Moldovan tourists with holiday vouchers can stay in 22 guesthouses
Tourists from the Republic of Moldova who receive holiday vouchers will have the opportunity to stay at 22 guesthouses, according to the National Tourism Office. This number is expected to increase in the future. Guesthouse owners believe that the holiday voucher program will provide them with the financial resources needed to offer a wider range of services throughout the year and help lower accommodation costs.
The government's holiday voucher program is generating significant interest among tourist guesthouses across the country. Currently, there are 22 units included in the network of authorized operators preparing to welcome their first tourists in the coming weeks, according to Aurelia Durand, a specialist in the Product Development and Tourism Infrastructure section of the National Tourism Office.
“The first 10 affiliated units have already been approved by the Ministry of Culture. This week, we submitted another list of 12 affiliated units to the Ministry, which we hope will also receive approval by the end of this week or next week at the latest. The authorized operator is already in operation, and we aim to add at least one more unit by the end of the year,” mentioned Aurelia Durand.
The registration process for accepting holiday vouchers is simple and accessible, as noted by Mihaela Artemi-Bagrii, owner of an agro-pension in the village of Zăbriceni, Edineț district. She expressed hope that this initiative will attract more domestic tourists to her guesthouse, which is currently frequented mainly by foreign visitors.
“It was very straightforward—online, I simply filled out the declaration, signed it digitally, and sent it to the authorities. I have not yet received confirmation. The reservations I’ve received are from foreign tourists, and with the holiday voucher, they will officially become our tourists,” said Mihaela Artemi-Bagrii.
Victoria Mușinschi, who owns a guesthouse in Molovata Nouă, Dubăsari district, believes the holiday voucher program will enable guesthouses to offer services year-round, not just during the summer. “We have signed a contract with the authorized operator and are prepared to receive our first tourists using holiday vouchers. We are eagerly awaiting them, as our business slows during the autumn, winter, and spring seasons, resulting in reduced working hours for some of our employees. This program would allow us to pay salaries year-round. We operate all year long,” said Victoria Mușinschi.
Industry stakeholders also highlight that the program will facilitate the expansion of services and the organization of longer stays.
According to Vera Caminschi, owner of the "La Gura Cuptorului" guesthouse in the village of Văleni, Cahul district, holiday vouchers could enable longer stays of at least three to four days, thereby reducing accommodation costs in the Republic of Moldova. This would also allow her guesthouse to expand its services, such as opening a restaurant.
“So far, we have very few cases—about one in 100—where clients can afford a vacation longer than one or two nights. Most of our bookings are for weekends, which significantly impacts our business, as accommodation in the Republic of Moldova is quite expensive. The high prices are linked to direct expenses, housekeeping, and other costs,” stated Vera Caminschi.
According to the regulation approved by the government, private sector employees can annually receive vouchers worth up to 50% of the average salary in the economy, approximately 8,700 lei, which are tax-exempt. These vouchers are awarded based on the employee's professional performance and can only be used at rural tourist structures, which require accommodation services to be included.
The vouchers are valid for 12 months from the date of issue, and tourism operators can enter the system by notifying the National Tourism Office.
