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Increase in number of river cruise ships, set to reach Danube Delta this year
The number of river cruise ships set to reach the Danube Delta, this year, will be at least 20 percent higher than last year, according to the leading operator of these routes in Tulcea (east part of the country) .
President of the group of companies Europolis, Victor Iancu, told AGERPRES, on Tuesday, that last year of the 186 river cruise ships that announced their arrival in the Danube Delta, via his companies, just two canceled it because of low river flows.
'This year, we have a fairly consistent increase that exceeds 20 percent. It's the largest increase in the number of cruise ships in Tulcea, in recent years, but I am afraid even to tell it because, every time, when it is heard we have work to do, they rush upon us as if we were some wrongdoers and discover new fees and taxes to impose', Victor Iancu complained.
He also said that the main problem faced by him, for a lot of years, is the lack of some tourist routes, which would offer travelers the opportunity to watch the wild birds during their trip to the Danube Delta.
'Despite all the approaches to the state institutions, to ensure routes where tourists can watch the birds, we failed to find understanding, but only excuses linked to the Danube flows and others of this kind. We can understand such things, but maybe, if we sit down at the table, for a dialogue, we might find a solution. We, who assure foreign tourists visits to the Delta, just sail through channels, passing by the lakes, we do not stop anywhere, we do not let tourists go on the banks, we bring to Tulcea all the wastes and I do not see why all this restraint on the part of the authorities, to extend us a helping hand ', the president of Europolis Group mentioned.
Another problem faced by tour operators in the County of Tulcea is the lack of a tax warehouse, a situation that obliges them to pay the fuel for the ships at the market price, even though, according to the Fiscal Code, they must benefit of prices without fuel excise on fuel.
According to the source, at least 12 charter flights with tourists, who will visit the Danube Delta, are to land this year on Tulcea Airport.
There are about 20 tourist routes in the Danube Delta, but only one is practicable for ships, that can make trips for about five hours, with groups of about 50 people onboard.