Regional competitiveness and Romanian tourism in the European context

摘要

Before 1990 Romania was an important tourist destination for the Eastern European market, mainly promoting the seaside tourism products, balneoclimaterical resorts, cultural programs and the famous monasteries located in the Northern Moldavia and Bukovina. Romania's exceptional tourism potential is characterized by two essential components: natural component, represented by spectacular scenery, diverse relief combinations, favorable climatic conditions, therapeutic value and abundance of natural treatment factors, represented by the remains of civilizations that have succeeded on Romanian territory since time immemorial, monuments and religious artifacts or secular, elements of ethnography and folklore of great beauty and originality. The Romanian tourist offer has not changed significantly over time. However it became uncompetitive in relation with the requirements of tourism demand and with similar tourism products available on international markets. The purpose of this paper is to present and assess the current situation of Romanian tourism and its prospects in the context of international competition in tourism and European integration.