Tourism under pressure: Evenets decrease against the background of political and economic instability
The nights registered in the tourist reception structures, including apartments and rooms for rent, in March 2025 they totaled 1.57 million, decreasing by 1.7% compared to those of March 2024, the data published recently shows.
The number of Romanian tourists decreases constantly. Photo Adevărul/Călin Gavrilaș
Between January – March 2025, the tourist accommodation units in Romania registered a total of 2496.7 thousand people compared to 2471.2 thousand as they were registered in 2024, while the number of nights were 4773.2 thousand, marking an increase of 2.2% compared to the first quarter of 2024, when they were 4671.8 thousand.
Regarding the arrivals of the Romanian tourists, in February 2025 there were – 4.5% fewer tourists than in February 2024, a decrease that continues in March to -4.1% compared to the similar period of 2024. For foreign tourists we have an evolution of 1.7% in February and 3.1% in March.
The nights continue the negative trend, in February 2025 being – 4.3% in Romanian tourists compared to February 2024, and in March -3.1%. For foreign tourists, the nights in February 2025 are 1% higher than the similar period of 2024, an evolution that continues in March, with a value of +3.4%.
Of the total number of arrivals, between 01.01.01.03.2025, the arrivals of the Romanian tourists in the tourist reception structures with accommodation functions represented 82.5%, while the arrivals of foreign tourists represented 17.5%, most of them coming from Italy, Germany and the United Kingdom.
Asked how to decrease the number of Romanian tourists, Alin Burcea, ANAT president and the owner of Paralela45, told “truth“That, in addition to the issue of holiday vouchers, the causes are also related to the political instability triggered in the autumn of last year by the failed presidential elections, perpetuated instability, but also because of the economic difficulties of Romania.
“There is a decrease, for several reasons: reducing the amount of holiday vouchers plus the unclearness related to the 800 lei that have remained. Other causes that led to the reduction of the number of Romanian tourists are related to political instability and the economic difficulties of the country.“, Alin Burcea told”truth”.
Overall, from the prism of Bibi Touroperator, the Romanian tourism more stagnated, the lack of an applied strategy, the delay of the distribution of the holiday vouchers in the package with the diminution of their value and the promotion is too weak being the main factors for this unexpected result.
“Romanian tourism is like the breathing of the economy. The national and international political, economic and international disturbances are also mirrored in the appetite of Romanians for holidays. In the context of Visa Waver's cancellation for the United States, many flights have been canceled. Holiday vouchers for 2025 have just started to be timid to be requested from May so that the reservations for the first 3 months were based on the amounts granted in 2024 and which had not been consumed. Practically the decrease in February, 4.5% of Romanians' arrivals in classified accommodation structures, had been a signal that tourists are more prudent in reservations. What will be – it depends a lot on the result of the presidential elections and the result of the peace efforts in Ukraine. May 1 I have seen effervescence on the coast so tourists are waiting for good weather and good times with high holiday appetite”, Said Adrian Voican, president of Bibi Group4travel.
Romania has over 26,500 accommodation units
At the end of March 2025, there were 26,533 accommodation units in Romania, with 584,759 accommodation places, of which 102 units of 5* with 10,518 accommodation, 921 units of 4* with 85,407 seats and 14,894 units of 3* with 218,072 accommodation places, the rest being 2* or 1* or 1*.
The most requested resorts for the mountain area were Sinaia, Predeal and Poiana Brasov, with over 65% of the total reservations, while for the Balaneo area were noted resorts such as: Băile Felix, Călimănești-Căciulata, Băile Herculane and Băile Tușnad, with a percentage of 75% of the total reservations.
City break holidays are on an upward trend and Romanian tourists want to know the country, culture, history and traditions of different regions, want accommodation in modern hotels or hostels, where young people can connect friends. For the City Break holidays, an increase for Bucharest, Craiova, Oradea, Sighișoara and Cluj Napoca has been noted. The number of foreign tourists who visited Romania increased by 5.1% in the first quarter of this year compared to the similar period of the previous year, and the number of nights increased by 4.6% in the same interval. The inclusion in the Schengen space has favored travel, especially among young people, in search of new places and cultural events.
