According to the statement sent on Monday by the National Institute of Statistics, in 2023, about 13.6 million tourists were registered to Romania, 85% of whom were our compatriots and only 15% were foreigners.

The average length of stay in 2023 was 2.1 days for both Romanian and foreign tourists.

The index of net use of tourist accommodation in 2023 was 30.7% of the total number of tourist accommodation facilities (including rental apartments and rooms), having increased by 1.3 percentage points compared to 2022.

By county, the number of tourists recorded higher values ​​in Bucharest (1.8 million people), Constanta (1.5 million people) and Brasov (1.5 million people)

By country, the largest number of foreign tourists came from: Germany (218,300 people), Italy (186,700 people) and Israel (150,500 people).

Departures of Romanian visitors abroad, registered at border points, amounted to 19.4 million people in 2023, which is 12.6% more than in 2022.

Tourism in Romania – comparison with Turkey

Turkey, one of the most important tourist destinations in the world, welcomed 56.7 million international tourists in 2023, a 10% increase from the previous year.

As announced by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Turkey, the country’s income from tourism increased by 17% compared to 2022 and reached 54.3 billion dollars, and the average spending of one night of accommodation of visitors was 99 dollars. The number of international tourists and revenues from tourism are declared record for the country.

Figures of Romanian tourists in Turkey

According to the Turkish Tourism Promotion and Development Authority (TGA), the number of Romanian tourists visiting Turkey in 2023 increased by 11.67% compared to the number registered in 2022. In 2023, Turkey received 999,005 Romanians and in 2022, their number was 886,555.

At the same time, among the most important regions of Turkey, Romanian tourists preferred to travel in 2023 to Istanbul or spend their stay in Antalya or Mugla (Bodrum, Marmaris, Fethiye). If we talk about the previously mentioned regions, the number of Romanian tourists increased in 2023 compared to 2022 as follows:

Antalya (+21.08% compared to 2022)

2023: 354,220

2022: 292,544

Istanbul (interval +18.94% January – November vs. 2022)

2023: 177,412

2022: 149,167

Mugla (+10.17% Bodrum, Marmaris, Fethiye vs. 2022)

2023: 24,288

2022: 22,045

Record tourist demand

Turkey, one of Europe’s favorite destinations for culture, art, gastronomy, cycling and religious tourism, as well as sea, sand and sun, experienced a record year in 2023. The country is set to attract 60 million tourists and generate tourism revenues of USD 60 billion by the end of 2024. Prioritizing market diversity in its tourism strategies, Turkey will continue to operate in its current strategic markets and focus on other new target markets in 2024.

The first country to sign the sustainable development protocol

Behind the success of Turkey’s tourism is a strategic and forward-looking policy aimed at creating a favorable environment for visitors. The country has transformed the tourism sector into a more sustainable and inclusive structure with responsible and sustainable policies. Turkey has become the first country in the world to sign and implement an agreement with the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) at the government level in 2022. Turkey’s Sustainable Tourism Program, which is the result of a cooperation agreement signed with GSTC, rewards current sustainable tourism practitioners and builds trust and credibility among visitors. Through this program, Turkey offers a variety of experiences, including cycling and walking routes designed to incorporate new cultural and historical attractions into the tourist circuit.