half of Romanians. Other countries visited by Romanians were Italy, Hungary and Bulgaria, but also Greece, Germany or Austria. The study was conducted in February 2014 through online interviews, on a sample of 1,078 respondents aged over 18. Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com (photo source: sxc.hu)