The hotel industry in Moldova has seen several attempts over the years to attract large international chains, but many of these have faced significant obstacles. In November 2024, the international hotel chain Hilton announced its entry into the Moldovan market, with an initial investment of EUR 5 million. The operator plans to open its first hotel in Chisinau, based on the Dacia Hotel in the city center, in 2026. Previously, in 2001, investors from Belgium and Luxembourg expressed interest in opening a Radisson SAS hotel in Chisinau, targeting the building of the National Hotel. However, the project was abandoned due to legal disputes over ownership. Radisson did not manage to enter the local market until 15 years later, when the Summa Group opened a Radisson Blu Hotel franchise on the site of the Leogrand Hotel. In 2005, Marriott International Incorporated announced plans to open a luxury hotel in Chisinau next to the National Museum of Art, committing to restore the museum and build a storage building. But the project was blocked by disputes over the privatization of the land. Marriott entered the Moldovan market only in 2019, through the Summa Group, opening the Courtyard Chisinau hotel. In 2009, Ramada Worldwide announced the opening of a hotel in Chisinau, planning to use the Codru hotel. The project did not materialize due to disagreements between the parties and Codru was subsequently acquired by Moldova Agroindbank. These examples illustrate the difficulties faced by large hotel chains in trying to penetrate the Moldovan market, mainly due to ownership issues and legal disputes.
Prospects and difficulties on the hotel market in the Republic of Moldova
