Tourism In Romania Research Articles

The Valuation of the Urban Ecotourism Potential of the Volcanic Geomorphohydrosite Băile Tuşnad in Harghita County, Romania

Băile Tușnad, also known as “Little Switzerland”, “The Land of Mineral Waters”, “The Pearl of Transylvania” or “The Pearl of Spa Tourism in Romania”, was once the pride and effervescence of spa tourism in Romania. Officially, it is the smallest town in the country, and through the unique charm of its landscape and natural heritage it has earned its national and international reputation. A new opportunity for the development of the resort in 2023 is the promotion of the town by the Ministry of Entrepreneurship and Tourism (MET) as a new ecotourism destination in the country. Thus, the area might become the 7th ecotourism destination in Romania, being one of the most representative volcanic geomorphohydrosites in the Harghita Mountains (Eastern Carpathians). The objective of the study was to evaluate the ecotourism potential of the settlement and the region using methods applied in academic literature for urban and rural geomorphosites, as well as to justify the importance of this ecotourism destination based on tourist circulation data. In the evaluation process of the ecotourism potential the resort receives 84% of the maximum score according to the methodology, and the tourist circulation data support the important contribution that the resort has in Harghita County, with increasing prospects after the recovery from the pandemic period.

REVIEW OF THE PANDEMIC PERIOD, REORGANIZATION OF THE SZEKLERLAND’S TOURISM OFFER

The study seeks to answer the question of how the counties of Szeklerland, Harghita, Covasna and Mureș in Romania have changed in recent years, primarily between 2017 and 2022, in the middle of which period the pandemic which began in 2020, triggered various difficulties. Data from the Romanian National Statistical Institute were used in the research, providing insights into the changes in tourism in Romania and Szeklerland. The data include yearly changes, such as changes in the number of accommodation establishments, their occupancy rates or the number of guests arriving at the establishments, as well as monthly breakdowns, which are mainly necessary for the analysis of seasonality. The results obtained from the secondary data analysis used in the study reflect the nature of the difficulties faced by the tourism sector during the pandemic period and the trends in the efficiency of tourism supply in the period preceding and following the pandemic. The 2010s have clearly been a year of step-by-step development and minor successes in tourism, culminating in 2019 in terms of the turnover of accommodation in Szeklerland. During this period, a number of new tourist units opened their doors, with 35,889 new beds added in Transylvania between 2012 and 2022 and 2,427 new beds added in Szeklerland between 2012 and 2022. After a good period for the sector, a slight change in trend started in 2020, mainly due to the fact that tourists started to prefer trips that require less personal contact with other tourists, but also due to a significant change in their accommodation needs, with an increase in both the number of accommodation units and the number of beds for higher quality accommodation types, while the opposite is observed for lower quality accommodation types.

Climatic Suitability for Outdoor Tourism in Romania’s Big Cities

This research aims to assess the climatic temporal suitability over the year and identify the appropriate season for open-air tourism in ten Romanian cities. It was evaluated using the Enhanced Tourism Climatic Index on a temporal scale of one day and then aggregated to 10 days over 61 years (1961–2021). Daily mean and maximum temperature, mean and minimum relative humidity, wind speed, precipitation, and sunshine hours were employed in the investigation. The Mann–Kendall test and Sen’s slope were used for trend detection in the frequency, season duration, and first/last suitable day during the year for outdoor tourism. Acceptable or better weather conditions usually begin in the last part of April and end in mid-October, with Good or better conditions lasting between 260 and 310 days/year. The trend shows a shift of Good conditions earlier in the year (0.3–9.0 days/decade), resulting in a longer season duration (0.8–13.0 days/decade) for open-air activities. The trend is statistically significant mainly for the extra-Carpathian regions. Big differences in open-air events number during the climatically suitable season have been identified among the cities considered (2–19 events/year). This study is useful for better planning open-air events and activities for tourism and recreation.

The Potential Effect of Video Games on Tourism in Romania. Case Study: Resident Evil Village

Abstract Tourism induced by video games represents a new form of tourism that is emerging as an opportunity for economic development. Due to its particular characteristics, the tourism induced by video games stands out as an attractive form and related to a special category of tourists, namely those who are part of the gaming industry. The purpose of the study is focused on the identification and analysis of Romania’s tourist attractiveness elements, within the Resident Evil Village game based on a comparison between the frames presented in the game and frames from reality. At the same time, the development of the study also included the analysis of the evolution of tourism induced by video games by consulting the specialized literature. The main results of the study were highlighted by the identification of multiple elements and locations related to Transylvania within the video game, thus shaping an innovative touristic image of the historical province through the video game. Also, the potential effect of presenting these elements of cultural identity can stimulate tourist motivation.

Sustainable Tourism in Romania: Integrating Economic, Social and Environmental Dimensions

Abstract Tourism and sustainable development are two interlinked areas, as tourism in its traditional form can bring significant economic and social benefits, but can also have a negative impact on the environment and local communities. Due to global changes that have occurred in recent years, such as population growth, accelerated urbanisation, climate change and threats to biodiversity, research in tourism and sustainable development is becoming essential to create a more responsible and balanced approach to these activities. In this paper we have focused on presenting the evolution of tourism over the period 1992-2021 and testing linear multiple regression analyses to establish the nature and extent of relationships between tourism, economic, social and environmental indicators, thereby demonstrating the impact of tourism on sustainable development. The econometric applications carried out in this work - a combined model for studying the intention of tourists to return to a tourist destination, a regression model taking into account spatial elements for evaluating the defining characteristics of accommodation units in Romanian tourism and a growth optimisation model taking into account the influence of the environment - allow the quantification of different categories of impact generated by tourism activities.

Financing of Rural Tourism in Romania, Serbia and Montenegro in the Period of Integration into the European Union

Abstract Rural tourism, viewed from the aspect of agricultural farms, provides additional income, enables the creation of new jobs, but also provides a market for the placement of agricultural products. Adequate sources of financing are needed, which would enable the development of this activity, significant for agricultural farms, the local rural economy, but also for the entire country. In the section dedicated to relevant sources from the literature, the views of the cited authors point to the conclusion that the growth of rural tourism requires a strategy, which should be interdisciplinary, as well as adequate means of financing. The purpose of the paper is to present the sources of financing rural tourism in the period of integration into the European Union (pre-accession period) in Romania, Serbia and Montenegro. The pre-accession period for EU membership is still ongoing in Serbia and Montenegro, so the final effects of these funds will only be seen in the future. To answer the research question formulated: "How do the sources and methods of financing rural tourism vary in Romania, Serbia, and Montenegro during the period of integration into the European Union, and what is the impact of these differences on the development and sustainability of rural tourism in each country?", the authors use descriptive and desk research method, like us, methods of analysis and synthesis. The authors suggest that Romania has effectively utilized EU pre-accession financial tools to foster growth in this sector, indicating that its approach could serve as a model for Serbia and Montenegro.

RESEARCH ON THE PLACE AND ROLE OF TOURISM IN THE RURAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE BANAT MOUNTAINS, CARAȘ SEVERIN COUNTY

In the paper we aimed to carry out comparative research on the general state of tourism in Romania, in the mountainous Banat and some Balkan countries, from which it results that Romania is far below the level of competing countries in terms of tourism development. There are many reasons for this situation, out of which two are decisive: the absence of a national strategy for the medium and long-term development of Romanian tourism and the absence of tourism among the development priorities of the Romanian economy branches, even though Romania's natural tourism offer is exceptional. In addition to these two determining causes, there is a poor state of infrastructure of all kinds and, what is more unfavourable, an extremely weak and ineffective promotion of Romanian tourism at national and, above all, international level, as well as the existence of a large number of ecological problems and touristic sites left in ruins, all of which are detrimental to the development of mountain tourism. The removal of causes that generate the current state of tourism in Romania and in the Banat Mountains of Caraş-Severin County might be the main way of local development.

The Effects of the Pandemic on Romanian Incoming Tourism

In this paper we study the impact of Covid-19 pandemics on the incoming tourism in Romania. Following the typology of crises in general and the specific nature of the Covid crisis, we will see what effects this most recent pandemic had globally and what economic policies were taken to counteract the adverse effects of the pandemic. We will see that the lockdown and mobility restrictions at European level have led to a free fall of the incoming tourism, increasing the share of domestic tourism on the one side, while on the other hand we observe the tendency of people to move to the countryside. There have been observed some trends that favoured nature tourism, but we also witnessed, that OECD recommends continuing with a more sustainable tourism. We witnessed in 2022 a recovery of tourism in the European Union, which seems to invalidate the trends reiterated by OECD. Through a statistical regression we try to forecast the trend of incoming tourism in Romania, which gives us two possible directions of its evolution. Analysing the pessimistic case, we also identify systemic risks at the level of Romanian incoming tourism, that is focusing on a few countries only, so we see diversification as a very urgent matter for Romanian tourism.

THE GEOSTATISTICAL DIMENSION OF TOURIST FLOWS GENERATED BY FOREIGN TOURISTS IN ROMANIA

The article represents a comprehensive and insightful study aiming to unravel the intricate dynamics of foreign tourism within Romania. This research delves into various key aspects, employing a geostatistical approach to offer a nuanced understanding of the spatial and temporal dimensions of foreign tourist flows. One of the primary inquiries addressed by the study revolves around the quantitative assessment of foreign tourists visiting Romania. By meticulously analyzing arrival data, the research seeks to provide a comprehensive overview of the sheer number of foreign visitors the country attracts. This quantitative dimension is crucial for assessing the overall impact of tourism on the national economy and informing strategic decisions in the tourism sector. Moving beyond mere numbers, the study ventures into the temporal aspect of foreign tourism in Romania. By scrutinizing patterns over time, researchers aim to answer the question of when foreign tourists predominantly choose to visit the country. Understanding the temporal preferences of tourists is invaluable for both businesses and policymakers, enabling them to optimize resource allocation, marketing efforts, and infrastructure management during peak tourism seasons. Furthermore, the research explores the destinations chosen by foreign tourists within Romania. The geostatistical analysis differentiates arrivals based on specific tourist destinations and counties, shedding light on the preferences of international visitors. This information is pivotal for local authorities, businesses, and stakeholders, offering insights into which regions benefit the most from foreign tourism, thus facilitating targeted development strategies and resource allocation. In addition to destination preferences, the study investigates the accommodation choices made by foreign tourists. Through geostatistical analysis, the research categorizes accommodation preferences based on various criteria, including types of accommodation units and comfort categories. This information proves invaluable for the hospitality industry, guiding investments, and helping businesses tailor their offerings to meet the diverse needs of international visitors. The temporal aspect of foreign tourists' stays in Romania is another focal point of the study. By examining the duration of visits, researchers aim to provide a comprehensive understanding of how long foreign tourists typically stay in the country. This data is instrumental in shaping tourism policies, influencing marketing strategies, and optimizing services to enhance the overall tourist experience. Beyond the borders of Romania, the study investigates the means of transportation foreign tourists employ to reach the country. By understanding the modes of transportation preferred by international visitors, Romania can improve its infrastructure and connectivity, ensuring a seamless and positive experience for tourists from various origins. Lastly, the research explores the geographical origins of foreign tourists who visit Romania. This analysis not only provides insights into the diverse cultural backgrounds of visitors but also aids in crafting targeted marketing campaigns to attract specific international markets. The article goes beyond a mere exploration of tourist numbers. It offers a comprehensive and detailed analysis of the spatial and temporal dimensions of foreign tourism, providing valuable insights for policymakers, businesses, and stakeholders. This geostatistical approach not only enriches our understanding of the complex dynamics of foreign tourist flows but also lays the foundation for strategic and sustainable tourism development in Romania.

National geniuses’ heritage as potential for the development of cultural tourism in Romania

This article investigates how domestic tourists perceive the possibilities of boosting cultural heritage tourism in Romania, through the capitalization of national genius personalities. The methodology is based on the survey method. The research identified 22 geniuses, largely represented in national culture, and acknowledged and demanded by the market. The vast majority have been converted into tourist attractions, however those of international visibility are missing or are underrepresented in Romanian heritage tourism. An increased focus on geniuses would be highly valued by tourists and could reinforce the value of cultural heritage, consequently, boosting tourism resources. This would lead to multiple and sustainable benefits for destinations’ development, but certain infrastructure and management gaps would need to be filled.

Estimating Cultural Tourism Flows in Romania: Empirical Approaches Based on Existing Data at Municipality Level

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to present two empirical approaches of estimating/approximating the size of cultural tourism in Romania based on existing data at municipality level. These approaches have been labelled ‘the potential supply approach’ (based on municipalities with man-made tourism resources as dominant resource) and ‘the demand approach’ (based on municipalities that register visitors in museums). Number of tourists (arrivals) in accommodation establishments was considered the benchmark statistical indicator. The analysis of Pearson correlation between number of tourists and number of visitors in museums was also included, and municipalities where this correlation is positive and statistically significant were grouped in eight clusters. The results revealed a strong concentration of tourism in big cities that are both cultural and tourism destinations as well as a correlation between tourism and culture data for 67 municipalities (out of 284). However, the precise size of cultural tourism is difficult to be quantified in the lack of any specific demand-side survey regarding travel purposes and/or activities undertaken during tourism trips and within such purposes/activities, cultural tourism to be separately identified. But, in these circumstances, the two approaches presented in this paper can outline only a maximum size of cultural tourism in the country.

ROMANIA AS A DESTINATION FOR CULTURAL AND HERITAGE TOURISM

Romania possesses a consistent heritage including cultural, historical and folkloric resources with a high potential for tourism valorization. Despite of this valuable heritage, the development of cultural tourism is still limited and more actions are needed to be undertaken for a better promotion and attraction of tourist flows in the most important cultural areas. Due to this potential and to recent massive operations of restoration and renovation of historical buildings, but also due to the improvement of services and education, Romania has succeeded to improve its supply for heritage tourism. In this paper we analyze the main issues related to the competitiveness of Romania as a cultural destination, we assess its place among other countries in Central and Eastern Europe, but also which were the recent developments on this topic. A detailed investigation has been performed regarding the main attractions and destinations for heritage tourism in Romania, including the cultural and intangible cultural heritage sites from Romania included on the UNESCO World Heritage list. Our conclusions go to the actions necessary for improving Romania’ s place on the market of cultural and heritage tourism, such as: improvements in the infrastructure for increasing the accessibility of the most important destinations, a more focused vision and enhanced strategy for the development and management of tourist attractions, more efficient actions for internal and international promotion, the adoption of appropriate management and marketing tools to make these objectives known, especially to international tourists etc.

Climate Suitability for Tourism in Romania Based on HCI: Urban Climate Index in the Near-Future Climate

This study presents an assessment of climate suitability for outdoor leisure activities in Romania using the Holliday Climate Index (HCI) for the near future (2021–2040), focusing on unfavorable and good climate conditions. The analysis employs data from an ensemble of model simulations in the context of RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 climate change scenarios. The results indicate that the number of days with low weather suitability is decreasing in almost the entire country, especially during the warm season, while during the winter and spring, extended regions may be characterized by a higher number of days favorable for outdoor activities than during the current climate. An estimation of the impact of climate change on tourism flux in Romania is further carried out, suggesting that the increasing attractivity of climate conditions may lead to an increased number of tourist overnights in the near future, and this will be more pronounced in rural destinations.

Rural areas and wine tourism: The case of Romania

"The purpose of the present paper is to provide an integrated approach to the development of wine tourism in Romania’s rural areas. The main research question is: are the communes hosting vineyards and wine-producing facilities and/or cellars/wineries in a better position to attract tourists, compared to the other communes? This question was induced, first, by the fact that Romania is among the top 15 wine pro-ducers worldwide, and some of its wine brands are (well)known at least at the regional level, hence this position might influence Romania as a wine tourism destination. Second, Romanian rural tourism is still in its early stages of development at the national level and therefore a differ¬entiation feature represented by wine-related activities might enhance the attractiveness of a rural destination. Furthermore, wine tourism is a fastly developing trend at the international level and those destinations which have the resources to establish and/or improve wine tourism should take advantage of this trend. The findings of the current paper indicate that wine tourism is poorly developed for the group of wine-producing Romanian rural localities. The extra tourist potential of these localities (represented by vineyards and wineries) is used in an unsatisfactory and inexpertly manner for attracting tourists. The findings are in line with the relatively low level of rural tourism development in Romania presented by other academic works. Keywords: vineyards, wine tourism, rural area, Romania JEL Classification: Z32, L83, C10, R00."

Journeys to Significant Places in Orthodoxy as a Source of Sustainable Local Development in Romania

Religious tourism has developed in post-communist Romania, after decades of restrictions on the manifestation of the population’s religiosity. New monasteries and hermitages appeared and the number of travellers eager to arrive visit those and other religious places has increased. The purpose of this article is to support a sustainable orientation in the development of religious tourism in Romania. Content analysis of articles published by mass media in the last year regarding the two great Orthodox pilgrimages in Romania, to St. Parascheva in Iași and to St. Dimitrie the New in Bucharest, together with a thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews conducted with group or solitary travellers and the results of two participatory observations conducted at monasteries in Făgăraș Land highlighted the types of journey to religiously significant places in contemporary Romania, i.e., pilgrimages, journeys to father confessor, spiritual journeys, group religious journeys and secular visits, as well as the particularities of hospitality related to them. Involving local communities in hosting and preparing meals for travellers to hermitages and monasteries would reduce pressure on monastic communities and contribute to sustainable local development. The inclusion of local historical sites in journey itineraries to religious places, and the revitalization of traditional local crafts would also contribute to this development.

Government policies for tourism in Romania during the COVID-19 pandemic: a stakeholders’ perspective

This paper explores the tourism-related official actions undertaken by the government in Romania during the COVID-19 pandemic from a stakeholders’ perspective. The approach is based on answering three research questions: (1) Which are the policies that tourism stakeholders benefitted from during the pandemic? (2) How do tourism stakeholders appreciate the utility and efficiency of the measures implemented by the government? and (3) To what extent do the stakeholders perceive these measures as providing long-term benefits? Methodologically, the study relies on the statistical analysis of data collected through a questionnaire applied to tourism stakeholders from Romania. The results indicate mixed perceptions regarding the implemented policies, with most stakeholders considering the received support as less than optimal. A positive perspective is given by the fact that although most stakeholders regarded the positive impact of the policies only in relation to the pandemic period, there are also stakeholders indicating long-term benefits of these policies. These results are useful for providing lessons from the recent pandemic and for suggesting ways for improving governments’ response to future crises.

Sustainable Practices and Quality Strategies Implemented in Rural Tourism in Romania

For both Romanians and foreigners, rural tourism in Romania is attractive. Although the literature provides information on strategies and measures that have been taken in the tourism industry to improve the quality of products and processes, the authors did not find studies on quality strategies and sustainability measures implemented in the rural tourism sector in Romania in the last period, which was severely affected by the pandemic. In order to highlight these strategies and the way in which their implementation is perceived by consumers, the authors conducted exploratory research and quantitative research. The results of the research showed that Romanians do not know the significance of quality strategies and sustainability practices, but appreciate the effects of their implementation by tourism units’ administrators.

Aspects related to the Post-Pandemic Rural Cultural Tourism in Romania

In Romania, rural cultural tourism has had and is expected to continue to have an extremely beneficial impact on the development of certain disadvantaged areas of the country, because it represents an economic driver, a means of capitalizing on resources, and of prompting local and territorial authorities. Thus, it provides medium and long-term contributions to the preservation and promotion of the most authentic and valuable aspects of the Romanian spirit. In what concerns the activities carried out in the rural area with respect to culture, the risk area has been extended during the sanitary crisis; however, the restrictions and the lockdown have been “useful” in increasing awareness of available resources, in planning actions in a more diligent manner and in broadening the vision of what should be done. In the context of the pandemic, all these aspects have become strengths. Post-pandemic tourism should be characterized by rediscovering itself, and the stake for rural cultural tourism in Romania should be the attraction of foreigners. This paper identifies and analyses the aforementioned strong points, which impact the so-called post-pandemic era.

Sport Event Tourism in Bucharest. UEFA EURO 2020 Case Study

Mega sport events were among the very few types of events still attracting tourists during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic and represented an exceptionally attractive tourism opportunity for Bucharest through the matches scheduled for the UEFA 2020 championship. Motivated by the novelty of the event which was organized for the first time in the Romanian capital city and motivated by the exceptionally restrictive context imposed by the sanitary crisis, the aim of this study was to analyze domestic tourist participation in and satisfaction with this event. An extended survey focusing on the autochthonous participants was applied to gather data and then further computed using SPSS software through crosstabulations and associated statistical analysis adapted for nominal and ordinal variables. The main results emphasize a large participation of Romanian football supporters who came specifically for the event. Most of them expressed dissatisfaction with souvenir, food and drink products sold within the stadium area but were satisfied with the COVID-19 measures and their costs. Supporters coming from rural areas opted for VFR accommodations while retirees and elderly supporters preferred hotels. Occupation and age were the main variables determining accommodation preferences as well as satisfaction with souvenir prices. These options may be valuable input for future adapted marketing strategies for sport event tourism in Romania. Lacking important urban tourist attractions and competing with other mature European urban destinations, mega sport events may represent an opportunity for autochthonous large cities to increase tourist attractiveness and maintain leisure travel even during periods of travel restrictions.

Wine Tourism—A Sustainable Management Tool for Rural Development and Vineyards: Cross-Cultural Analysis of the Consumer Profile from Romania and Moldova

In recent years, tourism products and services have been oriented to offer more experiences than those of classical leisure activities for tourists. More, the COVID-19 pandemic drew a new trend in travel: the tourists are now oriented to internal offers rather than the external ones, to rural regions instead of urban ones. Romania and Moldova are two well-known international countries that are both producers and exporters of Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) and Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) wine. The aim of the paper is to analyze (qualitative and quantitative) the motivation of tourists from Romania and Moldova for wine tourism, to model the motivation according to the socio-demographic characteristics of tourists and the specific elements for travel (accommodation, frequencies of visit, average stay). For quantitative analysis, an online questionnaire by convenience sampling was used to collect the data, and statistical methods were used for analysis. Even if these countries have cultural similarities, our results indicate statistically significant different motivations and different profiles of wine tourists. By using a co-occurrence link between the terms from WoS and Scopus scientific articles with VOSviewer software, our results indicate a link between wine tourism, rural and festivals tourism, and cultural heritage. Our research fills a gap in the literature, being the first comparative research on wine tourism in Romania and Moldova.