One of Romania’s largest travel agencies, Christian Tour, is set to be listed on the Bucharest Stock Exchange (BVB) in the first quarter of 2026. It will be the first tour operator in Romania that is publicly traded.
The company has been preparing to go public for the last five years by adhering to international accounting standards, according to the management.
“Christian Tour has implemented IFRS in the last five years for listing. We have already chosen the broker, but I cannot make it public,” said the CFO of the Memento Group, Alin Răţoi, at the inauguration event of a new Airbus A220 aircraft in the AnimaWings fleet, according to Profit.ro.
Company representatives estimate that they will attract approximately EUR 15 million by selling a package of up to 25% of the shares.
“Most of those who will subscribe will be retail investors, because the brand is very strong and very well known. However, we also want institutional investors with us to avoid too much volatility after listing,” added the vice-president of the Memento Group.
The money from the IPO will be invested in tourism and regional acquisitions.
“We lack certain market segments, such as the corporate market, where there are much bigger players than us in the business-to-business segment, and the online travel agency part. We are also missing the regional area. We are very well developed nationally, but we should have the courage to expand outside the country, in the Balkans,” explained the vice-president of the group.
With the IPO, Christian Tour aims to move from a family business to an open and transparent company. The listed company, however, will not be a shareholder in AnimaWings, the group’s airline. The two will still complement each other, according to the management.
A member of Christian Tour Holding, Christian Tour is the largest travel agency in Romania, owned by brothers Cristian and Marius Pandel. Founded in 1997, the agency serves over 400,000 tourists from Romania annually, through its online booking site and network of 74 sales offices.
The company ended 2024 with revenues of RON 792 million (EUR 159 million), up 16% compared to 2023. It also increased its gross profit, estimated at EUR 6 million, EUR 600,000 above that obtained in 2023.
(Photo source: Vlad Ispas | Dreamstime.com)
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