Romanian entrepreneur Dragos Anastasiu, the founder of local tour operator Eurolines Group, wants to reintroduce Romania in the catalogues of TUI, the largest tourism group worldwide, starting 2018, reports local Economica.net.

Romania hasn’t been present in the printed TUI catalogs since 2013.

Anastasiu said that foreign tourists should reach a share of 30% in Romania and that the tourism’s contribution to the GDP should reach 10%.

Elena Udrea, the former Tourism Minister, signed a partnership with TUI in 2009, which had to reintroduce Romania in the catalogues of TUI starting 2011. In the fall of 2012, Romania was removed again from TUI catalogues. A 10% increase in the number of foreign tourists this year could bring Romania back in the offer of the largest tour operator in the world, said Anastasiu.

Eurolines has a strategic partnership with TUI Travel since 2011 and has exclusive rights to use the TUI TravelCenter brand in Romania. The group owned by Anastasiu, which includes 21 companies, increased its turnover by 13% this year, to EUR 125 million. For next year, the group plans a 12% increase in sales, to EUR 140 million.

editor@romania-insider.com