Bucharest, Jan 27 /Agerpres/ – Romanian tourism has made a strong comeback since 2023, returning to the pre-pandemic level of 2019, former president of the Council of Small and Medium-sized Private Enterprises, Social Democrat Senator Florin Jianu declared on Monday at the launch of the fourth edition of Romania’s White Paper on Tourism.

“Tourism has recovered and has been on the rise in 2024. It surpassed the performance of 2023, which was somehow a year of return to the pre-pandemic level. Two things are worth mentioning, namely: a higher rate of return of tourists to places where they have been before (around 75%, a very high percentage compared to 55-60% in previous years), but also the inflow of new tourists, 70% in 2024 compared to 65% in 2023,” Jianu said.

He noted that festivals were a major driving force for Romanian tourism, citing the example of the Sibiu Theatre Festival, which was for one month a tourist centerpiece, much to the benefit of the hospitality sector.

According to Jianu, the Craiova Christmas Festival also made a robust contribution to the surge in Romanian tourism.

The 4th edition of Romania’s White Paper on Tourism was launched on Monday in Bucharest at an event attended by the current and former president of the Council of Small and Medium-sized Private Enterprises, Florin Duma and Florin Jianu, respectively, the president of the Economic and Social Council Sterica Fudulea, the executive president of the Federation of Hospitality Industry Employers Calin Cozma, representatives of various tourism structures.

        President of the European Business Women’s Association Andreea Negru was the moderator of the event.