How much is the Valentine's Day holiday?

Ziarul Financiar 13.01.2010

Hotel operators in mountain and seaside resorts are trying to fill their rooms around Valentine's Day (February 14th) with the help of two-day holiday packages, which include romantic dinners, free access to the hotel's swimming pool and jacuzzi, for which a tourist pays around 100 euros. "We already have a few rooms booked for this period. A two-night stay in the period between February 11th and 15th, which includes accommodation, a romantic dinner, and other services, costs 126 euros per person," said representatives of the four-star hotel Europa in Eforie Nord resort, which is controlled by businessman George Copos. Whilst a seaside Valentine's Day break costs 126 euros per person, prices are lower in the mountain hotels of businessman George Copos, with a two-night package starting from 78 euros per person. The three hotels Sportul, Bradul, and Poiana in Poiana Brasov resort, held by Copos, cumulate a total of 163 rooms with a 3 and 4-star rating, and posted a 3.4 million-euro turnover in 2008. "Valentine's Day kickstarts sales, with the volume of demand being unexpectedly high this year. The attractive price of aeroplane tickets contributes to the tourists' decision to travel to European cities for short, three-day breaks," said Sorin Vaduvoiu, executive manager of travel agency Perfect Tour, with turnover estimated at 22 million euros last year. He did not specify how many holiday packages have been sold for Valentine's Day. A three-night stay in Limasol (Cyprus), which includes the price of the aeroplane ticket and accommodation at a four-star hotel, costs almost 400 euros between February 12th-15th, according to data on the website of travel agency Perfect Tour.