The number of those who enter Moldova in the period between December 16 and January 1 is increasing. Victor Ciobanu, head of the Policy Monitoring and Assessment Service of the Tourism Agency of Moldova, has told Info-Prim Neo that those who enter the country in this period are mainly persons who work abroad and come home on vacation and those who have relatives and friends in Moldova. About 500,000 border crossings were recorded in December – January 2010, while in 2011 the figure rose by 160,000. About 100,000 persons came exclusively for the period of the winter holidays. Victor Ciobanu said the number of foreigners who come to Moldova has been on the rise over the last few years. It is not a vertiginous, but a constant rise. According to the National Bureau of Statistics, the travel agencies of Moldova in the first nine months of this year provided services to over 163,000 tourists and excursionists. In 2011, services were provided to 184,000 tourists and excursionists, up 14% on 2010. Victor Ciobanu stated that the incoming tourism, i.e., the persons who enter Moldova, grows at a higher pace. “We cannot compare ourselves with such countries as France and Spain or even Romania, which have mountains and sea. We have what we have. But, given that we are becoming more open towards Europe, the foreigners’ interest in Moldova has increased,” he said. Most of the foreign tourists and excursionists who come to Moldova are from Russia and Romania. There was also recorded a large number of tourists from Germany, Turkey, the UK, Italy, the U.S. and Poland.