In the first half of 2025, Romania’s hotel industry recorded one of the most spectacular increases in turnover in the European Union, a performance that places accommodation rates at the level of regional capitals such as Prague or Warsaw. However, this development is overshadowed by a structural reality: the advance has been driven almost exclusively by price increases, while the number of nights spent in hotels has stagnated and the share of foreign tourists remains among the lowest in the EU bloc, raising questions about the long-term sustainability of the sector.
Local hospitality industry turnover grew by 19% in the first half of 2025, the third largest increase in the EU after Greece (35%) and Hungary (22%). This growth was underpinned by an 8% increase in average daily rates (ADR), which now stand between €55 and €65, a level comparable to Poland and the Czech Republic. In contrast, the number of nights spent in accommodation increased by less than 4%, indicating stagnating volumes.
In Bucharest, operational performance reached record levels, with revenue per available room reaching €78, very close to that of Warsaw and Prague (around €80) and only 10% below that of Vienna. National occupancy increased by 4 percentage points to 65%, in line with the average for Central and Eastern Europe. These results come against a mixed European backdrop, where western markets such as France and the UK saw declines due to a lack of major events to boost tourism, in contrast to the previous year.
The main vulnerability of the Romanian market remains its dependence on domestic tourism and its reduced ability to attract international visitors. In the first half of 2025, Romania attracted only 2.2 million overnight stays by foreign tourists, significantly underperforming Poland (7.2 million) and Hungary (6.1 million). Moreover, only 22% of all overnight stays were generated by foreigners, the second lowest share in the European Union, a gap that has widened in the last decade.
Analysts warn that the price-led growth model is not sustainable, especially in the current economic context, marked by inflation, new taxes and a fall in consumer confidence to levels similar to those of the 2009-2010 recession. Raluca Buciuc, director at Colliers, points out that although the 2023-2025 period has been excellent for hoteliers, future rate increases will have to be justified by superior service, innovation and technology, not just inflation. The key for the future lies in making costs more efficient and attracting foreign tourists through a long-term strategy.
Despite these challenges, prospects for hotel infrastructure development are positive. After the opening of one international chain hotel in 2024, at least 15 new openings are announced for 2025-2027. These include the Corinthia Grand Hotel du Boulevard and Bucharest Unirii Square – Handwritten Collection by Accor, investments spurred by record occupancy in the capital, which in the first part of 2025 reached its best level in a decade.