Over 60,000 tourists are expected to go to the seaside for the May 1 mini-break this year, up 15% year-on-year, with Mamaia and Vama Veche among most popular destinations.

Moreover, tourism authorities and companies expect over 3,000 foreign tourists.

“We expected over 3,000 foreign tourists for this May 1 mini-break, mainly from the UK, France and Germany. The more intense promotion made abroad last year for seaside events at the beginning of the season, started to show its effects,” said Mirela Matichescu, vice-president of the National Tourism Authority (ANT), cited by local Mediafax.

She added that the VAT rate of 9% for tourism packages made this year’s offers more attractive than in previous years. "Moreover, May 1 is on a Friday, so tourists will have three consecutive days off. This is why we see a 15% higher demand for seaside holidays.”

Last year’s May 1 mini-break brought some 53,000 tourism to the Romanian seaside. Almost half of them, namely 25,000, were registered in Mamaia resort, and the number is expected to increase this year.

The events organized in Romania’s seaside resorts will also attract the tourists.

Some 90,000 Romanians spent the May 1 mini-break in the country last year, 10% than in the previous year. They spent around RON 50 million (EUR 11.2 million) on accommodation, food and entertainment.

Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com