Inbound Tourism in Romania Underperforms

The inbound tourism in Romania is way below any expectations. According to the first 10-month statistics, Romania welcomed only 530,000 foreign tourists. This number barely equals 2020, when there was a pandemic and travel restrictions were enforced. Now there are no restrictions, but it might be the proximity of the war plus the economic crisis threatening the European nations following the energy costs skyrocketing.

Also, compared to 2019, when there were more than 2.5 million foreign tourists, this year seems like a nightmare for the hospitality industry. Will it ever recover?

Firstly, we must identify the reason for this drastic drop in tourists from other countries. Certainly, there is a close connection to the current economic situation, as most tourists, meaning 53.6%, came for business purposes, while only 46.4% travelled for leisure. While an economic crisis is looming, it is understandable for the number of tourists for business to decrease.

On the other hand, there is a drastic decrease in the inbound tourism figures because of the so-called special operation in Ukraine. You will likely avoid that destination when the war is near, and Romania is paying a heavy price from this perspective.

Again, will it ever recover? Specialists are not optimistic about the year ahead. The war in Ukraine doesn’t seem to end soon, and the energy crisis doesn’t help Europeans save for trips as they used to. Apart from that, when the prices in Romania rival some of the most expensive resorts in Europe, there is no wonder why tourists go to Bansko in Bulgaria and avoid Romania’s Prahova Valley.

It is the same with the seaside resorts, and Bulgaria has definitely learnt its lessons here. Suffice it to say that Bulgaria welcomed more than 800,000 tourists only in October this year. Thus, we reach another point on this topic: the quality-price ratio, which favours Bulgaria by far.

As usual, we encourage you to visit Bucharest, Romania’s capital. Whether you are pondering coming to Bucharest or you’re already in the city, we recommend the best Bucharest guide: Visit Bucharest. Here you can find all the information you need, all the attractions and day trips from Bucharest to other destinations in Romania.