Development opportunities for spa tourism in Vâlcea Subcarpathians: Towards a single European market

Nowadays tourism has undoubtedly become essential to both national and international economies and each country is currently trying to face the challenges imposed by this industry. In this respect, Romania has introduced a new range of treatments in the spa tourism field which proved to be therapeutic for a significant number of patients. The article aims to assess the feasibility of spa tourism in Vâlcii Subcarpathians offering a clear analysis of the evolution of the material and technical base of the resort. Therefore, the study focused on the evaluation of both natural and man-made resources favourable to the emergence and development of the spa resorts from Vâlcea County, Romania. At the same time, the authors gave it a touch of originality by shaping the development perspectives of Vâlcea Subcarpathian region. The research has a solid theoretical background based on relevant papers and fundamental studies in spa tourism meant to offer a significant overview of the subject. The main results are based on a survey which was conducted in order to determine the quality degree of the accommodation and treatment in the region under study as well as the accessibility of the population to such services. At the same time, the paper outlines the main weaknesses and opportunities regarding the activities of spa tourism in Vâlcea Subcarpathians as a starting point for a further development strategy.