Israelis Dramatically Increase Spending in Romania This Summer

Israeli tourists significantly boosted their spending in Romania during the summer of 2026, with expenditures surging by 211% compared to the previous year. This substantial increase, averaging 234 lei per transaction, positions Israel as one of the fastest-growing tourist markets for Romania. The data, compiled by Global Payments and published in Romania, indicates that payments made with Israeli-issued cards in July and August were more than triple the amount from the same period in 2025.

The average transaction value for Israelis, approximately 157.11 shekels, was notably high, though slightly below averages seen from American (252 lei) and Irish (331 lei) tourists. This surge is particularly significant as it originates from outside Romania's traditional European tourist markets. Other countries experiencing sharp increases in tourist spending included Turkey (81%) and the United States (76%).

Bucharest emerged as the primary destination for foreign tourist spending, with transactions totaling over 160 million lei in July-August, a 45% rise from the prior summer. Other key cities included Constanta, Timisoara, and Brasov, each recording over 44 million lei in payments.

Despite the impressive growth from Israel, the United Kingdom remains the largest market by total payment value in Romania, with over 45 million lei spent, a 53.5% increase. Germany and Italy followed with significant spending as well. Ukraine also saw a substantial jump in spending, rising to become a top-five source market by payment volume.

Overall, Romania experienced a notable influx of foreign tourists, with over 53,000 additional visitors in July alone compared to July 2025, representing a 20.4% increase. Year-to-date figures show a 9.8% growth in foreign visitors.