Romanian tourism sees 6% drop in early 2026 as arrivals and overnight stays fall

Official data show that Romania’s tourism sector recorded a sharp decline in the first four months of 2026. In April, accommodation providers reported about 813,600 arrivals, 7 % fewer than a year earlier, and total overnight stays fell 11.6 % to roughly 1.52 million. Across January–April the number of arrivals dropped 6.1 % to 3.166 million and overnight stays fell 8 % to 5.97 million. The net occupancy index slipped to around 20 % (20.3 % in April, 20.7 % for the January‑April period). Domestic tourists accounted for roughly 80 % of arrivals and 77 % of overnight stays, while foreign visitors made up about 20 % of arrivals, mainly from Italy, Germany and the United Kingdom. The most visited Romanian destinations were Bucharest, Brașov and Cluj, with Bucharest also leading in overnight stays.

Separately, consumer‑protection advice highlighted a rise in Airbnb‑related scams targeting Romanian travellers. The platform urges users to keep all payments within the Airbnb app, avoid advance payments to hosts outside the system, and report suspicious accounts, as fraudsters increasingly promise discounts in exchange for off‑platform transfers.