DEVELOPMENTS OF THE ROMANIAN BALNEARY TOURISM AT THE BEGINNING OF THE 21st CENTURY
Autor (i): Bălan, Mariana
JEL: L83, Z32
Cuvinte cheie: balneary tourism, tourist potential, investment, accommodation capacity
Abstract:
In recent decades, through its important social and economic effects, the balneary tourism has become
a major international tourist market segment. Within it, important material and human resources are
concentrated, with ever deeper involvement of science and technology in the provision of tourist and medical
services with a complex and high-quality invoice. They are meant to meet the vital requirements of modern man,
determined by the evolution of living conditions and the health of the population.
The balneary tourism is the only form of tourism in our country based on a permanent potential highly
complex, practically inexhaustible. Romania is among the European countries with a remarkable balneary fund.
This value is accentuated by the complexity of the natural factors, namely, in the same resort, the main
environmental factors are alongside a wide range of mineral substances for treatment, with beneficial
polifactorial effects.
The paper presents a brief analysis of the evolution and current situation of the Romanian spa tourism
at national and regional level, as well as a quantitative analysis of the evolution of the attendance and
occupancy of accommodation capacity, investments and new infrastructure and equipment, elements that can
contribute to understand how this sector responded to the challenges.