ROMANIA'S TOURISM TRENDS AND CHARACTERISTICS ON THE SEASIDE RESORTS OF THE BLACK SEA IN THE PERIOD 2010-2019.

The purpose of the paper was the analysis of the tourism dynamics in Romania's seaside resorts in the period 2010- 2019 in order to identify the main trends and characteristics of tourism in this destination. Based on fixed indices and regression models, the results proved that the seaside resorts are high attraction destinations for spending holidays especially in the summer season and also in extra-season. In 2019, tourist arrivals reached 1,153.7 thousands and the overnight stays accounted for 4,658 thousands, being higher than in 2010 by +64.2%, and, respectively, by +58.75%. The use rate of accommodation units in the seaside resorts increased from 33.8% in 2010 to 51.01% in 2019 being much higher than at the national level. More than 97% tourists on the seashore are Romanians. A number of 816.6 thousands tourists, meaning 10 times more than in 2010, took part to one-day trips organized in the proximity of the seaside by the local travel agencies. Even in the pandemic of covid-19, the Romanian seaside resorts were among the most preferred destinations. The main characteristics of Romania's seaside tourism are: the higher attraction for Romanian tourists than for foreigners, the seasonality and also extraseasonality of offer and demand, the disruption between the decline of the accommodation capacity (units and places) and the increased number of tourists, the large variety of tourism forms for spending time in an active (heliomarine cure, balneary procedures, nautical sports, fishing, entertainment, gastronomic, wine tasting, culturalhistorical etc). The seaside resorts have to continue their efforts to offer a modern and comfortable infrastructure, a large range of opportunities for spending vacations and safe stays in order to increase the number of tourists and incomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]