Number Of Foreign Visitors To Romania To Rise 18%, To 9.6M By 2014 – Study

This would put Romania in fifth place among Eastern European countries, after Russia, Ukraine, Poland and Croatia.

Last year, foreign tourists spent an average EUR334 per person in Eastern Europe, down 5% compared to the previous year. In Romania, tourists spent an average EUR125 per person.

„The amounts spent by foreign tourists in Eastern Europe dropped significantly last year, by 21% to $167 per person. The British spent the most, almost $1,100,” said Euromonitor analyst Mantas Kaluina in a fare organized by „HRB Expert.”

Last year, most foreign tourists came to Romania from its neighbors: Hungary (25%), Moldova (15%) and Bulgaria (14%).

According to Euromonitor, business tourism has been severely hit by the economic crisis. The company estimates a growth of business tourism to Romania, to 3.6 million people.

As regards air traffic, the decline has not been dramatic, owing mainly to the low-cost segment which has doubled over the last five years to a 30% market share.

„In all Eastern European countries, tourists tend to prefer air to railway or road travel. Low-cost companies can take advantage of the crisis and succeed in stealing the market share of traditional operators,” Kaluina said.

Euromonitor International employs 600 analysts in 80 countries.