The Republic of Moldova has ranked third in the world in a ranking of the best-performing tourist destinations in the first half of 2025, according to data from the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). With a 62% increase in the number of tourists compared to the same period in 2019, considered the benchmark before the pandemic, the country is positioned after Albania and Uzbekistan, which occupy the top two spots.
The UNWTO ranking of the top ten destinations with the highest tourism growth is completed by Malta, Andorra, Norway, Serbia, North Macedonia, Denmark and Greece. Officials of the National Tourism Office (NTO) of the Republic of Moldova believe that these results confirm the country’s potential as an attractive, safe and sustainability-oriented European destination. They added that the Government continues its efforts to develop and promote tourism in line with European Union policies and UNWTO priorities.
Data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) of the Republic of Moldova, covering the period January-June 2025, show a significant increase in organized tourism. The number of foreign visitors using travel agencies reached 37,100, up 44.8% compared to the same period in 2024. The majority of these, around 95%, were excursionists (day-trip visitors) coming for leisure purposes. But the NBS notes that these figures do not include tourists visiting the country on their own.
According to national statistics, 65% of tourists using organized services come from Romania. They are followed by visitors from Italy (21.7%) and Turkey (2.0%). In the first half of 2025, there was also an increase in the average length of stay of foreign tourists from 4.0 days to 4.7 days, and the total number of tourist-days increased by 1.6 times compared to the same period of the previous year.