WTTC: Romania has tourism receipts valued at EUR 7 bn.

According to a study carried out by World Travel & Tourism Council, WTTC together with Oxford Economics, on 181 countries, Romania will register receipts of EUR 7 bn. from tourism activities this year, accounting for 5.7% in the GDP.

Last year, tourism had a contribution to GDP of 3.5%, reaching approximately EUR 4.5 bn., according to the National Institute of Statistics.

According to the study of WTTC, Romania ranks the last but one position among European countries, considering the share of tourism to the GDP, following countries such as Bulgaria, Hungary or Austria. Considering annualized growth rate of the share in GDP (5%), Romania ranks the third.

The data of the study shows that until 2019, the contribution of tourism to GDP will increase from 5.7% this year to 6.6%, up to EUR 19 bn.

According to the study, foreign tourists are expected to spend EUR 2.6 bn. in Romania in 2009, reaching EUR 9.6 bn. in the next 10 years.

Business tourism will generate EUR 575 mil. this year, while individual tourism will represent EUR 3.7 bn.

The WTTC analysts consider that the number of employees will reach 582,000 persons this year, also including the activities indirectly related to tourism, accounting for 6.8% of the total employees in the country.  It is estimated that the number of jobs in tourism will increase to 631,000 in 2019, accounting for 7.9% in the total employment in Romania.

Sursa: Daily Business [08.04.2009], Ziarul Financiar [08.04.2009]