The Management of Tourist Destination with Special Focus on the Romanian Balneary Tourism
The Management of Tourist Destination with Special Focus on the Romanian Balneary Tourism

Author(s): Virgil Nicula
Subject(s): Management and complex organizations
Published by: Trivent Publishing
Keywords: tourism destination management; competitive tourist destinations; integrated destination management system
Summary/Abstract: In 2009, a "Master Plan for the development of balneary tourism in Romania" was developed, which contained strategic changes for the development of balneary tourism in Romania: localities with thermal baths - leisure possibilities, anti-aging treatment stations, traditional social tourism, renovation and modernizing the balneary facilities. This strategy was updated in 2015 and focuses on the implementation of an innovative public-private partnership, aimed at developing a health tourism tourism cluster, supporting the development of medical tourism by setting up a thematic destination management organization, on the development complex tourism products that combine ecotourism offers with health tourism and capitalize on the Romanian know-how in the field of anti-aging treatments. In 2018, the Ministry of Tourism elaborated a project to set up the Destination Management Organization (MDG) to promote Romania's tourist destinations. The basic argument of this concept is the development of tourism through an integrated destination management system that ensures sustainability and vision regarding the development of a territorial administrative unit, a region or the whole country. The newly established body must have an integrative role but also as a coordinator and support in the development of competitive tourist destinations. The tourist products that are based on the natural and wild environment, even if less attractive at the moment due to the lack of specific infrastructure are competitive. Romania benefits from a well-preserved natural environment that is among the most impressive in Europe. As the balneary and wellness sector is structurally linked to the natural environment (climate) and the natural elements of cleanliness, the association with nature tourism can be easily achieved and has a major potential to generate positive synergies. Health and maintenance products have a major advantage not so much related to their authenticity - Romania cannot necessarily offer wellness and balneary products exotic or different from its neighbours - as much as to the natural environment and the attractions that can be associated with the product. To reach the potential development, health and maintenance products are among the ones that require the least marketing effort due to the fact that they benefit from the pure character of Romania's nature, as well as the very attractive level of prices.

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