Romanian tourists spend 75 million euros on New Year's Eve

Romanian tourists spent 45 million euros on New Year's Eve for foreign destinations and 30 million euros for domestic ones, preferring rural resorts and Prahova Valley, according to the National Association of Travel Agencies of Romania (ANAT), Agerpres reports.

Thus, on Prahova Valley, Predeal, Poiana Brasov there were 20,000 tourists, in other mountain resorts (Paltinis, Ranca, Vatra Dornei, Borja, Slanic Moldova, Semenic) - 15,000 tourists, while rural tourism (Bran-Moieciu, Maramures, Bucovina, Marginimea Sibiului, Neamt, Apuseni etc) attracted 70,000 tourists, spas (Baile Felix, Baile Herculane, Sovata etc) - 25,000 tourists, and tourist towns (Brasov, Sibiu, Cluj, Timisoara, Iasi) - 7,000.

Through travel agencies, tourists have mostly chosen spas and mountain resorts, but the number of bookings for rural boarding houses is also increasing.

Expenditures on domestic destinations was about 30 million euros.

"The disadvantage was that the New Year's Eve mini-stay was shorter, considering that New Year's Eve was over the weekend. For Romania, the length of stay was 2-3 nights, compared to 4-5 nights, as it would have been if there had been several days off. New Year's Eve 2022 does not compare to the last normal New Year's Eve, in 2020, but it registered a considerable increase compared to New Year's Eve 2021," said Traian Badulescu, ANAT spokesman.

According to him, with the announcement of the relaxation of the restrictions, on December 7 (extended green certificate - PCR or antigen tests were accepted, plus the elimination of curfews), the bookings increased overnight, for domestic tourism, New Year's Eve, by 30%.

In other countries, the preferred destinations were Egypt (Sharm El Sheikh, Hurghada) - 5,000 tourists, Dubai - 3,000 tourists, exotic destinations (Zanzibar, Dominican Republic, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Latin America - Mexico, Peru, Panama, Costa Rica etc) - 5,000 tourists, cruises (Caribbean, Indian Ocean etc) - 1,000 tourists, city breaks in Europe (Athens, Paris, Prague, Rome, Barcelona etc) - 10,000. Other European destinations (France - Cote d'Azur, Alsace, mountain resorts, Spain, Portugal, Austria - skiing) - 5,000, Turkey (Istanbul, Antalya, Cappadocia) - 3,000, Bulgaria (mountain resorts) - 5,000, Malta - 500, Tunisia - 500, Jordan - 300.

"For foreign destinations, I estimate expenses of about 45 million euros. The rates were for absolutely all pockets, from 150 euros per person for New Year's Eve in the mountains in Bulgaria, up to 2,000, 3,000 or 4,000 euros per person for exotic destinations," said Badulescu.

There was a strong desire of Romanians to travel where there were less restrictions and especially in green destinations. Unfortunately, due to severe restrictions and the new Omicron wave, Western European destinations have been less sought after than in previous years. Many Christmas markets have not opened, but the appetite of Romanian tourists for exotic and warm destinations has been high.