In total, Romanian and foreign tourists spent RON13.6 million 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 RON20.5 million in Romania, compared to RON14.8 million in the same period of 2021, whigher by RON5.7 million (increase of 38.5%).
The foreign tourists who spent the most money in Romania were the Brits who traded RON3.8 million in the two summer months, almost RON700 thousand more than in 2021. The Germans also spent RON2.1 million, half a million more than last summer, and the Italians spent RON1.8 million, over RON400 thousand 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 RON1.2 million, compared to RON133 thousand, in 2021“, said Catalin Moise, Country Manager Global Payments, Romania.
Instead, Russian citizens have hardly traveled to Romania at all this summer. There were only three transactions made by them, with a total value of RON45. In July-August 2021, Russian citizens made 1,600 card transactions worth over RON35 thousand. 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 RON1.6.
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 volume of expenses incurred in Constanta County decreased only by about RON100 thousand – from RON16.93 million to RON16.82 million – in July 2022, compared to the same month of 2021. Of course, the comparison is made with a month of the pandemic period, but the Romanian resorts saw, however, more transactions than last year. In Mamaia seaside resort, RON176 thousand more was spent than in July 2021, in Costinesti resort, RON82 thousand more, and in Eforie Sud resort, RON43 thousand more. In Vama Veche and Eforie Nord seaside resorts, tourists were more restrained at card payments, spending RON212 thousand and, respectively RON130 thousand less this year.
The Danube Delta, on the other hand, saw an “increased debit” on expenses, registering card payments higher by RON150 thousand than in the summer of 2021.
The Prahova Valley resorts enjoyed the presence of a large number of generous tourists who spent record amounts in summer 2022. In Sinaia mountain resport, a total RON587 thousand was traded in July, higher by over RON170 thousand than in 2021, while the Busteni resort recorded a fabulous sevenfold increase in the amount of money spent by tourists, from RON65 thousand in July 2021 to almost half a million lei in July 2022.
Instead, Brasov County remained on “a plateau” of the manifestation of tourists’ consumption. In July, RON78 thousand less was spent than in the same month of 2021. Card transactions recorded a decrease from RON6.95 million to RON6.87 million this year. However, the Poiana Brasov mountain resort managed to impress tourists and got them to spent here twice as much money as last year, from RON229 thousand in July 2021 to RON484 thousand in July 2022.
Northern Transylvania and the Apuseni Mountains were among the regions where the most money was spent in July, in Romania. In Cluj County, RON2.6 million more was spent in July 2022 than in the same month of 2021, in Sighisoara RON318 thousand more, and in Targu-Mures and Bistrita about RON350 thousand more each. In the Apuseni Mountains region (Bihor, Alba, Salaj counties), tourists spent RON1.1 million more money in summer 2022.
The regions of Moldavia and Bucovina remained popular holiday destinations, with Suceava County seeing an increase of about RON700 thousand in card payments.