The World Tourism Network says, even if such agreements have no immediate effect, the psychological impact will encourage travel.
Did Azerbaijan, Georgia, Hungary, and Romania just turn around the perception for a successful Winter Tourism Season in Europe?
Freezing temperatures are a reality in many parts of the European Union, the UK, and beyond. At the same time, the war between Russia and Ukraine is spiking out of control, threatening energy supplies not only for Ukraine but the rest of Europe.
The success of the now ongoing winter travel season to Europe is currently being tested, even though the best winter thrill destinations were announced.
Some sunshine travel destinations in the world are appealing to Europeans to turn their electricity off. They want Germans, British, and other Europeans to leave the winter at home behind and enjoy warmer weather for a remote and energy-saving working vacation.
The European Union is standing firmly against the Russian invasion, even if this means an unstable future for the supply of energy to the block.
After a booming extended summer tourism season in Europe, the winter outlook is unsure. Rising energy rates and inflation will most likely bring up accommodation and travel costs, wiping out savings for a strong US Dollar.
Travelers usually avoid destinations with unpredictable issues at hand. In Europe, this is the predicted energy crisis.
Many want-to-be travelers may decide to stay home to afford the rising energy cost of living
Therefore travel and tourism leaders, such as the World Tourism Network is welcoming that leaders of Hungary, Romania, Georgia, and Azerbaijan finalized an agreement Saturday on an undersea electricity connector that could become a new power source for the European Union.
A cable running beneath the Black Sea would link Azerbaijan to Hungary via Georgia and Romania.
Azerbaijan plans to export electricity from offshore wind farms to Europe via Georgia, and a cable beneath the Black Sea, and then to Romania and Hungary.
The office of Romanian President Klaus Iohannis told journalists, that the agreement between the four nations will provide the “financial and technical framework” for the undersea electricity cable project.
“The project will aim to diversify energy supplies and increase regional energy security.”
Romanian natural gas producer Romgaz signed a contract with Azerbaijan’s state oil company SOCAR to receive natural gas through the so-called southern gas corridor, with deliveries to start on January 1. Romgaz said it will serve its “strategic objectives” of diversifying natural gas sources.
According to an AP report, Hungary’s Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said in August that Azerbaijan would soon produce “large quantities of green electricity” with offshore wind farms and that by signing on to the connector project which could bring that energy to Europe, Hungary was fulfilling a requirement that two EU member nations participate in order for the investment to receive EU funding.
Unfortunately, this project to diversify energy supplies in a carbon-neutral way will take up to four years to finish.
This week, the Hungarian Foreign Minister Szijjarto will meet with officials from both Qatar and Oman.
The upcoming talks will be about the future import of oil and natural gas to Hungary from the two Middle Eastern countries
Hungary is currently receiving 85% of its natural gas and more than 60% of its oil from Russia.
