The mountain resorts in Romania's Prahova Valley (Sinaia, Busteni, Azuga, Predeal) and Poiana Brasov are the most popular destinations for the winter holidays. Romanians flock to spend the days around Christmas and New Year's Eve in these resorts, although the price of a holiday here is often higher than the price of a skiing holiday in Austria.

While some hotels and guesthouses in these mountain resorts are almost empty during the year, and only in some snowy weekends their occupancy rate goes over 90%, things change on Christmas and the New Year’s Eve. In this period, the accommodation demand in these resorts is two times higher than the supply, according to Dragos Raducan, vice-president of the Romanian Tourism Employers Federation (FPTR), reports local Profit.ro.

“If we are lucky and there will also be snow, then the demand will be three times higher than the offer,” Raducan said.

The tourists also started booking rooms earlier at hotels and guesthouses in Prahova Valley and Poiana Brasov. A few years ago, hotel owners were sure their units would be fully occupied around December 1. Now, the good ones are alredy booked at the begining of November.

Poiana Brasov, and Sinaia and Predeal mountain resorts in Prahova Valley, are the most popular destinations on New Year’s Eve. The tourists mainly prefer 2, 3, and 4-star hotels with quality services.

Last year, some 150,000 Romanians spent the Christmas and New Year’s Eve in mountain resorts from Romania or abroad, spending around EUR 36 million. However, most of them chose mountain resort from abroad, only 36,000 spending their winter holidays in Romanian resorts.

Other popular destinations in Romania for the winter holidays are Bran-Moeciu, Paltinis, Marginimea Sibiului, Ranca as well as the villages in Bucovina and Maramures.

Multinationals in Romania invest EUR 5,000-40,000 in Christmas parties

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