Romanians spent approximately €59 million at the cinema in 2024, a 5% decrease compared to 2023, according to data from Cushman & Wakefield Echinox. The downturn comes amid a 10% year-over-year increase in ticket prices and a 14% drop in the number of tickets sold.
In 2024, 11.2 million cinema tickets were sold nationwide, down from 13.1 million in 2023. The average ticket price jumped from 23.7 lei to 26.1 lei, contributing to the overall decline in cinema visits despite the increasing number of venues.
By the end of 2024, Romania had 108 cinemas, up from 103 the previous year. Multiplexes dominated the sector, generating over 96% of box office revenue and attracting 93% of all cinema-goers.
Top markets and regional trends
The cities with the highest number of cinema-goers in 2024 were in Bucharest – 3,496,225 (-13% YoY), Constanţa – 633,300 (-14%), Cluj-Napoca – 626,188 (-18%), Timișoara – 611,548 (-19%), and Brașov – 541,478 (-13%). These five cities accounted for 55% of total national attendance.
In 2023, the Romanian counties with the highest cinema visits per capita were Brașov – 2.05, Bucharest – 1.54, Brăila – 1.18, and Iași – 1.06. As for seat occupancy rates (spectators per seat per day), the leaders in 2024 were Iași – 1.26, Vrancea – 0.88, Ialomița – 0.84, Covasna – 0.82, Brașov – 0.58. Bucharest trailed with 0.46 spectators per seat per day.
