Arrivals in tourists accommodation units in Romania amounted to 5.7 million in the first eight months of 2014, up 5.5% year-on-year, according to recent data from the Romanian Statistics Institute INS.

The arrivals of Romanian tourists represented 77.9% of the total, while foreign tourists’ arrivals were 22.15%, which is close to the same period the previous year. Most of the foreign tourists were from Europe, namely over 77% of the total.

Arrivals at hotels represented 74.5% of the total arrivals in tourist accommodation units in the first eight months, up 6% compared to the same period in 2013.

The overnight stays totaled some 14 million in this period, representing a 5.7% increase over the first eight months the previous year. Overnight stays of Romanian tourists represented 82.1% of the total, while in the case of foreign tourists the share was of 17.9%, according to INS.

The average time of a stay was 2.6 days for Romanian tourists and 2 days for the foreigners.

The arrivals of foreign tourists to Romania, registered at the customs, amounted to 5.7 million between January and August this year, up 2% compared to the same period in 2013. Most of the foreign visitors came from European countries, namely 92.7 percent.

The departures of Romanian visitors abroad, registered at the customs, totaled over 8.4 million in the first eight months, up 7.1% year-on-year.

In August, tourist arrivals in accommodation units in Romania amounted to 1.2 million, up 8.2% from August 2013. The overnight stays also registered a year-on-year increase of 5.5%.

The arrivals of foreign tourists in Romania, registered at the customs, amounted to 1.1 million in August this year, a higher figure compared to the same month in 2013.

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