Financial, Public and Regional Economics
Abstract
Tourism is one of the most important sectors of the global economy, given its contribution
as the main generator of jobs and sustainable development path for developing countries. Many
experts consider this sector as one of the sectors with the greatest potential to deliver internationally
development and economic growth. Thus, tourism can be an important driver of economic growth and
prosperity, especially in emerging economies, and a key element in reducing poverty and regional
disparities. Despite its potential contribution to economic growth, development of the tourism sector
may be hampered by a number of economic and legal barriers that can affect its competitiveness. In
this context, the World Economic Forum proposes, through the Tourism Competitiveness Index
(TCI), in addition to a methodology for identifying key factors that contribute to increasing the
competitiveness of tourism, also tools for analysis and evaluation of these factors. Thus, this study2
aims at analyzing the determinants underlying TCI in terms of two directly competing states,
Romania and Bulgaria, to highlight the positive effects through the benefits of the analyzed markets,
in terms of competitiveness in tourism sector. The purpose of this analysis is to provide some
answers, especially from the perspective of the necessity of strategies that should be adopted on
market competitiveness in the two countries and the exposure of the factors that could explain the
different performance of the two national economies in the tourism sector.
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