Main Characteristics of Incoming Travel Packages in Romania. Study Case: Tours Including Cluj-Napoca

Loredana Maria Talpoș,Cristina Bolog

doi:10.24193/subbgeogr.2019.2.05

Abstract

"Main Characteristics of Incoming Travel Packages in Romania. Study Case: Tours Including Cluj-Napoca. The main purpose of this study is analyzing the features of tourist packages (tours) created and marketed by tour operators to foreign tourists visiting one of the main cities in Romania, Cluj-Napoca. The secondary objectives are identifying the characteristics of the travel packages, the features of tourists’ stay in Cluj-Napoca and the presence of this travel destination in tourist products. Thus, the focused territory is the city of Cluj-Napoca. Nevertheless, we analyzed the whole tourist package, in order to place the stay in this travel destination in the general context. An analysis grid was designed, choosing the proper variables. Data was collected by content analysis of the description of tourist packages existing on the websites of the incoming travel agencies in Romania. 394 tours of at least 2 overnights, 8 tours with one overnight and 45 one day trips could be found and analysed. Information was found regarding aspects such as: length of stay, access and chosen means of transportation, accommodation type and meals included, the extent to which tour guiding services are included and other services, facilities and activities provided. Collected data was processed, graphs were created and analysis and interpretation of results was performed. We opted to use Microsoft Excel to create the table of the analysis grid where data regarding the chosen variable was introduced and the graphs were created in the same program. For tours with at least 2 overnights, there are tours including 7 overnights in Romania and only one night or without overnight in Cluj-Napoca, plane to arrive in Romania and road access to Cluj-Napoca, preference for hotels, half-board for meals, tour guiding services for the whole circuit and few activities, facilities and other services included. Also, there are few one-day trips or trips with one overnight and they provide especially transportation, accommodation, meals and tour-guiding, being provided few and poor diversity of other activities, services or facilities. Keywords: incoming tourism, tourist packages characteristics, travel destination, Romania, Cluj-Napoca. "

Highlights

We are in the age of travel (Postelnicu & Dabija, 2016), noticing the growth of international tourism, a sector of the economy registering growth in both international tourism (5% in general and in Europe) and earnings (4% in general and in Europe) in the year 2018 (UNWTO, 2019)
It was found that 94 incoming travel agencies, having their headquarters in Romania, had incoming travel packages on their websites
It can be mentioned that this travel destination is insufficiently exploited by being included in travel packages

Summary

Introduction

We are in the age of travel (Postelnicu & Dabija, 2016), noticing the growth of international tourism, a sector of the economy registering growth in both international tourism (5% in general and in Europe) and earnings (4% in general and in Europe) in the year 2018 (UNWTO, 2019). International travel will become more frequent and easier to be realized due to three trends: an expanding global middle class, an aging global population and, last but not least, improved technology and infrastructure (World Economic Forum, 2017). In this context, inbound tourism is a popular topic for research. Romania is a travel destination for incoming tourism, being located in one of the four “vacation lakes” created after 1990 mentioned by UNWTO This country can be a travel destination due to its various potential suitable for both sunlust and wonderlust tourists. There are good air connections ( by low-cost flights) and the country is a popular destination to be discovered (both in terms of physical tourist objectives and habits)

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Conclusion