Foreigners Attracted by Danube’s Paradise

More foreign tourists in Romania, foreign currency cashing with 100 million dollars more than last year and an approximate increase of the business tourism with 20%. These are only some of the Romanian touristy industry features in 2004.

This year has been better from all the points of view as far as the Romanian tourism is concerned, according to the National Tourism Authority report for the period between 2001 and 2004. Our country has been visited by a large number of foreigners, 6.5 million persons from other countries being registered at the custom. The number of foreign tourists accommodated in the welcoming structures has been 1.6 million people, 44% more than last year. Totally, this year, the accommodation structures have welcomed 5.9 million tourists, approximately 900,000 people more than in 2003. 4.5 millions of them have been accommodated in hotels, 13% more than last year.

THE DANUBE DELTA LEADS

The Danube Delta has been this year’s star, registering the highest increase in touristy population, 45% more than in 2003. Almost 86,000 tourists arrived in here this year. The spas attracted more than 1 million tourists, 19% than in the precedent year, and the mountain resorts 1.4 million tourists, with an increase of 29%. 972,886 people went to the seaside this year, 8.5% more than in 2003.

BUSINESS TOURISM

The most dynamic sector of tourism, conferences and events organizing will face an approximate increase of about 20% until the end of this year, when comparing to 2003, according to Radu Cimponeriu, president of Romanian Convention Bureau (RCB). If last year reunion and conferences organizing meant cashing of about 28 million euros, more than 34 millions are expected to appear this year. The unexpected growth appeared due the organization of the Universal Postal Union Congress in Bucharest and due to the reunion of the NATO members’ Defence Ministers in Poiana Brasov.

SECURE COUNTRY

"Romania hosted 1,600 events this year, with an average of 150 participants, and we have to maintain this increasing tendency in the following years", said the RCB president. He explained that there are efforts to be made in order to attract more events in Romania, taking into account that our country has become an interesting destination since it is secure, the infrastructure and the specific services develop, and the prices are smaller.

EVOLUTION

Touristy investments reach 300-350 million euros, 120 new hotels being inserted in the touristy circuit and other 50 modernized. The accommodation capacity has advanced to 310,000 places, 175,000 of which in hotels.

SUBSTANTIAL INVESTMENTS IN AGRO-TOURISM

Rural tourism and ecotourism have represented the segment which the Romanian authorities focused on when promoting Romania abroad. There have also been important investments in this domain, 500 new pensions being initiated between 2001 and 2004. "In the Neamt county the first pensions destined to the wheel-chaired people have been integrated in the touristy circuit and we want to extend this in other counties as well", stated the president of the National Association for Rural, Ecological and Cultural Tourism (NARECT). The quality of services in agro-tourism has started to increase also because of the improvement courses NARECT organized for the pension owners. However, this kind of touristy activity has its problems as well, and they are illegal tourism and the necessity of increasing the informing points.