Trends driving the hotel industry global evolution. Case of Romania

• Author: Baltescu C. A.
• Pages: 81-86

Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Braşov

Series V: Economic Sciences • Vol. 8 (57) No. 1 - 2015

Trends driving the hotel industry global evolution.

Case of Romania

Codruţa-Adina BLTESCU1

Abstract: The tourism field is well known for the dynamic of changes over recent years. We

witness the continous growth of the number of tourists, the increase of consumers demands,

the development of new markets and the changes determined by information technologies

implementation and adaptations and innovations supported at the level of tourism business.

Being a defining component in the tourism industry, the hotel field is individualized through

specific evolutions and significant adjustments in relation to the general rate of changes and

development trends recorded. In this framework, through this article, the author aims to

assess which are the most relevant changes recorded in the Romanian hotel industry and the

degree in which this specific activity field follow the trend of changes recorded at

international level.

Key-words: hotel industry, accommodation units, accommodation nights, trends.

1. Introduction

Over the past six decades, tourism has experienced continued expansion and

diversification, becoming one of the largest and fastest-growing economic sectors in

the world. Many new destinations have emerged in addition to the traditional

favorite of Europe and North America. Despite occasional shocks, international

tourist arrivals have shown virtually uninterrupted growth – from 25 million in 1950

to 278 million in 1980, 528 million in 1995, and 1087 million in 2013

(http://dtxtq4w60xqpw.cloudfront.net/sites/all/files/pdf/unwto_highlights14_en.pdf).

Tourism is one of the fast-growing sectors of the European Union (EU) economy. It

is also undergoing important changes, as the interests of more and more customers

shift towards the online environment (Marinescu and Toma 2012, 71).

The global dimension of the hotel field is assessed at the momento at 3,5

trillion dollars, figure directly correlated with the upward trend of tourism industry,

in general (Tewari 2010, 5). In the recent year trade barriers were reduced, markets

have globalized, product life cycle is shorter and the desires of consumers

increasingly converge (Brtucu and Boşcor 2008, 25).

1 Transilvania University of Braşov, codruta.baltescu@unitbv.ro