Eastern Europe enjoyed the fastest rise in tourist numbers this summer with branded hotels taking advantage of the surge in interest to sign multiple deals.
According to the World Economic Forum, Romania, Slovakia and the Czech Republic have seen the biggest rise in tourist numbers with a more than 10% increase in visitors since 2014, reports Hotel Management.
The Balkans have benefited from EU funding for regional initiatives including a project for promoting tourism in the Lower Danube Region shared by Romania and Bulgaria.
According to the Office for National Statistics, since 2011, the number of visits made by British travellers to Romania has increased by 150%, with British tourists spending £243 million in Romania last year alone.
The top source market for the Balkan regions are mainly neighboring countries Hungary and Germany, but new growth in other source markets include British and Russian tourists seeking a cheap beach alternatives to Egypt and Tunisia.
There is a strong appetite for branded properties across the region and hotels are viewed as a viable asset class, attracting external investment and local government support for development.
