CAPITALIZING THE TOURIST POTENTIAL IN CARAŞ-SEVERIN COUNTY AS A PREMISE FOR REGIONAL ENTREPRENEURIAL DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

In the context when tourism has become a widespread phenomenon, there are many global concerns in this regard, with reference to the plans to protect the world’s cultural and natural assets, and to stimulate the sustainable development of this sector. Touristic, cultural and scientific bodies develop comprehensive strategies, initiating Conventions, drawing up plans and periodically preparing reports. Romania has a large number of tourist attractions, ranking 46th in the top based on this criterion, distinguishing itself also grace to the attractiveness of natural objectives, the total number of protected areas, the number of cultural objectives and the number of objectives in terms of oral and intangible heritage. Taking into account all these indicators, Romania may be proud of a vast touristic potential, which offers wonderful premises for starting a business in tourism, for the expansion of entrepreneurship and for the development of natural, cultural and anthropic resources. Each region and area of Romania has diverse and special particularities and characteristics, and we have to underscore their ability to become true business poles grace to the high level of their attractiveness, being capably of developing actual hospitality industries. The recognition of their existence and value obviously contributes to a very large extent to the promotion and inclusion of cultural objectives into various global rankings, actions that lead to an increased interest among tourists, and implicitly contribute to attracting a large number of visitors and generally have a significant media impact. In this respect, this paper highlights international and domestic coordinates related to the sizing and capitalization of tourism potential, analysing theoretical coordinates and statistical data. In addition, we also forward the results of a survey carried out in order to identify the prospects for capitalizing on the Romanian tourist heritage and the manner in which the highlighting of the Romanian touristic and cultural objectives can be a starting point for generating prosperous future business and can develop the business milieu in all areas, including in the regions experiencing a steep decline, like Caraş-Severin county.

JEL classification: Z32, L26