The interview of the week with Dan Penciu – Manager of the Country GTS International

1.infotravelromania.ro: I wish to begin with a short presentation of the agency that you direct, because even it is a new agency, you manage to enter the market as a “new sort of tourism agency”.
D.P.: Indeed, GTS International Romania entered the Romanian market almost two years ago, more exactly on first of July 2003. We have the support and the experience of the mother company, Czech GTS International, and we managed in a short period of time to enter the Romanian touristy market. The difference between us and other tourism companies is that we have a well defined target: the academic medium (students and teachers) and young people under 26 years.

2.infotravelromania.ro: Why this delimitation of the target?
D.P.: GTS International Romania is an agency for young people, students and teachers. This means that those categories of clients benefit of special prices for fly tickets and buses, hotels and medical insurance, based on ISIC cards (International Student Identity Card), IYTC (International Youth Travel Card) and ITIC (International Teacher Identity Card).
Another aspect is that we have specific programs for young people and students and these programs were a real success in the first year: Work and Travel USA and Work in France – and through them the students an day courses from national or private universities accredited have the possibility to participate during the summer holidays an a cultural student program; Work in South Africa – like the Work and Travel USA program, is different because students can travel during the whole year.

3.infotravelromania.ro: Tell me what has different GTS above the other offers on the market?
D.P.: First, our low prices, but our success registered in selling fly tickets is because they are very flexible, there is the possibility to change the travel plans after the tickets were emitted, free of charge. When student and young people come to our agency, they are happy to find out that our special prices for fly tickets are available for trips of one year maximum, without a secure place to stay, that we can apply the same price for tickets with opened return, that we can modify the return date without extra cost or that they can visit two towns with the same plain ticket.

4.infotravelromania.ro are there some preferred definitions by your clients?
D.P.: In May-July of this season there are preferred destinations from North America (New York, Chicago, Boston, Atlanta), because the Work and travel USA, which begins now. Generally the most wanted destinations are in Europe, Rome, Milan, Barcelona, Amsterdam, Lisboan.

5.infotravelromania.ro: What do you have new for autumn?
D.P.: In the present GTS International Romania is operating in three locations from Romania, Bucharest, Iasi, Cluj, the most important college centers. We want to open until September 2004 another location in Timisoara, and at the beginning of 2005 in Brasov and Craiova. Something new on the Romanian market will be the possibility of online reservation for plain tickets, on our agency site, www.gtsturism.ro, starting in the middle of august. The new thing in this system is that based on trip’s data, start city and destination of the passenger, the system will give you all the prices available at the time.
The traveler will select the price, will introduce the data and will make the reservation, without a credit or guarantee. We are also working on a series of offers for the winter, collaborating with other air companies. The prices will be very low, with flexible conditions, as our clients are used to.

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GTS INTERNATIONAL ROMANIA
Adress: 54, Bd. Regina Elisabeta, sector 5, Bucharest
Tel: +40-21 313 45 45
Fax: +40-21 313 45 12 | info@gtsturism.ro | programe@gtsturism.ro | www.gtsturism.ro

GTS INTERNATIONAL ROMANIA
Adress: Casa de Cultura a Studentilor, 1-3, Piata Lucian Blaga, Cluj
Tel: +40 264 45 07 40
Fax: +40 264 45 07 41 | info@gtsturism.ro | www.gtsturism.ro

GTS INTERNATIONAL ROMANIA
Adress: Casa de Cultura a Studentilor, 30, Vasile Conta Street, part, Iasi
Tel: +40 232 21 30 45
Fax: +40 232 21 30 47 | info@gtsturism.ro | www.gtsturism.ro