24. Cultural Heritage Tourism Export and Local Development. Performance Indicators and Policy Challenges for Romania

Tourism activity is an important driver of the global economy, ensuring monetary circulation, through tourism receipts, to other economic circuits. By developing tourism activities, countries can increase their national production, with a positive effect on their Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Tourism services and cultural products should be promoted together in development efforts, as generators for regional progress in areas with partially valued heritage potential. A strategic and integrated approach of sustainable cultural heritage tourism development must include all types of externalities, both positive and negative, and should be included in local policies for development as a priority, offering economically driven opportunities. Intensive development of tourism, which contributes to an increased added value, must be implemented in services through technology. Cultural heritage, promoted through tourism, creates jobs, drives innovation, supports public services development and local entrepreneurship (including transport and communication infrastructures), generates prosperity, and encourages participation of citizens. This chapter presents proposals and recommendations for national policies and strategies for ensuring that inbound tourism, based on current national and cultural heritage, constitutes a supplementary factor to economic growth in the region.