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Tourism

Volume XIV |

Geomorphosites and ongoing anthropogenic changes: concepts and implications regarding the heritage value of geotourism sites in the Bran–Rucăr–Dragoslavele Corridor (Romania)

Abstract: This study contributes to the inventory and understanding of the heritage value of four geomorphosites (two caves, a pit and a partially karstified plateau with anthropic relief of a military tactical device) located in the central part of the Bran – Dragoslavele Corridor, an important tourist axis in the Romanian Carpathians. The main purpose of the research is to propose to the Scientific Council of the Piatra Craiului National Park and the National Agency for Protected Natural Areas the declaration of the four geomorphosites as nature reserves, as they are at risk of being affected by negative anthropogenic actions. The inclusion of these geomorphosites in the PNPC/ROSCI 0194 Piatra Craiului Management Plan could lead to their subsequent declaration as protected natural areas. At the same time, the underground cavities could be declared habitats of national/community interest in the category “Caves closed to public access”. A secondary objective of this study is to promote the concept of geotourism within the geographical area subject to geomorphological analysis. For this reason, it could also be useful to local legal and administrative authorities in the villages of Rucăr, Podu Dâmboviței, Dâmbovicioara and Fundata. Their decisions, in conjunction with those at national level, could lead to the implementation of the concept and the development of geotourism in the region, through the creation of geotourism circuits promoted appropriately, precisely because of the high potential offered by the numerous geological and geomorphological tourist resources existing in the administrative territories of the aforementioned localities. The geomorphosite files inventoried in the central area of this transcarpathian corridor could serve as a basis for information for the promotion and establishment of a large protected natural area that would include (conserve, protect and/or sustainably exploit) the geotourism objectives in the region (other than those included in the “The Gorges of Dâmbovița – Dâmbovicioara – Brusturet Karst Area” Geological and Geomorphological Reserve) and which would bear the proposed name: “Moieciu – Fundata – Dâmbovicioara – Rucăr Geological and Geomorphological Complex” Nature Reserve.

Volume XIV |

Dynamics of accommodation structures and tourist flows in Băile Felix-Băile 1 Mai and Băile Herculane: a comparative statistical analysis

Abstract: This study examines the long-run co-evolution of accommodation supply and tourist demand in two major Romanian spa destinations – Băile Felix-Băile 1 Mai (Bihor County) and Băile Herculane (Caraș-Severin County) – over 2001-2024. Using annual official statistics from the Romanian National Institute of Statistics – Tempo Online (Institutul Național de Statistică, 2025), we compare primary series for accommodation structures, existing accommodation capacity (bed places), accommodation capacity in function (place-days), tourist arrivals, and overnight stays. We further derive three integrative indicators: average capacity per establishment (as a proxy for supply fragmentation), average length of stay (overnight stays/arrivals), and accommodation capacity utilisation (overnight stays/capacity in function). To contextualise destination roles within their regions, we also compute resort shares within county totals for key supply and demand measures. Results indicate a common structural shift toward a more fragmented accommodation base and a strong compression of average length of stay toward short-stay tourism by the end of the period. Both destinations exhibit synchronised demand disruption in 2020 followed by recovery, but with different post-shock profiles and utilisation trajectories: Băile Herculane starts as a high-utilisation system in the early 2000s, while Băile Felix-Băile 1 Mai sustains comparatively stronger utilisation through most of the 2010s, with convergence in recent years. The findings highlight that, under a short-stay regime, utilisation outcomes depend critically on calibrating operational capacity to demand absorption and on strategies that translate arrivals into overnight volume.

Volume XIV |

Tourismological valorization of intangible cultural heritage in Bosnia and Herzegovina according to the Hilary Du Cros methodology

Abstract: Since the beginning of the 21st century, a new type of tourism, cultural heritage tourism has been developing as a form of tourist supply and demand. Intangible cultural heritage (ICH) stands out as its important segment, which is also recognized as a significant part of national/local identity. One of the countries marked by rich cultural heritage is Bosnia and Herzegovina, a multi-ethnic, multi-confessional and multicultural geographical space, with various historical events. By the end of 2024, 50 elements of ICH were included in national lists (divided on two entities – Republic of Srpska and Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina). The aim of the paper is to investigate how many elements of ICH have tourist potential and if they can represent a significant factor in the formation of a tourist brand and a potential tourist product. In order to determine the importance of all the elements of ICH for the tourist offer, their analysis was carried out according to Hilary du Cross methodology of tourism valorization.

Volume XXIII |

Current dilemmas in the urban development of Timișoara (Romania)

Abstract: The post-communist period meant for the city of Timișoara a complex and difficult stage of restructuring urban evolution, of moving from centralized development to development based on the principles of the market economy. The solutions were not simple, especially in the conditions of limited city resources, and often contradictory developments did not take long to appear. The present article tries to capture these contradictory developments and highlight the current urban development dilemmas that the city authorities together with the decision-makers must solve. It is primarily about the rehabilitation of the huge historical spaces that the city has inherited and at the same time the acute need for urban renewal. Secondly, the city of Timișoara is facing a huge increase in road traffic, for which expensive investments in road infrastructure are needed, but on the other hand, the city also needs numerous investments for public transport. And thirdly, Timișoara currently has a strong trend of urban expansion and cumulative density decrease at the same time as an underutilization of available spaces within the city.

Volume XXIII |

Domestic tourism destination image: Bibliometric analysis

Abstract: Destination image research is essential for creating marketing strategies and increasing tourist interest. As the UNWTO data shows that domestic tourism is much larger than international tourism, studying the image of destinations for domestic tourists is key to tourism development. The existing scientific knowledge about the image of domestic tourism is the basis for further studies. Therefore, the main goal of this article is to make an analysis of the publications dealing with this topic in Scopus as one of the biggest databases. The main method was the bibliometric analysis; VOSviewer software was used for science mapping of the results. The focus was on co-authorship, organizations and countries of authors, citation analysis by documents and by countries, co-citation analysis, bibliographic coupling by documents and by authors, and keywords co-occurrence. The period of the publications is between 1995 and 2024. Thus, 105 papers are analyzed. The results show that there is an increase in scientific interest in the topic after 2015, with the main articles published in top quartile journals in the Scopus database. The data reveal that a greater part of the studies is in the field of economic sciences.