Tourism surges amidst EU candidacy
Moldova's tourism sector is experiencing a surge in visitors, with a 14% increase in the number of tourists staying in accommodation facilities in the first nine months of 2023 compared to the same period in 2022.
This growth is being attributed to Moldova's recent status as a candidate country for accession to the European Union, as well as a series of high-profile events held in the country this year.
"Interest in Moldova is growing in 2023," said Andrei Chistol, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Culture. "Moldova has been the center of important events. We are in the full process of accession and opening up to the outside world."
The most popular tourist destination in Moldova is the capital city of Chișinău, which attracted 65.8% of all overnight stays in the first nine months of 2023. Over 20% of visitors stayed in the central part of the country, while the south and north regions saw a share of over 6% each. The least attractive region for tourists was the Gagauz autonomy, where the occupancy rate was about one percent.
The top five countries of origin for tourists visiting Moldova in the first nine months of 2023 were Ukraine, Romania, Germany, the United States, and Italy.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
