Research and Markets: Romania Tourism Report Q3 2011 - Resident Departures Abroad Fell an Annual 7% in 2010, Following an Even Larger Fall Of 10% in the Previous Year

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Research and Markets(http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/7082d7/romania_tourism_re) has announced the addition of the "Romania Tourism Report Q3 2011" report to their offering.

Tourism Overview

After Romania recorded an extremely poor performance for foreign visitor arrivals in 2009 the downturn in the tourism sector appears to have almost bottomed out, with only a modest annual decline in arrivals of 1% in 2010. The most recent figures for the first two months of 2011 continue to show a slight fall in foreign visitors of about 2% year-on-year (y-o-y). Resident departures abroad fell an annual 7% in 2010, following an even larger fall of 10% in the previous year.

Hospitality

Figures for 2010 show further deterioration in the hospitality sector following a slump in 2009, although signs of recovery were evident in the final months of the year. The total number of tourist nights by domestic tourists was down a sizeable 9% y-o-y in 2010. Foreign tourist nights, however, were up an annual 3.7% (accounting for some 17% of total overnight stays). Latest figures for the first two months of 2011 record robust growth in the sector, with the total number of tourist nights in all accommodation establishments up by almost 14% y-o-y. Nights by foreign and domestic tourists increased 11.5% and 14.5% y-o-y respectively.

Forecast Scenario

Based on continuing relatively subdued data on arrivals over recent months, BMI has revised down its expectations for recovery in 2011, with an annual growth forecast for arrivals now at 5%. Growth in arrivals should pick up in 2012, however. The forecasts are based on steady growth in the major source region - the Eurozone - going into 2011 (edged up this quarter to 1.8%), with growth unchanged in 2012.

Bucharest Henri Coanda International Airport

Following a fall in passenger numbers at Romania's largest airport, Bucharest Henri Coanda International Airport (BHCIA), of more than 11% y-o-y in 2009, there was a favourable rebound in traffic in 2010, with numbers up an annual 9.7% to just over 4.9mn. Of the passengers who boarded at the airport, 41% travelled to Schengen destinations.

Airlines

Romanian airline Carpatair reported a 13% y-o-y increase in passenger traffic in 2010. In April 2011, the carrier began direct flights from Iasi to Rome. In March, the Romanian low-cost market leader, Hungarian carrier Wizz Air, announced it was opening its fourth Romanian operating base in Tirgu Mures. From June, the airline will add seven new routes from Tirgu Mures to the already existing Budapest and London services. The new routes are Barcelona, Rome Fiumicino, Paris Beauvais, Milan Bergamo, Madrid, Dortmund and Bologna Forli. From May, Turkish low-cost carrier Pegasus Airlines introduced five weekly flights on the Bucharest-Istanbul route.

Danubius Hotels Group

Preliminary results for Hungary's Danubius Hotels Group show consolidated group revenues totalled over HUF42.9bn (US$226mn) in 2010, down 1% in local currency terms on the previous year, while operating profit totalled HUF357mn (US$1.9mn), down nearly 70% y-o-y. After a very poor performance in 2009, results for Romanian hotels in 2010 remained weak, with revenues down by 2% y-o-y to under HUF1.5bn (US$7mn). Profit before tax rose by an annual 2% to HUF217mn (some US$1mn). The occupancy rate in Romanian hotels was largely unchanged in 2010 compared with a year earlier, at 56.7%.

Companies Mentioned:

• Austrian Airlines
• Hilton Worldwide
• SIF Transilvania
• Tarom
• Unita Turism Holding

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/7082d7/romania_tourism_re