Study on Sibiu tourism market

Sibiu City Hall contracted a study about Sibiu’s profile as tourism destination at the beginning of this year.

The study is carried out by the European Association for Leisure Time and Tourism Studies ATLAS, which will also analyze the tourist’s profile in Sibiu and several indicators to quantify the tourism results obtained by Sibiu city.

Filling the questionnaires started in August 2009, 3,500 questionnaires have been filled in so far. The envisaged period for the study was 2001 - 2009.  

The second phase of the study will take place between November and December and the final results will be announced in 2010.

The company performing the study has sent to the City Hall some preliminary results.

Thus, the quality of visits in Sibiu has increased. In 2001, Sibiu was graded with 7.75, while in 2009 obtained 9 on a scale from 1 to 10.

This result is justified by the investments in infrastructure, which improved the image of the city, but it is also due to the improvement of conditions for tourists in accommodation units, as well as in food & beverage facilities.

Regarding the average expenditure of a visitor in Sibiu, it registered an increase from EUR 200 per stay in 2004 to over EUR 350 in 2007 and over EUR 400 in 2009.

Total revenues from hotel taxes increased yearly, from EUR 17,625 collected by Sibiu Fiscal Administration in May 2005, to EUR 39,232 in May 2007 and to EUR 33,368 in May 2009.

According to the study, if in 2006 Sibiu was considered as European Cultural destination for the first time, ranking before the last position among main European cities with cultural potential, in 2009 Sibiu ranks 5th, the image having been considerably improved.    

Sursa: Adevarul [01.10.2009], Financiarul [03.10.2009]