Foreign tourists spent in Romania almost 40% more this summer than in 2021

This year, Romanian tourism had an atypical evolution, but recorded a significant economic growth, if we refer to the volume of expenses made in the last two summer months. Global Payments, the largest provider of payment services and technology in the world, conducted an analysis of the amounts of money traded with the card in July-August 2022, compared to the same period of last year, from which it emerged that in the two summer months, 168.8 million lei were spent in Romania, compared to 155.2 million in 2021.

In total, Romanian and foreign tourists spent 13.6 million lei more money on products and services than last summer, representing an 8.8% increase in card payments. Almost half of this capital surplus was generated by foreign tourists. In July-August 2022, they spent 20.5 million lei in our country, compared to 14.8 million lei in the same period of 2021, with 5.7 million lei more (increase of 38.5%).

The foreign tourists who spent the most money in Romania were the British, who traded 3.8 million lei in this two summer months, almost 700 thousand lei more than in 2021.  The Germans also left 2.1 million lei, half a million more than last summer, and the Italians spent 1.8 million lei, over 400 thousand lei more than in the same period of 2021.

“Although we cannot necessarily talk about tourism, in the top of the expenses made by foreign citizens in Romania are also the Ukrainians, who spent in the two summer months nine times more money than last year, that is over 1.2 million lei, compared to 133 thousand lei, in 2021”, said Cătălin Moise,  Country Manager Global Payments, Romania.

In contrast, Russian citizens have hardly traveled to Romania at all, this summer. There were only three transactions made by them, with a total value of 45 lei. In 2021, in this two summer months, there were 1600 transactions made by Russian citizens, worth over 35 thousand lei.

Among the tourists who have made occasional card transactions in Romania are those from Uganda, Malawi, Bolivia, Tanzania, Paraguay, Myanmar, Senegal or Tajikistan. The smallest card payment was made by a citizen of Antigua and Barbuda, worth 1.6 lei.

Where did the tourists spend their money?

Global Payments further analyzed the volume of card transactions made in cities, counties or regions in Romania, in order to assess where the consumption needs were directed this summer.

The Romanian seaside “bathed” in about the same amounts of money as last year

The volume of expenses incurred in Constanta County decreased only by about 100 thousand lei – from 16.93 million lei to 16.82 million lei – in July this year, compared to the same month of 2021. Of course, the comparison is made with a month from the pandemic period, but in the Romanian resorts were made, however, more transactions than last year.  In Mamaia, 176 thousand lei more money was spent than in July 2021, in Costinesti, with 82 thousand lei more, and in Eforie Sud with 43 thousand lei more. In Vama Veche and Eforie Nord tourists were more restrained at card payments, spending 212 thousand lei and, respectively 130 thousand lei less this year.

The Danube Delta, on the other hand, had an “increased debit” on expenses, registering card payments higher by 150 thousand lei than in the summer of last year.

Mountain resorts – from “hiking” to “alpine ascent” in the top of the expenses made by tourists

Prahova Valley resorts enjoyed the presence of a large number of generous tourists, who spent record amounts this year.  In Sinaia, 587 thousand lei were traded in July, with over 170 thousand lei more than last year, and Busteni recorded a fabulous increase of 7 times higher in the amount of money spent by tourists in this resort, from 65 thousand lei in July 2021, at almost half a million lei, in July 2022.

Instead, Brasov County remained on “a plateau” of the manifestation of tourists’ consumption.  In July, 78 thousand lei less was spent than in the same month of 2021. Card transactions recorded a decrease from 6.95 million lei to 6.87 million lei this year. However, Poiana Brasov managed to impress tourists and convince them to leave here twice as much money as last year, from 229 thousand lei in July 2021 to 484 thousand lei in July 2022.

Transylvania and the Apuseni had “glue” to the pockets of tourists

Northern Transylvania and the Apuseni Mountains were among the regions where the most money was spent in July, in Romania. In Cluj County, 2.6 million lei more was spent than in July 2022, in Sighisoara, with 318 thousand lei more, and in Târgu-Mureș and Bistrita about 350 thousand lei more, in each city, while in the Apuseni Mountains region (Bihor, Alba, Salaj counties), tourists traded with 1.1 million lei more money this year.

Moldova and Bucovina also remained popular holiday destinations, Suceava County registering an increase of about 700 thousand lei in card payments.

The Capital, however, came out on the minus in this summer month, registering expenses with almost one million lei lower in July, from 45.32 million lei in 2021 to 44.36 million lei in 2022.