INS: Non-resident tourists spend in Romania about 5.5 billion lei in first 9 months of 2019

The number of non-resident tourists accommodated in the first nine months of 2019 in Romania's collective tourist accommodation units amounted to about 2.106 million people, and their spending exceeded 5.485 billion lei, according to the data centralized by the National Institute of Statistics (INS). 

The main purpose of their stay in Romania was business and professional: participation in congresses, conferences, courses, trade fairs and exhibitions - 54.6 percent of non-resident tourists arriving in Romania during the mentioned period, their spending accounting for 57.7 percent of the total (3.164 billion lei). 

Of the total expenditure on business travels, the highest share was spent on accommodation (49.7 percent), especially with breakfast included (91.9 percent of the total expenditure for accommodation). 

Expenditure in restaurants and bars accounted for 18.1 percent, and spending for shopping represented 12.8 percent. Of the total shopping spending, 45.6 percent was spent on food and drinks, and 32.5 percent on gifts and souvenirs. The expenditure for the rental of cars accounted for 53.1 percent of the total spending for transport, and the spending for access to amusement parks, fairs, casinos, game arcades accounted for 37.2 percent of the total spending of non-resident tourists on recreation. 

The second purpose of non-resident' stays in Romania was travel for personal reasons (45.4 percent of the total number of non-resident tourists), of which holiday trips stood apart (66.8 percent). 

As in the case of business trips, the largest share of the total spending of non-resident tourists arrived in Romania for personal reasons, of 2,321 billion lei, is held by spending for accommodation (49.2 percent), of which the accommodation with breakfast included holds the main share (79.8 percent). Spending in bars and restaurants accounted for 16.7 percent of the total expenditure for personal purposes, and the spending for purchases represented 15.7 percent of the total non-resident tourists' expenditure. 
The expenditure for the rental of cars had a share of 55.9 percent of the total expenditure for transport, and spending for access to amusement parks, fairs, casinos, game arcades accounted for 48.2 percent of the total spending on recreation. 

According to the INS, of the total of non-residents arriving in Romania, 47.3 percent organized their stay through the travel agencies, and 33.7 percent organized their stay on their own. The rest of the stays having another organizer (trade unions, etc.) accounted for 10.4 percent, as well as the travel agency one part and the non-resident tourist the other part 8.6 percent. 

The main means of transport used by non-resident tourists to arrive in Romania was the plane (80 percent of the total number of tourists). Own cars accounted for 11.0 percent, followed by coaches and buses with 7.4 percent, other means (train, river boats, rented cars, motorcycles, etc.) 1.6 percent. 

The number of non-resident tourists staying in private accommodation units (apartments and rooms for rent) during January 1 - September 30, 2019 was 40,577, their spending in Romania amounting to 39.1 million lei.