Discussing the Spatial Underpinnings of Tourism Policy and Planning in Romania

Abstract

"The paper examines the spatial concepts and mechanisms that drive the reconfiguration of the tourism space and provide policy-relevant informa tion. Mapping the spatial patterns of tourism supply and demand at finely-grained data over the last two decades, the analysis employs spatiotemporal and scaling methods to capture the interactions and de pendencies among tourism concentrations. The findings point to space-tourism realignments based on heterogeneous concentration patterns and trajectories of change, supply growth and ex pansion at the first level of contiguity, and diffused domestic vs. polarized international arrivals. The bi nary approach of tourism concentrations of supply and demand with varying location quotients enables the identification of both differences and similarities in terms of contextual and tourism development in dicators. In support of context-sensitive policy inter ventions, we argue that space should be regarded as a central dimension of the tourism development pol icy. Providing a snapshot of the tourism concentra tions in 2019, the study may count as a baseline ref erence for further analyses in post-pandemic times."

Development Trend and Challenge of Transition Economy in Eastern Europe: A Perspective of Romaniar

“…Unemployment: The economy's reorganization and the privatization of state-owned businesses disrupted the labor market. High unemployment rates were a major worry, especially in the early phases of the transition [5]. It was very difficult to reintegrate displaced employees into the workforce.…”

Evolution of urbanisation and metropolitan development in Romania

“…Following EU integration, Romanian cities were classified in priority categories for assistance. Law No 998/2008 defined seven growth poles, one for each of the large cities (Cluj-Napoca, Iasi, Timisoara, Craiova, Brasov, Ploiesti, Constanta), and one for each of the rural development poles (Csák, 2009;Popescu, 2014). In order to access EU funds, the growth poles had to prepare so-called Integrated Development Plans, not only for the metropolitan area, but for the whole territory of the Zona Metropolitana.…”

“…Oradea, Satu Mare, Sibiu, Deva, Bacau, Braila, Galati, Pitesti, Ramnicu-Valcea, Suceava) and the so-called "urban centres". This demarcation was a typical example of polycentric urban development, which attempted to counterbalance the dominance of the capital city and to give regional centres the economic weight they deserved (Popescu, 2014). Under the 2007-13 ROP, the 7 growth poles received EUR 621 million, the 11 development poles EUR 248.5 million and the 240 smaller towns EUR 1 391.2 million.…”

Recent demographic developments in urban Romania

“…Peri-urbanisation, with its consequences on the expansion of built space and its implications at the administrative level, is another subject often addressed (Suditu, 2010;Dumitrache et al 2016;Popescu, 2020). The role of industrialisation and de-industrialisation in the evolution of Romanian cities has also been studied (Popescu, 2014) The characteristics of the urban population compared to those of the rural population were also investigated (Antonescu, 2012;Otoiu, 2018). In addition to the general studies, which consider all cities or different categories of cities in Romania, case studies (Dranca, 2013;Șoșea et al, 2014) are carried out to identify the role of the local context in the evolution of a settlement.…”