Romania seaside tourism sees 20% decrease in 2022

Romanian Black Sea Coast tourism has decreased this year by approximately 20% compared to 2021 in terms of the number of tourists in hotels. Mamaia recorded the largest decrease, of 25-30%, stated the first vice-president of the National Association of Travel Agencies (ANAT), Alin Burcea.

According to Burcea, it is the first time in 32 years that the number of tourists in seaside hotels has decreased, this drop being more obvious towards the north of the coast.

„Practically, Mamaia decreased a lot, the south developed very well, Olimp and Neptun developed well, many hotels were renovated, Eforie did very well again, even Costinesti had growth. Mamaia had the biggest drop”, said Burcea, who is also the CEO of the Paralela 45 travel agency.

Among several reasons, Burcea mentioned a very large increase in prices, the appearance of thousands of places to stay in new private apartments in Mamaia Nord and in Navodari, „which competed brilliantly with hotels”, high parking costs in Mamaia, but also the total lack of involvement of the Minister of Entrepreneurship and Tourism, Constantin Daniel Cadariu, „who did not initiate any media action to promote the Romanian coast, the image of which has degraded”.

„If in 10,000 places (in private apartments, ed. n.) – this is the number in Mamaia Nord and Navodari – you put three people per family, there are 30,000 people per series. If you multiply by ten series, there are 300,000 people. If you go on a 70% occupancy rate, there are 200,000 people who went to these apartments and I think they are close to reality, namely what Mamaia lost went to these apartments”, he explained.

In addition, he criticized the negligence of certain hoteliers on the coast. „Look, it didn’t sell itself anymore. After two years of staying at home (…) people left, they went to Turkey, to Greece, where they had money, where they could,” Burcea said.

He added that this unfortunate trend for the Romanian Black Sea coast will continue in 2023, especially in the context of the increase in energy prices. There are hotels that have installed photovoltaic panels to cover their energy costs, but others do nothing and „I don’t think the coast will do well”, concluded Burcea.

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