The most recent data for the first nine months of 2008 show continuing buoyant growth in foreign visitorarrivals, up 20.1% year-on-year (y-o-y) to nearly 6.9mn visitors, although the growth rate has slowedduring the course of the year. Almost 95% of arrivals came from European countries, while 62.2% werefrom the EU member states. Hungary accounted for the largest proportion of visitors (some 34% of thetotal). Romanian departures abroad were up nearly 21% y-o-y to 10.2mn over the same period.
Hospitality
Latest official figures for the period January to September 2008 suggest that the hospitality sector is in fora disappointing year, compared with the buoyancy of 2007. Data show that tourism nights in allaccommodation establishments amounted to almost 16.7mn (foreign and domestic tourists), up just 1%compared with the same period a year earlier. Foreign tourists, however, recorded a 5.6% y-o-y decline inovernight stays to about 2.7mn (some 16% of the total). In line with this fall, foreign visitor arrivals incollective accommodation establishments also declined, by over 4% y-o-y to around 1.2mn visitors (some21% of total arrivals). Hotel occupancy rates were 36.4%, which was slightly weaker y-o-y.
Forecast Scenario
Although growth in foreign visitor arrivals is expected to remain robust in 2008, the rate of growth is setto be markedly lower than in the previous year. Moreover, BMI anticipates a further slowdown in growthin 2009, with the growth rate expected to pick up in the following year. The outlook derives largely fromdownward revisions this quarter to real GDP growth in the eurozone - the major source of arrivals inRomania - along with a forecast of modest economic growth over the short term in Hungary.
Tarom
Figures for the first nine months of 2008 for the national flag carrier, Tarom, record a moderation in thegrowth of passenger numbers (compared with very strong growth in 2007), with a 10% y-o-y increase toalmost 1.4mn. Moreover, in recent months, growth has been especially weak, with traffic up just 1.4% yo-y in August, while in September passenger numbers declined 1.6% y-o-y.Wizz AirHungarian low-cost carrier Wizz Air will add three new Airbus A320 aircraft and double its capacity inRomania in the coming months. The first new aircraft will be operated from Timisoara (Wizz Air’s 10thbase and third in Romania) from February 2009. The new routes from Timisoara will be to London,Dortmund, Rome, Milan, Venice, Barcelona, Paris and Valencia. Operations in Bucharest will also beexpanded with a new A320 aircraft, providing increased frequencies on existing services and new routesfrom Bucharest to Madrid, Paris and Bologna, from March 2009. Cluj-Napoca will also receive an A320aircraft from May 2009. The new capacity will be deployed for increasing frequencies on the currentnetwork and opening new routes from Cluj-Napoca to Paris, Madrid, Bologna and Venice.Romania Tourism Industry SWOT
(0 items)
