DOC // Tourism of Moldova enters new stage of development: over 600 million lei in investments, infrastructure, thousands of jobs created

Moldova aims to modernize its tourism infrastructure, strengthen training of specialists in the field and become an attractive destination for foreign visitors by diversifying its offer and more efficient turning to account of its cultural, natural and wine-making heritage. These actions are included in the National Tourism Development Programme, Tourism 2029, published in the Official Journal today.

The document will guide the development of the tourism sector of Moldova over the next four years. Its objective is to transform tourism into an engine of economic growth, capable of attracting more visitors, generating additional income for businesses and communities and creating new jobs across the country.

A budget of 618.2 million lei is planned for the period 2026–2029 for implementing the Programme. Through the planned measures, the authorities estimate an increase in tourism’s contribution to the national economy and the creation of around 5,000 new jobs.

The planned actions target the development and modernization of the tourism infrastructure, the training of specialists in the field and the promotion of the tourism offer through modern digital solutions. At the same time, the Programme will support the development of rural tourism and will contribute to a more efficient valorization of the cultural, natural and wine heritage of Moldova.

According to statistics data, in 2025 the tourism sector recorded over 600 thousand visitors and revenues of more than 5 billion lei, confirming the growing interest in the country’s tourist destinations.

Also, in the first quarter of 2026, Moldova was visited by 300 thousand tourists, the highest number recorded since independence. This figure confirms the upward trend of recent years: from 286.2 thousand foreign tourists in 2025 to 300.3 thousand in the first quarter of 2026.

Compared to 2019, the last year before the pandemic, Moldova registered a 62-per cent increase in arrivals of international tourists, placing the country among the top three European destinations in this regard.

Tourism is one of the sectors with significant development potential in Moldova, being closely linked both to the national economy and to promoting the country’s image abroad. In recent years, the authorities have sought to capitalize on cultural, wine and rural heritage as the main points of attraction for visitors.

In late last May, the government approved a project providing for the transfer of the tourism sector to the Economic Development and Digitalization Ministry, as part of an institutional reorganization process aimed at integrating it into a broader framework of public policies focused on economic development, investment, competitiveness and the promotion of Moldova.