Romanians, increasingly independent in planning holidays: 44% avoid intermediaries, booking transport and accommodation directly
Reveal Market Resources, study no. 197
As the summer season reaches its peak, some Romanians are already enjoying their planned vacations in advance, while others are just starting to outline their plans for their main vacation. In this context, Reveal Marketing Research has conducted a market research that highlights the main behaviors and decision criteria of Romanians when it comes to organizing vacation.
- The main factors influencing the choice of how to organize a holiday are the available budget (72%), the destination and duration of the holiday (51%) and the desired level of comfort (44%).
- 44% of Romanians usually plan their holidays on their own, booking transport and accommodation directly, while 28% exclusively use online platforms for planning holidays, especially young people under 35 years old (35%).
- 28% of Romanians include the services of a travel agency in their vacation planning, but only about half of them (13%) choose to plan their trip exclusively through the agency.
- The main advantages of holidays organized through travel agencies are easier planning (62%), safety of transport and accommodation (57%) and assistance in case of problems (38%).
- The main disadvantages of holidays organized through travel agencies are higher costs (58%), fixed itineraries that reduce flexibility (48%) and restricted offer to certain providers (41%).
The available budget (72%), the destination and duration of the holiday (51%) and the desired level of comfort (44%) are the main factors influencing the choice of how to organise a holiday.
According to the latest study conducted by Reveal Marketing Research, the main criterion in choosing the way to organize the vacation is the available budget, mentioned by 72% of respondents, followed by the destination and length of stay (51%) and the desired level of comfort (44%).
Thus, most Romanians (44%) avoid intermediaries and prefer to plan their holidays on their own, booking transport and accommodation directly – a more frequent behavior among people over 55 years old (53%).
28% use online booking platforms (e.g. Booking, Airbnb, etc.), especially preferred by young people under 35 years old (34%), and 15% choose a mixed option, combining personal bookings with the services of travel agencies. Only 13% of Romanians choose to organize their vacation exclusively through a travel agency.
“The results of the study show that Romanians are becoming more and more sophisticated in their holiday choices, and factors such as budget control and flexibility are essential. At the same time, we see a growing need for comfort and safety, especially among older families or middle-aged people. This balance between organization and the support offered by professionals will shape the future of the tourism market in Romania”, said Marius Luican, General Manager of Reveal Marketing Research.
Why do some Romanians choose travel agencies for planning their vacation?
The main reasons why Romanians choose to use travel agencies are access to special offers and discounts (49%) – especially among people aged 45-55 (55%) and those with incomes over 6000 lei (54%) –, advantageous all-inclusive packages (46%) and convenience (42%)), especially appreciated by young people under 24 years of age (47%).
Holidays organized through travel agencies are perceived as easier to plan (62%), offering the safety of transport and accommodation (57%), as well as assistance in case of problems (38%).
Why do most Romanians prefer to plan their holidays on their own?
According to the study’s data, individual organization remains the most popular option due to better prices and freedom of exploration without restrictions (51%), total flexibility on the itinerary (47%) and avoidance of agency commissions (46%) – benefits mentioned to a greater extent by men.
This difference can be explained by a more pronounced tendency of men to value autonomy and direct control in the planning process, as well as greater confidence in their own organizational skills.
Turning our attention to the main perceived disadvantages of holidays organized through travel agencies, Romanians especially mention the higher costs compared to individual bookings (58%), fixed itineraries that reduce flexibility (48%) and the restricted offer to certain providers (41%).
The results of the study conducted by Reveal Marketing Research highlight the complexity of decisions related to the organization of vacations, in which Romanians seek a balance between the freedom to manage their own plans and the desire for comfort, safety and assistance. In the context of an increasingly diversified consumption behavior, players in the tourism industry are challenged to adapt their services, offering both flexibility and efficient and personalized solutions for different segments of tourists.
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About Reveal Marketing Research
Reveal Marketing Research is a full-service market research company, specialized in marketing research, sociological studies, customer insight, business strategy, market development. With expertise in over 20 industries, Reveal Marketing Research believes that market research is the basis for the right decisions and brand positioning. Qualitative and quantitative solutions have been helping companies in Romania and other European countries for 17 years.
Reveal Market Resources, study no. 197: Reveal Market Resources is a data hub that includes free studies published in order to support the marketing and communication market in Romania.
Methodology: The Reveal Marketing Research study was conducted online between 16-24.06.2025 on a representative sample for the universe of people aged 18+, internet users, in urban areas. The sample size was 1024 respondents, and the maximum sampling error is +/-3.1% at a 95% confidence level.