BEYOND THE CAPITAL: MEASURING URBAN TOURISM HIERARCHIES IN ROMANIAN CITIES
BEYOND THE CAPITAL: MEASURING URBAN TOURISM HIERARCHIES IN ROMANIAN CITIES
Raul HERTE, Elena HERTE, Alina BADULESCU
1 Doctoral School of Economic Sciences, University of Oradea, Oradea, Romania
2 Department of Economics and Business, Faculty of Economic Sciences, University of Oradea, Oradea, Romania
herteraul1@gmail.com
elena_stiubea@yahoo.com
abadulescu@uoradea.ro
Abstract: The present study analyses the spatial distribution of tourist accommodation demand across Romanian cities. Utilizing Eurostat’s city-level data, the investigation encompasses short-stay accommodation offered via collaborative economy platforms. The analysis employs data from 2018 to 2024, with a particular emphasis on key indicators such as stays, nights spent, and the distinction between domestic and international guests. The paper draws on the concepts of urban tourism hierarchy, tourism concentration, and polycentric urban development to investigate whether Bucharest continues to dominate Romania’s urban tourism market or whether a more diversified territorial pattern is emerging. The empirical approach is based on comparative graphical analysis of city-level tourism dynamics, market shares, and post-pandemic recovery trends. The findings reveal that Bucharest maintains its status as the preeminent urban destination, accounting for the highest proportions of both stays and nights spent, particularly within the international segment. However, its pre-eminence appears to be increasingly contested by the emergence of prominent secondary destinations, particularly Brașov and Cluj-Napoca, followed by Sibiu and Timișoara. The tourism functions of these cities are heterogeneous, with Brașov relying more strongly on domestic leisure demand, while Cluj-Napoca combines business, academic, and eventrelated tourism. The findings also underscore the accelerated recovery of collaborative economy accommodation post-2021, signifying the mounting significance of digital platforms in influencing urban tourism flows. The Romanian urban tourism system is characterized by its capital-led nature, yet it is undergoing a process of diversification, marked by the emergence of competitive secondary cities. The present study makes a contribution to the literature on urban tourism geography in emerging European markets and provides useful implications for destination management, tourism decentralization, and sustainable regulation of short-term rentals.
Keywords: short-stay accommodation; Romanian cities; urban tourism.
JEL Classification: Z32; O35.
