The summer season 2025 seems to be a failure, proof that many hotels will close faster this year. The high prices and less good conditions are the main causes that have driven the tourists on the coast and caused them to choose more than ever to vacation in countries like Greece, Turkey and Bulgaria.
The Romanian coast begins to lack tourists. Photo: Adevărul archive
The summer season this year was much weaker than other years, given that the payment with the holiday vouchers experienced a major decline, with almost 75%, according to market estimates. Even though the resorts were animated in August, it was not enough, and many operators decided to close earlier.
“2025 is a weaker year. After my flair, from the year we will have a decrease of 17-20%, and on the spa-5-7%mountain, we go to it. It was normal to happen, because the purchasing power has decreased, the prices have increased, as well as VAT, it will be a decrease,” said Alin Burcea, president of the National Association of Travel Agencies (ANAT), for terms.ro.
Seed shells and corn cocoons on the sand
Romanians complain that the Romanian coast has remained almost unchanged since the 90s, and the conditions are generally incomparably worse than in the resorts in other countries. In addition, the prices are unjustified high, from the perspective of customers.
“I was at the sea this year in Romania. Big mistake! Nothing has changed (almost) nothing compared to the years 80-90. I do not want to offend anyone, but this is the coast of the Manelists rather, not the coast of Romanians. How not to run the tourists when the beaches are full of seeds, the corn and the corn“, Someone commented.
An Internetaut tried to find an explanation for this situation.
“First you take advantage that they have put the vouchers and double the prices. After lowering the quality and you make 0 investments for 20 years. Ask the purchase price of a sunbed as rent per day and after the job you complain,” There was another opinion.
“The problem is that if you want to make investments now to climb the level with which the Romanian has become accustomed to Bulgaria and Greece is very expensive and it is not a very good time to spend money. This is, Romanian Horeca Patronache, if you do not put money when it is good, it is woe to you when it is bad.”, Smit someone else.
How real is the tourism crisis on the coast
There were also voices that claimed that as long as hotels are not closed, one cannot speak of a “failure” or a crisis in Horeca.
“I am not so convinced that this is a” failure “. If it were a failure, I would see a lot of hotel owners selling their business. I have not seen any news in this regard.”it was his opinion.
“I do not close after only a bad year. If 1-2 years are repeated in return …. let’s help them”a reply came. “And let’s see exodus of Romanian workers, all arrive through Italy ”someone reacted.
“I fail in the idea that this year has taken its boss only G Class of poor, not the G63 he hopes for”, wrote another. “And he had no place to take lambo to the child, he had to calm down at a 911”completed someone else.
The power of buying the Romanians was also brought in the discussion. Although officially Romanians are among the poorest Europeans, among many there is still the prospect that they live well in the country. “Let’s not exaggerate now with the purchasing power, people do not go because it is expensive garbage.”someone wrote.
He was immediately contradicted by one of those who believe that Romanians live well. “On the contrary. Purchase power has increased that most people allow their leave outside“He wrote.
Prices up to heaven
Another Internet user gave them justice, but he tuned: “There are both, when in Santorini you give 15 euros on the sunbed and in Mamaia 200 lei, I choose Santorini”. “Plus noise, cocalage, and it’s risky to eat wherever you go”, Another one intervened in question.
“If you are a serious man, you have employees and you have customers. If you have closed the hotel in August it means you are a cock”Someone wrote.
“Good, ask someone what they understood from all this and what are the plans for the next season“, Commented an internet.
The answer did not leave at all expected. “The year increases the prices to get the money from those few who come from”she pointed out.
“Oh not the first failure after decades and miserable and profitable conditions. What will the poor owners do now?? ”, Someone else asked rhetorically.
Others noted that this year the cars with number of Romania were majority in the resorts on the Bulgarian coast and more than ever in Greece.
“This year I saw many more cars with Romania in Bulgaria to Greece. My theory is that cutting vouchers made people orient themselves to the same money but much better services, not us,” someone commented.
“Some resorts in Bulgaria are almost full. It’s fun to walk and see 10 cars in Romania at one in Bulgaria”, The answer came.
Without vouchers has no charm the Romanian coast
“People were going that they had vouchers and they put something else, but out of their own pocket you really have to be stupid to give a lion in our coastal mess. I honestly don’t care and if they recondition everything and I do, I never go that when I was I felt and I would have a jerk that will be done there.“, A Internet use said.
“I gave in Constanța 1,010 lei with a 2 -night holiday voucher at a beautiful new hotel, but in Istanbul I found 5 nights similar at the same price. If I had no vouchers the decision was simple ”, someone said.
“Fresh from Greece, with lounge chair for 10 euros (included water drink to 1 euro to cocktail of 8.5 euros). And this at the only beach where I” paid “because the rest only asked you to consume from the bar.”he wrote another.
“I had a choice between going to us or neighbors. We went to neighbors because it is cheaper and the quality is clearly superior”, Other someone else commented.
The fact that the summer season would be a great failure for restaurant owners was contradicted by another Internet.
“There is no failure, I am at sea for a week and everything is without a fiscal voucher, without an invoice”, he noticed.
“Closed earlier is one, seeing them for sale”, Sitted someone else, while another Internet use was praised with the fact that he contributed to the current situation and explained how, from his perspective. “Proud that we have contributed to this, it will contribute to the year until we have honest services for the price paid.”
“The coast for all” holds all September
At the end of a successful season, the Federation of Patrons of Romanian Tourism (FPTR) launches the edition with the number 47 of the program “Coast for all”, carried out between 1 and 30 September 2025.
This edition brings a visible expansion of the program in almost all resorts, especially in the south of the coast, such as Mangalia, Jupiter, Saturn and Vama Veche, where the number of places allocated was increased.
Unlike the peak of the season, when the prices are higher and the beaches are crowded, September brings reduced rates by up to 60%, a much more relaxed atmosphere and services to the same quality standards. More and more hotels are provided with diversified packages, from simple to all inclusive accommodation, transforming the extrasezon into a real and attractive option for any category of tourists.
Even if tourists were cramming over the last hundred meters, the season can no longer be saved, says Alin Burcea. “The coast for all is relevant, it is a good program, it helps, but it is not fundamental. Normally at sea 1.4 million people come, and on the “coast for all” if 20,000 are made. Does not fundamentally change the data of the problem. Usually about 40-50 hotels are enrolled in this program, many will not want to enter, because they are going badly the season they close earlier“Says Burcea.
