More than 1.5 million foreign tourists were accommodated in the profile units in Romania in the first nine months of this year, and their expenses exceeded 3.9 billion RON (rd 780 million euros), respectively 2,578 RON/person, according to the data published on Friday by the Institute National Statistics Office (INS).

Business trips (including participation in congresses, conferences, courses, fairs and exhibitions) represented the main reason for the stay spent by 50.1% of non-resident tourists arriving in Romania between January and September 2023, their expenses representing 55.1% from the total spending.

Among the non-resident tourists who arrived in Romania, 49.9% traveled for private purposes, their expenses representing 44.9% of the total spending. Private purpose travel includes travel for vacations, shopping, cultural and sporting events, visiting friends and relatives, medical treatment, religion, transit and other activities.

As many as 39.3% of non-resident tourists organized their stay by themselves, 38.3% organized their stay through a travel agency, 13.1% opted for other ways of organizing the trip, while 9.3 % organized their trip both on their own and through a travel agency.

The main means of transport used to arrive in Romania in the first nine months of 2023 was the plane, used by 74.9% of the total number of tourists, while 17.3% used their own cars, 5.7% coaches and buses, 0.8% river boats and 0.4% train and 0.9% arrived with other means of transport (rented cars, motorcycles, etc.).