Tourism : 2021 – A good year for seaside tourism, but below expectations for business travel in Bucharest

Families with children and foreign tourists were the main customers, in the summer season 2021, of Rezident, the company that offers hotel apartments in Bucharest, Eforie Nord and Predeal for rent. The occupancy rate on the coast was 60%, overall, with a peak of 97% in August. In Bucharest, foreign tourists from Israel, Italy or Spain spent, on average, two days in Rezident apartments.   Besides tourist rental, this year the company also offered long-term contracts for some of the apartments owned in Bucharest, in the hybrid formula the offer being covered by students and young professionals.   The two-room apartments on the seaside are sought after primarily by families with children, but also groups of friends, thanks to the facilities and services offered, from fully equipped kitchen to digital check-in, 24/7 online reception, cleaning and dry cleaning services , parking, sunbeds on the nearby beach.   “The apartments in Eforie Nord are considered the beach house by those who rent them for the holidays. They  can cook on a regular basis, not only for breakfast, can receive visits from friends and relax on the terrace, they can enjoy the comfort different from one provided by a hotel ”, says Alexandra Bogatu, the founder of Rezident.   In the summer of 2021, reservations were made in advance, a month in advance, as opposed to 2020, when the apartments were occupied only a few days before. Half of the rents were paid with holiday vouchers.   At Rezident, the season started on April 27 and ended on October 4, with an occupancy rate of 60% in total, but the busiest months were July (95% occupancy), August (97%) and September (71%). Tourists stayed, on average, 3.85 days, the average rate for one night accommodation being 531 lei, from 504 lei / night last year.   “It was a good season for us, with reservations made in advance and a high degree of occupancy. Half of the reservations came directly, being our clients for several seasons, 40% came through booking and 10% from the travel agencies we work with “, states Alexandra Bogatu.   In Bucharest, Rezident received several foreign tourists from Israel, Italy, Spain, or Romanians from the diaspora who came for vacation, in July and August, who stayed 2-4 nights, while business travel customers decreased considerably. compared to 2019. The occupancy rate is 51% from January to the end of October, higher than last year. The most requested months were July (with an occupancy rate of 84% and more than two nights booked), August (86%), September (85%). Booking generated 80% of all bookings, with 20% being Resident customers. The average rental rate was 184 lei / night in 2021.   The same services offered by the company to all customers are used differently in Bucharest. If on the seaside the tourists want an interaction with the Rezident representatives, the client from Bucharest checks online, uses the office in the apartment, the internet, orders breakfast, calls the concierge for recommendations.   “We do not meet with clients from Bucharest. They are the kind of people for whom automated check-in is a plus, who use the kitchen only for coffee and who call the concierge to get information about what to visit in the city center and where to eat, not necessarily for a reservation. This year, the frequent question was where to test and where to find a pharmacy near the apartments “, states the founder of Rezident. In an atypical year due to the Covid pandemic, Rezident is also hosting students and young professionals on long term. Contracts are made for 10-12 months, with a monthly rent starting from 350 euros.   “In 2021, more than a half of our apartments have guests accommodated on long term”, Alexandra Bogatu  added.