TOURISM GLOBALIZATION. THE CASE OF ROMANIA

Abstract

Travel & Tourism is one of the largest industries in the World, its total contribution to world GDP in 2014 was US$7 58 trillion (9.8%) and sustained over 276 million jobs (including indirect and induced employment). Increased mobility of people, ideas, capital, products, services and information which characterize the phenomenon of globalization affect all spheres of activity especially tourism – the activity that implies movement of people. The purpose of our paper is to analyse the international tourism in the case of Romania both from the perspective of demand and supply. The share of international tourists increased in the period under review, the main source for foreign tourist being the neighbouring countries. Thus, Romania failed to attract an important number of tourists from the countries included in top 10 spender countries (according to a ranking of UNWTO from 2015). The fact that foreign tourists come mainly from neighbouring countries and that the main destinations are the capital and the county residence towns (indicating business travel and also the accessibility of these destinations) leads us to the conclusion that Romania as a tourist destination is not very popular despite the high touristic potential (possessing important natural and cultural resources).

Keywords

• globalization, tourism, Romania.