Luxury hotels in Poiana Braşov, Păltiniş or Băile Felix are almost entirely reserved for New Year’s Eve, although a New Year package costs between 1,000 and 2,000 euros, more expensive than a seven-night stay in an exotic destination such as Thailand or Dubai, shows the data of Christian Tour, one of the largest tour operators in Romania.
“The Romanians are storming the native resorts of New Year’s Eve, so most of the pensions and villas in Maramures and Bucovina are reserved since the spring,” the representatives of the company say.
As for the domestic destinations preferred by tourists for the New Year’s Eve party, the top is headed by Prahova Valley and Brasov resorts.
The ranking is complemented by some spa resorts, such as Băile Felix, where tourists are attracted by the good conditions, traditional meals, New Year’s Eve special programs, as well as wellness centers with Vichy showers, saunas, massage services with oils essential, more and more sought after by those who want to relax for a few days.
“The third place in this ranking is the agrotouristic areas of Bucovina and Maramures, where many hostels and villas are reserved for the New Year’s Eve from spring. In this case, we are talking about loyal customers of those accommodation units that go every year in the same place and want to secure their New Year’s Eve from the first part of the year,” said Loredana Stanciu, director of the Internal Travel Department, Christian Tour .
As for the prices paid by Romanians for New Year’s Eve in Romania, the average rate for two people is 3,500-4,000 lei for four nights accommodation, half board and festive meals.
But there are also hotel units where New Year’s Eve rates far exceed this average threshold, costing a stay in an exotic destination.
“At some hotels in Poiana Braşov, Păltiniş or Baile Felix, the prices for the New Year’s Eve are about a thousand euros and they reach even 2,000 euros. Interestingly, in some of these hotels, there are no longer places for New Year’s Eve, the rooms being booked as early as August. The packages include five, six or seven nights accommodation, breakfast, dinner, New Year’s Eve party and fireworks, animation for adults and children, access to spa and party parties,” added Loredana Stanciu.
Representatives of the tour operator point out that these luxury packages in the country cost as much as a holiday in Thailand, where a New Year’s Eve stay in Krabi, for example, costs about 700 euros per person.
Indeed, Thailand is one of the most exotic destinations for New Year holidays, and more and more Romanians have been choosing to spend the night of years in this warm destination in recent years.
Also, in the category of foreign destinations, new holiday requests for New Year’s Eve in Istanbul increased, where the package of four nights accommodation with breakfast and coach transport costs 200 euros per person.
“A New Year’s Eve holiday in Istanbul is about ten times cheaper than some hotels in Romania. In the five days, tourists have the opportunity to visit Topkapi Palace, where Stefan cel Mare’s sword is, can make a cruise on the Bosporus, explore the Grand Bazaar or discover Turkish cuisine. And coach transport does not disrupt Romanian tourists who are accustomed to traffic in the Prahova Valley, as many hours as the road from Bucharest to Istanbul continues,” said Christian Tour Marketing and Communication Director Raluca Hatmanu.
Another foreign destination that Romanians became interested in New Year’s Eve 2019 is Skopje, the capital of Macedonia, where the New Year’s Eve package costs 350 euros per person.
