The ministry said the information obtained through this system, which will be managed and audited by the Special Telecommunications Service (STS), will be used to justify the allocation of funds for various tourist infrastructure projects.
State secretary Cristian Barhalescu said the ministry is hoping the system will become operational starting December and the data collected this way will be submitted to the media and the ministries interested in this type of statistics in order to further make the right decisions and improve tourist infrastructure.
Barhalescu also said that a large number of tourists in a particular will further trigger investments in the respective area, which will gradually boost tourist numbers. He added the ministry will use only the information regarding the number of tourists, where they come from and where they travel, as well as their age.
The system, however, is highly contested by hotel owners who argue it breaches the privacy of tourists. In January this year, hotel owners complained that the system breaks the rules of the free movement of people and allows the conveyance of sensitive data about the people using hotel services, which could further cause discomfort or trouble.