65 publications from this institution
As the tourism marketplace is currently highly competitive, Destination Management Organizations (DMOs) need to have a thorough understanding of the actual perception of their destinations and even of the desired perception they should have to adequately implement measures to alter or maintain such images. In this context, the present chapter provides an overview of tourist destination image evaluation, from both a theoretical and empirical perspective. It outlines the role of conducting research in order to evaluate destination image as key strategic information which has to be provided to DMOs. The chapter provides a theoretical framework to destination image evaluation as well as a case study on the evaluation of a Romanian city's image as a tourist destination.
No abstract is provided for this article.
This paper is set on the context of tourism marketing and it investigates the concept of segmentation as an important tool in the management of urban tourism destinations. Segmentation presumes the existence of heterogeneity among customers in the market, and has received considerable support within the tourism literature while urban tourism has been the object of intensive research for several years. Based on a quantitative research, the present study, aims to provide a deeper insight into the typology of tourists visiting Romanian urban tourism destinations, with a focus on the city of Brasov. The survey reveals that the studied sample can be grouped into different clusters according to their socio-demographic and travel characteristics. As the results demonstrate that each of the identified tourists segments has different profiles, the implications for destination management are discussed. Recommendations are also highlighted in order to assist destination managers to formulate marketing strategies adapted to the different market segments, aiming to better position Brasov as an urban destination on the competitive national and international market.
Considering that there are few success chances for isolated businesses, public-private partnerships represent the basis of tourism businesses' sustainable development, aiming to attract increasing numbers of visitors in tourism destinations. Within this context, the main aim of the present paper is to identify tourism stakeholders' intentions to participate in public-private partnerships for a sustainable tourism development of urban destinations. Focused on the increased importance of partnerships between tourism stakeholders, with the common goal of sustainable tourism development, a survey was conducted among the tourism service providers from the Romanian urban destination, Braşov. The research results outline the defi ciencies in the analyzed destination, which lead to a low notoriety of the destination's management and marketing organization among local tourism stakeholders. In addition, the results show a low level of involvement of tourism operators in supporting the collaboration efforts of this organization. Based on the research results, a theoretical model was proposed for the identifi cation of the signifi cant factors which infl uence local stakeholders' intentions to participate in public-private partnerships for a sustainable tourism development.
Small accommodation businesses such as agritourism boarding houses (ATBHs) provide a large share of accommodating capacity in certain rural destinations. Despite their small accommodation capacity, ATBHs consume substantial quantities of water and energy; this consumption implies high environmental costs. The present study aims to explore opinions of ATBH owner-managers regarding water and energy consumption in their businesses, what motivates them to adopt environmental practices, and the specific saving measures used within the tourist accommodation units they manage. A qualitative research was conducted, using semi-structured interviews among 12 Romanian ATBH owner-managers. Data analysis revealed that the interviewed owner-managers understand the importance of natural resource conservation in tourist destinations but they are not willing or have insufficient financial, time, organizational resources, etc. to engage in serious water and energy saving initiatives. Moreover, most interviewed managers indicated that tourists cannot make a significant contribution to natural resources conservation in accommodation units and perceive water and energy saving systems as more effective than the environmental education of visitors in their facility. These findings may be useful to tourism policy-makers and environmental organizations in order to develop effective environmental strategies in ATBHs.
Considering the fact that international consumers are being increasingly ecologically conscious, the present study aims to capture tourists’ intentions to support environmental initiatives in a Romanian mountain destination, namely Poiana Brasov. Using a quantitative research method, a total of 331 tourists have been interviewed in their accommodation location. The main variables of the research refer to the following issues: tourists’ interest in supporting environmental initiatives in the visited destination, the type of environmental initiatives they would participate in, the profile of the environmentally friendly tourists in Poiana Brasov and tourists’ interest in donating funds for conservation projects. The results of this study outline the necessity for a responsible management of both the destination and tourism services providers in Poiana Brasov, in order to meet tourists’ interest to participate in environmental initiatives.
Tourism is a major management issue for many protected areas as the presence and actions of visitors can present serious problems for biodiversity conser- vation. Therefore, tourism has to be managed carefully and site managers must assess and balance the costs and benefits of tourism in protected areas. It is also important to find ways for local people and communities to benefit from tourism linked to con- servation. Using a stakeholder analysis, the article assesses benefits and threats of tourism development in Piatra Craiului National Park. Through a range of interviews with local stakeholders, the article identifies the main challenges that tourism brings to the protected area: ensuring the effective participation of communities in tourism development, effectively managing tourism to prevent it from undermining conser- vation goals, encouraging all stakeholders, particularly the private sector, to support the conservation of biodiversity and channelling a portion of tourism revenues towards supporting conservation. The ecotourism, as a responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves welfare of local people, is con- sidered the best solution for a sustainable tourism development in Piatra Craiului National Park.
This paper is set on the context of tourism marketing and it investigates the concept of segmentation as an important tool in the management of urban tourism destinations. Segmentation presumes the existence of heterogeneity among customers in the market, and has received considerable support within the tourism literature while urban tourism has been the object of intensive research for several years. Based on a quantitative research, the present study, aims to provide a deeper insight into the typology of tourists visiting Romanian urban tourism destinations, with a focus on the city of Brasov. The survey reveals that the studied sample can be grouped into different clusters according to their socio-demographic and travel characteristics. As the results demonstrate that each of the identified tourists segments has different profiles, the implications for destination management are discussed. Recommendations are also highlighted in order to assist destination managers to formulate marketing strategies adapted to the different market segments, aiming to better position Brasov as an urban destination on the competitive national and international market.
No abstract is provided for this article.
The aim of our research is to identify Brasov residents` attitudes regarding the role of sport events in local tourism development. The research has been focused on residents` awareness regarding the organization of the European Youth Olympic Winter Festival in Brasov and their intention to actively participate in this process. The outcomes reveal a poor information of local residents especially due to few and late promotional actions performed by local authorities. As people have a positive attitude regarding such events we recommend that local authorities should develop strategies to help spread the benefits of these events to the wider community.
The present paper aims to investigate the factors which influence the adoption of environmentally friendly behaviors by the citizens of Brasov, as well as the means, resources and tools that local authority offers to residents in order to stimulate this behavior. In this sense, a qualitative research was conducted, using semi directive in-depth interviews, among 13 residents from the city of Brasov, Romania. The selection of the interviewed subjects was based on their involvement in environmentally friendly activities. The results outline several influence factors of the respondents’ environmentally friendly behaviors, such as: the level of environmental education, the awareness concerning environmental problems, the time required for the adoption of environmentally friendly activities, the standard of living in Romania, development of specific local infrastructure, the institutional and legislative framework on environmental protection, the comfort and willingness to conform to group norms. Thus, the involvement of individuals in environmentally friendly activities should be based on the judicious combination of all factors that influence the adoption of such behavior.
Generation Z, known for its digital fluency and distinct consumer behaviors, is an increasingly influential demographic in the tourism industry. As a sustainability-focused generation, their preferences and behaviors are shaping the future of travel. This study explores the tourism experiences of Romanian Generation Z members, focusing on their travel patterns, motivations, information sources, and service preferences. A bibliometric analysis of the existing literature was conducted to identify research trends and gaps in understanding Generation Z’s tourism behaviors. Using a mixed-method approach, the study integrates survey data from 399 respondents with AI-generated insights from ChatGPT 4o mini to compare traditional research methods with AI-driven analysis. It examines how AI interprets and predicts travel behaviors, highlighting the reliability and biases inherent in AI models. Key discrepancies between the two methods were found: The survey indicated a preference for car travel and commercial accommodation, while AI predictions favored air travel and private accommodation. Additionally, AI emphasized a growing interest in eco-friendly transportation and connections to natural and cultural environments, offering a broader scope than the survey alone. Both methods revealed a trend toward digital platforms for travel planning, moving away from traditional agencies. The findings suggest that AI can complement traditional research by providing actionable insights, though its limitations emphasize the need for a balanced integration of both methods. This study offers new perspectives on Generation Z’s tourism experiences.
No abstract is provided for this article.
In the rapidly evolving digital landscape, the use of social media, particularly Facebook, by destination management organizations (DMOs) for promoting tourism destinations has become increasingly significant. However, the particularities of using this powerful tool in promoting ecotourism destinations have not been sufficiently debated in the literature. To fill this gap, the present study brings a new perspective with the aim of understanding how the Facebook communication strategies of ecotourism destinations in Romania affect user reactions. This research was based on secondary data obtained by examining Facebook posts from seven Romanian ecotourism destinations during a period of six months. The initial step was to analyze the Facebook posts of the selected destinations and to extract major themes present in the posted content. These posts are categorized into themes such as nature, leisure, culture, and hospitality, providing a comprehensive view of the content strategy adopted by these destinations. The findings reveal that posts related to culture and nature are predominant and receive higher user interactions in the form of likes, comments, and shares. Most user reactions were expressed in the form of likes, while the number of comments and shares was quite modest. The analysis of factors influencing user reactions reveals that only the number of posts has a significant impact. Moreover, the post content and post format do not have a significant influence on users’ reactions to destinations’ posted content on Facebook. This study concludes that for the effective online promotion of ecotourism destinations, DMOs should focus on increasing the number and frequency of posts, and on creating content that aligns with audience preferences, particularly emphasizing the main features of the destination. These insights are crucial for DMOs in strategizing their online communication to enhance user reactions and promote their destinations effectively in the competitive sphere of global tourism.
This paper is set on the context of tourism marketing and it investigates the concept of segmentation as an important tool in the management of urban tourism destinations. Segmentation presumes the existence of heterogeneity among customers in the market, and has received considerable support within the tourism literature while urban tourism has been the object of intensive research for several years. Based on a quantitative research, the present study, aims to provide a deeper insight into the typology of tourists visiting Romanian urban tourism destinations, with a focus on the city of Brasov. The survey reveals that the studied sample can be grouped into different clusters according to their socio-demographic and travel characteristics. As the results demonstrate that each of the identified tourists segments has different profiles, the implications for destination management are discussed. Recommendations are also highlighted in order to assist destination managers to formulate marketing strategies adapted to the different market segments, aiming to better position Brasov as an urban destination on the competitive national and international market.
This article presents the findings of a research conducted with small and medium accommodation managers in Brasov, Romania, with the purpose of investigating their environmental responsibility and attitudes towards environmental management. Based on a qualitative exploration of their perceptions and experiences, the general understanding of the sustainable tourism concept is examined; the practical application of different voluntary environmental instruments is analyzed as well as managers’ interest in environmental policies. The research findings show that the studied accommodation units have low performance on water conservation, responsible waste management, environmental awareness, necessary knowledge about and interest in the environmental protection and environmental policy. The interviewed managers’ environmental initiatives arise mostly from immediate economic gains that result from minimizing expenses by means of cost reduction measures. Based on the outcomes of the study, a series of recommendations are mentioned in order to promote the adoption of environmental management in small and medium accommodation units from the studied destination.
Destination Management Organizations (DMO) increasingly harness social media to foster favorable online destination brand experiences (ODBEs) during travelers’ pre-trip planning. However, empirical knowledge about such experiences in ecotourism contexts remains limited. This study addresses the gap by proposing and validating an ODBE measurement scale adapted to ecotourism destinations. An online questionnaire was administered to Facebook users following seven certified Romanian ecotourism destinations, yielding 281 valid responses. Through exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory composite analysis, the scale was refined into three components—hedonic, utilitarian, and spatio-temporal—capturing emotional immersion, rational evaluation, and destination-specific spatial perceptions. Structural equation modeling further demonstrated that ODBEs exert a strong, positive effect on two key behavioral intentions: visiting the destination (β = 0.913) and sharing destination information online (β = 0.875). This study advances theories on tech-mediated pre-travel experiences by emphasizing nature and local culture. The findings provide DMOs with practical guidance for creating effective social media content to enhance destination branding and support sustainable tourism.
The main purpose of this paper is to identify Brasov incoming tour operators` awareness concerning sustainable tourism development. Based on a qualitative exploration of the interviewed managers` perceptions of sustainability issues, the general understanding of the concept of sustainable tourism is examined as well as their interest in eco-certification and the practical application of different sustainable initiatives is analyzed. The outcomes of the research reveal a moderate interest concerning sustainability issues and eco-certification among Brasov tour operators and outline the necessity of further promotion and networking in the destination for a better understanding and use of sustainable development tools.
