Online travel agency Tripsta ended 2013 with a turnover of EUR 2.5 million in Romania, up 80 percent year-on-year.

Tripsta plans to reach total sales of around EUR 4.5 million in Romania this year, while expanding the operations performed by the office in Bucharest and increasing its team, its representatives have said.

“In 2014, we estimate a 20-25 percent year-on-year increase in the online market of plane tickets. Thus, we’ll continue investments and we’ll allocate almost RON 250,000 in developing the operational center in Romania. We’ll bring new members in the operational, marketing and accounting departments, to meet market demands,” said Marius Negre, Country Manager Romania.

According to his estimations, Tripsta’s local team will exceed 60 members by the end of this year, from the current level of 40 employees.

In Romania, Tripsta started to develop its operations in 2012, when it invested some RON 400,000 (around EUR 89,000) in launching its branch in Bucharest.

Currently, the company manages from Romania the operations for major European markets, such as France, Spain, UK, Italy, as well as other markets - South Africa, New Zealand, Philippines, Hong Kong.

Plane tickets represent 95 percent of Tripsta’s transactions in both Romania and worldwide, being the main product sold by the company.

At an international level, Tripsta recorded a turnover of EUR 190 million in 2013, almost double compared to the EUR 97 million reported the year before.

Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com