Mamaia Resort: How to Lose Your Tourists – A Romanian Story

Mamaia, one of the most know summer destinations and frequented resorts on the Black Sea, has remained without tourists. The Romanian resort seems to be a weekend getaway in 2022 than a vacation destination.

The Romanian resort streets are empty because tourists are anticipated to come and stay on the weekend. Customers decreased food prices by 20 or even 25 percent. According to a waiter, he made more money from the bathroom fee in the previous year than he does on an average day this year.

Mamaia resort was known in Romania as one of the most expensive resorts in the Romanian riviera. The prices were so high that Romanians would prefer to spend their vacations in countries like Bulgaria or Greece, where the prices are more accessible.

Now the scenery has changed. If in 2021 in Mamaia resort a lounger price per day was EUR 10, in 2022, the tourist needs to pay a minimum of EUR 8 consumption bill at the beach bar to get a lounger for free.

Mohammad Murad, the owner of numerous upscale establishments along the Coast, including Phenicia Mamaia and Hotel Phoenicia Blue View Resort in Olimp, claims that the 2022 season is the worst compared to the previous 30 years.
He specified that in the last week, there were 80-90,000 tourists on the coast, and in the same period the previous year, there were 140,000. Murad also stated that the hoteliers did not increase the prices, given that the tariffs for food and utilities have increased.

Mamaia resort never looked more deserted. But the question that remains is why. The answerers are multiple, and considering what is currently happening in Romania, this effect was expected.

First, Romanians have less money to spend on vacation in 2022. Due to the pandemic, the rising prices and low wages, Romanians can nearly afford one vacation a year, and the situation is seen to worsen. Second, in a context of crisis, many Romanians prefer to spend their vacation time at home or in much cheaper destinations in Romania to save money.

The tourism segment is the most affected from this point of view. Most of the hotels and restaurants on the shore of the Black Sea made their profit in the summer season to survive the rest of the year. If the situation is similar in August, the year 2022 will be a real challenge for Romanian tourism.