This is how they like to steal their own hat! It was my first reaction when I read the announcement of Romanian officials about the number of tourists in 2022. I understand that you want to give a positive message, that the tourism market in Romania seems to be recovering, but when you receive the figures from the National Institute of Statistics and see that it is not so, at least stop bragging. I will describe below how the Minister of Tourism, Daniel Cadariu, manipulated the data from the National Institute of Statistics in such a way as to avoid a negative announcement for Romanian tourism. He compared 2022 with 2021 and 2020, years in which we had restrictions imposed by the coronavirus pandemic.
"In the first six months of the year there are already 600.000 foreign tourists, a 200% increase compared to the same period last year"
The quote belongs to the Minister of Tourism, Daniel Cadariu , who organized a press conference. I leave the data announced by the official, according to news.ro.
The Minister of Entrepreneurship and Tourism, Daniel Cadariu, announced on Tuesday, in a press conference, that in 2022, compared to 2021, there will be a total increase in the number of tourists of 37%, from 3,2 million to 4,4 million, he pointed out that in the first six months of the year there are already 600.000 foreign tourists, a 200% increase compared to the same period last year. "In 2022, compared to 2021, we have a total increase in the number of tourists of 37%, from 3,2 million to 4,4 million," said Cadariu.
The real figures indicate in 2022 a decrease of almost 50% in the number of foreign tourists compared to 2019, the year without restrictions imposed by the coronavirus
To compare data, one of the rules says that you have to measure apples with apples. In other words, you compare 2022, the first six months in our case, with 2019. These are years in which there were no restrictions imposed by the coronavirus pandemic. That is, the market was free, and the tourist was not forced to choose a certain destination because of the restrictions. Even the European Union, through the statistical office Eurostat, compares the two years, 2022 with 2019, when referring to the return of tourism. But also officials from countries with a tradition in tourism ( Spain , Portugal , France, Italy) and even Bulgarian neighbors have the same policy. Less, ours!
Probably, the minister also saw these figures and wanted to avoid the true state of Romanian tourism. If he didn't have them or they weren't given to him, then the minister needs to have an extremely serious discussion with his team. I'll give them a helping hand!
Let's get to the official figures of the National Institute of Statistics
In the first six months of 2022, according to the National Institute of Statistics, 631.492 foreign tourists were registered in our country. In the same period of 2019, the same institution shows that 1.206.645 foreign tourists visited us. In other words, the decrease is almost 50%.
The number of Romanian tourists also decreased compared to 2019. In the first six months of 2022, there were 609.010 fewer tourists compared to the same period in 2019.
Instead of concluding, I tell the people at the Ministry of Tourism that it's no use hiding the garbage under the mat, the mess will still come out.
Here is the reaction of the Minister of Tourism, Constantin Cadariu
In a reaction on Facebook, Minister Cadariu tries to sweeten yesterday's speech, but starts with a false statement, at least in the case of the article written by me. I did not say that 2022 is below 2021, just that the actual reporting is done in 2019. As even the minister mentioned in his own reaction. Mr. Cadariu, I come back with the advice to listen to your communication team or to temper yourself when you announce big victories that are actually just small steps towards reaching some numbers that the whole world refers to.
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