This was the best winter season in the past 13 years, as Valea Prahovei accommodated 20% more tourists, both Romanians and foreigners, according to Tourism minister Dan Matei Agathon.
There has been plenty of snow this year, which prompted tourists to rush on the ski slopes, after many winters during which mountain resorts saw little if any snow.
Daniel Vasilescu, chairman of the Romanian Tourism Patronage (FPTR) estimates the revenues obtained in this winter season may equal last year's summer season at the seaside. "We estimate the revenues of mountain hotels have increased by more than 20%. The luxury hotels posted even bigger increases, which goes to prove that people are asking for quality services," Vasilescu says.
Snow was the main factor that led to the increased number of tourists. "People started skiing at the beginning of December and, if the weather conditions stay the same, we will have another three weeks or even a month of snow on the slopes. So this may just be the longest ski season in the past decades - four whole months perfect for skiing," Vasilescu adds.
Not everybody benefited from the longer season. "It's obvious there were more tourists, but they did not use travel agencies. People are heading straight for the mountains," says Dragos Raducan, president of travel agency Magest.
Things were not so great in Poiana Brasov as they were in Valea Prahovei. Radu Lisenche is the general manager of Ana Hotels Brasov, which comprises the three Poiana Brasov hotels (Sport, Bradul and Poiana) held by Ana Group, controlled by businessman George Copos. Lisenche is also the chairman of Poiana Brasov investors and says that business did not live up to the previous season. "There was no growth, this was an atypical year, because there was no snow in December and January," Lisenche states. "Revenues dropped 10%, both for Ana Hotels and for the other hotels in Poiana Brasov," he adds.
On the other hand, Ion Gherghescu, general manager of the Alpin Hotel in Poiana Brasov, says "this season was better than the previous years, but it would had been great, had it not been for the three dry weeks in January. At any rate, the number of tourists that we accommodated has increased by 7-10% since last season."
The Predeal-based Orizont hotel also received more tourists. "There was more snow and the town saw more tourists than in the previous years," says a hotel clerk. In the case of the Palace hotel (Sinaia), the increase was due to the skiers, but also to the additional stars. The four-star hotel was modernised at the end of 2001, under a $3m investment.
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