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THE RURAL TOURIST DEMAND IN A EUROPEAN PERIPHERAL REGION. CASE STUDY: MOLDAVIA REGION, ROMANIA
Abstract
The overall aim of this study is to identify and analyse the tourist demand in the rural areas of a European peripheral region, in Romania. Rural tourism often represents one of the most popular and also controversial solutions for rural spaces in difficulty. At the same time, it is known that the tourism products centred on rural areas with socio-economic difficulties often lack applicability and strategy, due mainly to a poor understanding and adaption to the tourist needs. The paper is based on the results of a survey applied in Moldavia, a historic region situated in North-Eastern Romania, at the European Union periphery. The attention given to the tourism phenomenon in this region has been quite low, despite the constant growth of tourist arrivals during the recent years. Our survey revealed several key-aspects such as: the elements motivating the destination choice, the tourists' visions of rural space, as well as the level of tourist satisfaction, the transport means used or the selection of tourist activities. The results indicated a surprisingly high interest for the accommodation quality features and for accessibility issues. On the other hand, there was a much lower interest for the tourist attractions usually associated with rural areas and national authenticity, such as local traditions or gastronomy. Overall, the research showed a lack of coordination between the tourism promotion strategies and the visitors' expectations, all these within the general context of the progressive transformations affecting this peripheral tourist destination.
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