RIU hotel chain, held by the largest tour-operator in Europe, TUI, is planning to take over four hotels in Mamaia, a resort where it already manages a hotel, Tourism minister Dan Matei Agathon on Monday said, following a discussion with the company management at the Berlin Tourism Fair.
Furthermore, the international hotel chain will also consider the opportunity to expand by buying new hotels in other Black Sea resorts, according to the Tourism Minister.
Dan Matei Agathon said RIU was looking for large hotels (more than 200 rooms). "They work with even larger hotels worldwide and would be happy to see me show them a 600-room one. Unfortunately, we have none," he added. The hotels targeted by the German group might include Perla, Majestic, Parc, Patria, Dacia or Select, which have already been privatised.
Early in May, RIU will dedicate its first hotel in Romania, the Mamaia-based Riviera. The hotel went through an about two million euro investment programme. The international chain would provide the management, with the hotel to be named RIU Riviera Beach, the company officials specified. The Tourism minister says that 500 tourists have already made reservations with this hotel for the 2003 season so far.
"The advantage of those taken over by RIU is that they have their hotels fully booked from May 1 to October 30. This is not a mere franchise or management contract; it also includes bringing tourists. It is only natural that TUI would try to bring as many tourists as possible for its own hotels," Dan Matei Agathon specified.
He added the RIU representatives were due to arrive in Romania in April to look for potential business partners. The international press early this year announced RIU's plans for the Romanian market targeted more than just the management of certain hotels, with financing the construction of new ones also considered.
RIU's owner, TUI, after all, bought the controlling interests of Danubius Travel Agency this January. Danubius is one of the leading travel agencies in Constanta.
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