Romania is aiming for a major leap in its tourism industry: a 20% annual increase in the number of foreign tourists, with the goal of reaching 10 million international visitors in the next seven years. Although incoming tourism represents only 15% of the hospitality sector, experts say Romania has enough assets to attract more travelers.
But is this objective realistic? Can Romania compete with established destinations like Bulgaria or Greece ? Or should it define its own model of success, focused on authentic experiences and unique attractions?
Can we compete with Bulgaria and Greece or should we find our own way?
At the moment, inbound tourism represents only 15% of the entire hospitality industry. The figures clearly show a major discrepancy: of the 14,4 million tourists who stayed in Romania in 2022, only 2,3 million were foreigners. Most choose Bucharest, a city that attracts international tourists thanks to its mix of nightlife, history and cultural events. However, outside the capital, too few visitors discover the beauties of the country, and this raises an important question: are we ready to become a top destination for foreign tourists or are we content with optimistic promises?
Despite some well-known problems, Romania has enormous potential in the international tourism market. Spa resorts, wineries, adventure tourism and rural experiences could attract waves of tourists, but they are insufficiently promoted. A good part of these attractions are well known to Romanians, but foreigners rarely find out about them. The main problem is not the lack of a quality tourism product, but rather the absence of a coherent promotion strategy.
We can grow by 20% per year, and in seven years we can reach 10 million foreign tourists.
Goodbye Voican
We don't lack a tourism product, we have a really good one, there are things to improve, but we're not doing badly in this regard.
Goodbye Voican
Adi Voican, vice president of the National Association of Travel Agencies, is optimistic and believes that Romania can reach 10 million international tourists in seven years. In his view, what is missing is not the tourism product, but better management of existing resources and a sustained marketing effort. "We have a good tourism product, there are things to improve, but we are not bad in this regard ," says Voican.
Compared to other destinations, Romania does not yet have the infrastructure needed for mass tourism like we see in Bulgaria or Greece . We do not yet have highways connecting major cities to tourist areas, public transportation is deficient, and hospitality services are uneven in standards. However, Romania does not necessarily have to compete with these countries, but rather create its own niche.
An essential aspect is that Romania can become a preferred destination for individual tourists, interested in authentic experiences . We will never compete with the Greek coast , but we can attract tourists through the uniqueness of our attractions. Traditional villages in Maramureș and Bucovina, medieval castles in Transylvania, wine tourism, mountain trails, the Danube Delta or spa resorts can become points of attraction for foreign tourists, if they are promoted intelligently.
In a world where travel is no longer just about beaches and luxury resorts, Romania can take advantage of modern tourism trends: authentic experiences , slow travel, ecotourism and local gastronomy. More and more tourists are looking for destinations that offer them more than just a vacation – they want to discover stories, cultures and places untouched by mass tourism.
But for this plan to become a reality, we need to take an important step: change the way we promote our country. We cannot rely on domestic tourism to support the entire industry. We need to make ourselves known abroad, collaborate with international agencies, and invest in effective marketing.
If we fail to attract foreign tourists now, in the digital age, when promoting a destination can be done with a single viral video on social media, then when?
