Tourism of the Republic of Moldova repositioned within the state’s economic architecture: transfer to the Ministry of Economic Development and Digitalization of the Republic of Moldova

The Government of the Republic of Moldova has approved a significant institutional reorganization whereby the tourism sector is transferred to the portfolio of the Ministry of Economic Development and Digitalization (MDED), in a move that marks a paradigm shift: the transition of tourism from a predominantly cultural-promotional area to an integrated economic approach focused on investment, competitiveness, and regional development.

The decision was adopted during the Government meeting and is supported by the authorities as part of a broader process of institutional consolidation and alignment with economic modernization objectives and the transposition of European Union legislation.

Tourism – integrated into economic and digitalization policy

According to the new structure, tourism will be managed directly by MDED, including through the takeover and integration of the National Tourism Office under the ministry’s authority. The measure aims to ensure more efficient coordination of promotion, investment, and sector development policies within a unified national economic framework.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Development and Digitalization, Eugeniu Osmochescu, emphasized that the reform does not exclude the cultural component of tourism, but rather connects it more closely with the state’s economic and external promotion objectives.

The official stated that the ministry will continue its cooperation with the Ministry of Culture, especially in projects aimed at capitalizing on cultural heritage, including in partnership with international actors.

Private sector position: tourism as a complex economic industry

The reform was welcomed by the National Employers’ Association of the Tourism Industry of the Republic of Moldova (APIT), which considers the decision a recognition of the sector’s true economic nature.

According to APIT, tourism is not only a cultural promotion field, but a complex economic ecosystem that includes SMEs, investments, service exports, jobs, mobility, and regional development. From this perspective, integration into the economic sphere is seen as a stage of institutional maturity.

The association also expressed its expectation that the new administrative framework will lead to the consolidation of the role of the National Tourism Office and to stronger dialogue between authorities, the private sector, and development partners.

Administrative reorganization and expansion of institutional capacity

The reform also brings an adjustment to the structure of MDED, which will be expanded by 33 staff positions, including the introduction of a fifth state secretary. The authorities justify this expansion by the need to strengthen administrative capacity for managing newly transferred sectors, including tourism and digital innovation.

The additional costs associated with the changes are estimated at over 10.4 million lei annually, while the actual implementation of the draft decision is valued at approximately 1.044 million lei.

Economic and development implications

The authorities emphasize that the new institutional model aims to ensure a cross-sectoral approach to tourism, linked to investment, infrastructure, education, environment, and the international promotion of the Republic of Moldova. In this sense, the sector is viewed as a tool for economic growth and for strengthening the country’s image on external markets.

In recent years, Moldovan tourism has been supported through the valorization of cultural heritage, the wine industry, and rural tourism, areas considered essential for attracting visitors and fostering regional development.

Conclusion

The transfer of tourism to the Ministry of Economic Development and Digitalization marks a strategic shift in the way the sector is administered, orienting it more clearly toward economic and investment objectives. At the same time, authorities and the private sector rely on maintaining the cultural component as a defining element of the Republic of Moldova’s tourism identity, within an integrated governance model.