Holiday voucher settlement collapsed in first two months of 2026, ANAT warns

The National Association of Travel Agencies (ANAT) has reported a significant decline in holiday voucher settlements in Romania. Data from the Ministry of Finance shows a 52.6% decrease in settlements during January and February 2026 compared to the same period in 2025, with settlement values dropping from 201.469 million lei to 95.762 million lei. Voucher issuance also decreased by 12.4%, from 103.843 million lei to 91.064 million lei. ANAT attributes this decline to a lack of supportive public policies and highlights the importance of these vouchers for encouraging domestic tourism, especially given a 9.5 billion euro outflow of foreign exchange for trips abroad.

ANAT is advocating for an extension of the voucher program for another five years (2027-2031), emphasizing its social role in providing affordable vacations for lower-income families and supporting investments in the tourism sector. The organization points to approximately 2,000 ongoing tourism projects worth six billion euros that could be at risk without continued support.

Furthermore, ANAT stresses the positive impact of vouchers on hotel occupancy rates – which were only 20% in January 2026 – and their contribution to reducing the tourism foreign exchange deficit, currently at approximately -4.5 billion euros. They argue that vouchers are a crucial measure for maintaining a healthy tourism industry and supporting the Romanian economy.

(Source：Stiri Pe Surse)