Cristian Pandel

The story of Cristian Pandel overlaps with the story of one of the largest businesses in the Romanian tourism industry. Cristian was a young man not yet 21 years old, a Law student passionate about the mountains and outdoor activities, when he decided—together with his close group of friends, fellow mountain enthusiasts—to create the Christian Adventure club. This experience laid the foundation for the establishment of the Christian Tour travel agency in 1997.

The company’s nearly 30-year journey reflects Cristian’s ambition and determination to turn Romanians’ dream of traveling into reality. From a tiny office in a basement on Kogălniceanu Boulevard, from putting up posters on poles across Bucharest and photocopying student courses just to keep the business alive, Christian Tour has reached the point where it is the most relevant tourism brand with 100% Romanian capital. It now operates a network of dozens of agencies nationwide, has international partnerships and presence, its own airline—Animawings—and its own ground transportation company—Memento Bus. And the evolution continues: Christian Tour is transforming into an OTA (online travel agency) to remain, as it has throughout its years in the travel industry, aligned with the times.

He is the kind of person who never gives up; no matter how big the challenge, he always finds a solution. He is a leader who inspires confidence in his team to see projects through to completion, and while others settle for what they achieve, he never stops—always bringing forward a new idea, a unique project.