Official statistics: 69.8 pct plunge for arrivals in Romania's tourist accommodation establishments this March

Arrivals in tourist accommodation establishments this March took a plunge of 69.8 pct from the year-ago period to 242,100, the National Institute of Statistics (INS) said on Tuesday. In February 2020, when the Covid-19 crisis had not yet taken its toll on the industry, the YoY decline in tourist arrivals had been 4.5 percent. Romanian tourists accounted for 85.9 percent of the total arrivals in tourist accommodation establishments this March. Visitors from Europe accounted for the highest share of foreign tourists' arrivals in accommodation establishments (76.6 percent of the total foreign tourists) and of these, visitors from EU countries represented 69.1 percent. Overnight stays in tourist accommodation facilities this March totaled 483,700, by 68.2 percent less compared to March 2019; February's YoY decline had been of just 6.1 percent. Romanian visitors accounted for 85.4 percent of the total overnight stays in March 2020 and foreigners - for the rest of 14.6 percent. Arrivals of foreign tourists registered at Romania's border checkpoints stood at 409,400 this March, down 50.1 percent YoY. AGERPRES (RO - author: Mariana Nica; editor: Andreea Marinescu; EN - author: Simona Klodnischi, editor: Simona Iacob)