EUROPEAN STRUCTURAL FUNDS IMPACT ON TOURISM DEVELOPMENT IN SOUTH WEST OLTENIA REGION

Abstract

Worldwide, European, national or local level, the tourism industry is the most dynamic, with a steady upward trend for many economies being an important source of economic recovery and growth due to its overwhelming impact on socio-economic development, employment and environmental protection. European integration raised a series of challenges but also many development opportunities for economic sectors, tourism being one of the key strategic areas for the smart and sustainable growth and economic recovery of member states. The financial instruments of the Community Cohesion and Agricultural Policy, best known as European Structural Funds, provided many opportunities for investment in tourism infrastructure and socio-economic development of the beneficiaries. This article introduces briefly the key findings generated by a more extensive research on the economic impact of structural funds investment in tourism sector for South West Oltenia Region.

Keywords

• tourism
• structural funds
• economic development
• tourism infrastructure
• statistic data.