ANALYSIS OF THE INDICATORS CHARACTERIZING THE ACTIVITY OF RURAL TOURISM AND AGRITOURISM IN VÂLCEA COUNTY FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE TOTAL QUALITY.

The paper carried out a relevant, realistic and clear image on the current situation of rural tourism and agrotourism in terms of defining quality indicators and service offering to tourists visiting Valcea County. To achieve this, ten representative indicators were studied, based on which a system of quantification of the level of total quality management (TQM) was built, of the rural tourism activities carried out in this county. From the analysis and interpretation of the data and results obtained, it was concluded that the level of supply and services provided to tourists in terms of total quality is average, this is mainly due to low tourism supply, lack of a complete inventory of tourism resources, the partial capitalization of the existing resources, the lack of initiative and a tourism development strategy adapted to the territorial reality. Finally, it was concluded that the main directions for the development of rural tourism in Vâlcea County will have to aim at increasing the quality of tourist services, diversifying the tourist offer and more aggressively promoting the county as a tourist destination. The implementation of the principles of total quality management (TQM) should in the future determine all tourist reception structures to give more importance to customer expectations, which will lead to increasing their competitiveness in the domestic and foreign tourism market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]