Tourism and Travel Competitiveness Index: From Theoretical Definition to Practical Analysis in Romania

The competitiveness of tourist destinations presents, from the perspective of sustainability, certain benefits in terms of local and regional development: the involvement of local authorities (city, local and county councils, population) in the conservation of tourist resources, the involvement of tourism agencies in the promotion of rural areas, the creation of brands for each tourist destination/region and the protection of cultural-historical heritage from degradation. Competitiveness, as a segment of sustainability, integrated in Romanian local communities, is necessary in order to offer tourists an unmistakable experience of the natural and anthropogenic tourism potential of destinations, to raise the population’s awareness, to preserve traditions, customs and habits and to practice tourism based on sustainability, awareness and without any pollution of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. This study aims to highlight the image of Romania’s tourism competitiveness, which could support the tourism economy in the long term, by analysing the Global Tourism and Travel Competitiveness Index (TTCI) in Romania, compared to two other neighbouring countries, Bulgaria and Hungary. The Global Competitiveness Index provides an integrative picture of the main sub-indices that interfere in the formation of a country’s competitiveness, with insights on the 12 pillars that intervene in the sustainable development of tourist destinations worldwide.