The Balkan balneotherapy product – an approach from the destination marketing perspective

Considering the common features in the resources field, but especially the way in which they have been managed at the level of each individual country, it can be stated that a destination such as the Balkan peninsula represents a culturally homogeneous space, which has been crystallized over centuries of common history and which has imprinted a “common” destiny to the member countries, regarding the economic and cultural development. Regarding natural resources, the main similarity resides in the existence of balneotherapy resources, with particular therapeutic properties, nowadays’ development being pressured by the deterioration of one’s conception about its own health (from the demand perspective), on the one hand, and extending the concept of health (from the supply perspective), on the other hand. In the context of a less-controlled development of certain methods/techniques/procedures by the stakeholders of wellness industry, it is necessary to maintain the authenticity of the balneotherapy product whose essence is the treatment. The purpose of the paper relies in establishing the common elements which could form the essence of the balneotherapy product (sui generis) and, in the same time, the differentiation elements which form the developed product of each Balkan country, alongside with the establishment of joint actions, in order to set the coordinates of the regional balneotherapy marketing strategy for the Balkan peninsula

SOUVENIRS - FACTOR INFLUENCING THE TOURISM ACTIVITY. CASE STUDY: OPINIONS OF YOUNG PEOPLE ON SOUVENIRS

The capacity, or more precisely the “task” of concentrating, both from a functional and aesthetic perspective, the essence of a tourism destination into a single object, represents the main explanation why the marketing specialist of the respective destination attaches an enhanced importance to souvenirs. Therefore, due to synthesizing the important, or so considered elements, souvenirs significantly influence the image the potential consumers may form, as well their reiteration by the existing consumers. In order to find out the consumers’ opinions on the representativeness of the souvenirs sold in shops, deemed as the most important by the authors of this article, a quantitative, exploratory research was performed, whose purpose is identifying young peoples’ position on the image conveyed by means of souvenirs. The need for this research is incontestable in order to create a connection among the desired image, the conveyed image, the perceived image and the expected image

The sensory brand of the destination. Case study: Transylvania

Destinations can be considered a predominantly experiential tourism product in the context of sensory marketing, which would be the best instrument for creating, communicating and delivering the experiential values of the tourism product, and for developing the sensory brand of a destination. Given that, generally speaking, the geographic area of a destination is difficult to market (because of the multitude of component entities that must have the same vision, although competing at the same time), the unitary character of a destination is reinforced in the identity of the sensory brand, regarded as a collection of sensory experiences, i.e. a collection of contact points between the tourist and the destination. This study identifies the sensory experiences of tourists in the microdestination Transylvania, thus being a starting point in the development of the sensory brand of the destination

OPINIONS REGARDING THE TOURISTIC POTENTIAL OF THE DANUBIAN HARBOURS

In the context of European integration, the creation of transnational tourism products represents the brand of an inter-state collaboration, which, based on a common strategy, implies objectives that aim at achieving the global development of a destination, making thus possible an efficient and effective allocation of resources, in order to achieve a sustainable development, both from a touristic point of view and from an economic, social, cultural, technological, etc. one. The route of the Danube could represent one of the most important European destinations, appertaining to more than one country; therefore, in order to develop and sustain its touristic potential, a common strategy is necessary, with an integrated marketing image, associated to a consistent tourism product, inspiring common values, regardless of the territory of the country it is located in. In this direction, a quantitative marketing research, conducted on 992 respondents, aged 18-24, in order to determine the opinions concerning the touristic potential of the Danubian harbours – as a fundamental element, precursory to the market analysis

Oltenia’s identity – A systemic approach of a tourism destination’s universe

The multitude of tourism products, “constructed” with a basis containing the resources of a tourism destination, on the one hand, and from the anticipation of the tourists’ needs and desires, on the other hand, is “hosted” in a complex space, which transcends the spatial and temporal coordinates. Therefore, it is necessary that the marketing specialists know and subsequenty use the components of the “destination’s universe” in the laborious process of constructing tourism products with specific, authentic elements, constituting points of contact between the targeted consumer segments and the nature and culture of the destination itself. The purpose of this paper is to identify, within a quantitative research, those specific elements of the region which can “collaborate” on developing every structured tourism product, comprising both tangible and intangible elements, functional and symbolic, which can be offered to as many market segments as possible, through planned activities of destination marketing, yet entirely complying with its identity

Aspects on the perception of young people regarding balneotherapy tourism in Romania

The delimitation of perceptions regarding balneotherapy destinations is a defining process for shaping their positioning in consumers’ minds. Therefore, creating how balneotherapy tourism products specific activities are perceived by consumers and the relationship that they have reported to the sensations that assemble the touristic experience is essential in creating a tourism image. In this sense, a quantitative marketing research was conducted on a sample of 573 young people undergoing university studies in order to know their perception regarding balneotherapy resorts in Romania, analyzing the importance and particularities of each sensation in relation to balneotherapy resorts felt by respondents that differentiate the balneotherapy experience from other touristic experiences