Approximately 94,000 tourists chose to spend their May 1st mini-holiday in various resorts across the country, where they spent about EUR 3.5 million—nearly EUR 1 million less than in 2015, when May 1st coincided with Easter and approximately 99,000 tourists were recorded, according to a study by the Federation of Romanian Tourism Employers (FPTR).
Also on Tuesday, the other major tourism employer association, the National Association of Travel Agencies (ANAT), estimated that the Romanian seaside attracted over 40,000 tourists during this mini-holiday; however, FPTR data refers to all tourist areas, reports News.ro.
The star of this mini-holiday was the rural area, with guesthouses managing to attract over 40,000 tourists. The most sought-after areas were Bran, Bucovina, and Maramures.
“Compared to 2015, we found that there were 40% fewer accommodation places offered, despite the emergence of new accommodation units. In Mamaia, the occupancy rate of open hotels was approximately 90%, thus selling 14,000 places out of a total of 23,000 classified places,” FPTR stated. In Vama Veche, there are 2,500 classified places, and FPTR estimates there are likely another 1,500 unclassified ones.
“According to data provided by hoteliers, this year, for May 1st, around 20,000 tourists came to the seaside—and when we say this, we refer to those who purchased at least one night of accommodation. A much larger number than that of tourists was represented by visitors, generally residents of seaside cities, who came to the resorts for a day without staying overnight in an accommodation structure. The difference between the 20,000 tourists and the exaggerated figures of 40,000 or even 70,000 circulated in the media is represented by visitors,” shows FPTR, thus contradicting the data sent by ANAT.
According to FPTR, about 18,000 Romanians chose mountain resorts, where they spent approximately RON 3.25 million on accommodation alone during the two-to-three-day stay.
Spa resorts were chosen by 15,000 Romanians, and the Danube Delta by 1,000 people.
FPTR representatives say these figures are approximate and were obtained based on estimates made by the federation’s members and a survey applied to a significant number of tourism operators.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many tourists traveled within Romania for the May 1st holiday?
Approximately 94,000 tourists spent their mini-holiday in various Romanian resorts, according to FPTR data.
Which regions were the most popular among Romanian tourists?
Rural tourism was the top choice with over 40,000 visitors, particularly in areas like Bran, Bucovina, and Maramures.
How much did tourists spend on accommodation in mountain resorts?
Around 18,000 Romanians chose mountain destinations, spending approximately 3.25 million RON on accommodation alone.