An analysis conducted by the Romanian organization Re:Rise in collaboration with The Guardian revealed that, as of late May, at least 207 tourist accommodations in Romania’s capital were located in buildings classified as RS1. This is the highest level of seismic risk.
Such accommodations are designed to accommodate more than 1,000 guests per day. Of these, 116 listings were posted on Booking.com, 47 on Airbnb, and another 44 were listed on both platforms.
The problem is particularly serious for Bucharest, which is considered the European Union’s most earthquake-prone capital. In 1977, a powerful 7.2-magnitude earthquake devastated part of the city: more than 1,500 people died, over 10,000 were injured, and dozens of buildings were destroyed.
Experts warn that another strong earthquake in the region is inevitable. Moreover, the consequences could be more severe than in the past, as a significant portion of the city’s buildings remain unsecured.
In 2024, Romania banned the rental of apartments and spaces in RS1-class buildings. In Bucharest, there are officially at least 404 such buildings. Violators face fines ranging from 1,000 to 2,000 euros.
However, this ban has not stopped such properties from appearing on travel platforms. Neither Airbnb nor Booking.com requires owners to indicate whether a building falls into the category of increased seismic risk.
“We did everything we could to alert the platforms to this problem, but they replied that the responsibility lies with the owners, not with them,” said Matei Sumbasaku, a structural engineer and founder of Re:Rise.
Property Owners Conceal Seismic Risk
According to the organization, most owners did not inform tourists about the actual condition of the buildings. Only two of the verified listings contained information about high seismic risk, but even there, the danger was described as a characteristic of old historic buildings.
One of the listings offered tourists a two-room apartment near University Square in central Bucharest for approximately 100 euros per night. The accommodation was described as a designer apartment for six people. However, one guest review noted that the building looked “old and suspicious from the outside.”
It is also difficult for foreign tourists to independently assess the danger posed by a building. According to Romanian regulations, RS1-class buildings must have a red sign at the entrance warning of seismic risk. However, the sign is written in Romanian and is often incomprehensible to visitors.
After contacting Airbnb and Booking.com, Re:Rise activists began warning guests on their own. Volunteers placed stickers with QR codes near some properties, which link to information about the building’s seismic status.
City Hall Conducts Inspections
The Bucharest City Hall stated that inspections are being carried out in response to complaints, and that owners of hazardous buildings had previously been notified of the ban on renting them out. According to the city administration, approximately 3,000 notices were sent to property owners.
Airbnb reported that it is reviewing information about potentially dangerous properties and may remove listings if owners fail to confirm the safety of their accommodations. Booking.com stated that the platform’s partners are required to comply with local laws.
It should be noted that Bucharest remains Romania’s main tourist hub. According to the country’s National Institute of Statistics, more than 2 million tourists visited the capital in 2025.
At the same time, the problem of the city’s aging housing stock remains one of the main threats to the city. According to a 2022 assessment by the Bucharest Emergency Committee, a strong earthquake could seriously damage about 23,000 buildings, result in the deaths of approximately 6,500 people, and leave about 16,000 injured.
