The COVID-19 pandemic and, as a result, the declaring of the state of emergency in the Republic of Moldova made a number of Moldovans to renounce the planned trips and vacations. The tour operators found themselves in the situation where they have to return the money to clients. But the collected money was already transferred to service providers abroad. In such conditions, the tour operators ask the consumers to be understanding and to reschedule the vacation.
Contacted by IPN, Anna Colța, president of the National Association of Truism Legal Agents of Moldova, said the sales of tourist products for the May-October 2020 warm period directly or through intermediaries started last October and this process lasted until March 17. In parallel, the organizers in the period signed cooperation contracts with tourist service providers, such as foreign tour operators, airlines, accommodation facilities, carriers, etc. Advances, deposits were paid as a result.
For their part, the tourist service providers invested this money in the reservation of hotel rooms, in infrastructure, in the overhaul or repair of units of transport, in salaries. The organizer’s sales revenue also went on current costs, such as rent, salaries, public utilities, bank services.
Anna Colța said that time is needed for the global industry to revitalize so that they could later take particular action. Now everything is paralyzed and it is not known when this circuit will be resumed. “We filed a petition to the administration of the Republic of Moldova and want to thank them this way for hearing us as the problems faced by the sector will be minimized,” she stated.
“We insistently ask the consumers to be more understanding and to reschedule free the trips for a later date, by keeping the services included in the package of travel services, such as the destination, hotel, type of transport, or for the autumn of 2020. For some of the destinations, it is possible to rearrange for the winter-spring of 2021.”
Anna Colța added that there are no statistics about the number of clients who cancel the trips, but this number is high.
The measures proposed by the tourism industry were discussed with Minister of Economy and Infrastructure Sergiu Railean and other representatives of the state. One of the pressing problems signaled by tourism agencies is the refunding of money under the contracts signed before March 17, 2020. It was considered the possibility of instituting a moratorium on the refunds to clients who cancel the trips under these contracts. The tour operators asked to be allowed to refund the money by March 31, 2021 or in installments and to issue floating travel vouchers valid until December 31, 2021.
