Fig. 1
The influence of the most important elements on the tourist attractiveness of a near-border area (after Więckowski 2010).
Source: own compilation.
Fig. 2
Location of the Danube Gorge–Iron Gates region (after Pătroescu, Necșuliu 2008 with modifications).
Source: own compilation.
Fig. 3
The rock sculpture of King Decebal and Cazanele Mici.
Source: photos taken by Andrei-Florin Băbăț.
Fig. 4
A flowchart of the methodology used.
Source: own study.
Fig. 5
The historical context of the Romanian-Serbian border in the period 1919–2021.
Source: own study.
Table 1
Types of tourism present in the Danube Gorge area.
| Type of tourism | Location | Examples of tourism products offered | Entity offering |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rural tourism | Eșelnița, Eibenthal, Moldova Nouă | festival ‘Different ethnically, but united culturally’ | local government |
| Cruise tourism | Orșova, Dubova | local cruise | private operators |
| Sports tourism | Coronini, Sichevița, Berzasca, Svinița, Dubova | cycling routes | local government |
| Gastronomic tourism | Orșova, Moldova Nouă, Svinița, Dubova, Eșelnița, Pojejena | tastings of traditional products | tourist pensions |
| Cultural tourism | Drobeta-Turnu Severin, Dubova, Eșelnița | guided visits | private operators |
[i] Source: own study.
Table 2
Tourist accommodation capacity by type of tourist accommodation (2019).
| Type of tourist accommodation | Locality/number of places | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Drobeta-Turnu Severin | 2. Breznița-Ocol | 3. Ilovița | 4. Orșova | 5. Eșelnița | 6. Dubova | 7. Svinița | |
| Hotels | 799 | 0 | 0 | 44 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Hostels | 245 | 0 | 0 | 54 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Motels | 45 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tourist villas | 24 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tourist huts | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| Bungalows | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tourist cottages | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tourist pensions | 164 | 0 | 0 | 102 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Agritourism pensions | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 428 | 118 | 28 |
| Total | 1,277 | 0 | 0 | 200 | 428 | 128 | 28 |
| Type of tourist accommodation | Locality/number of places | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8. Berzasca | 9. Sichevița | 10. Coronini | 11. Gârnic | 12. Moldova Nouă | 13. Pojejena | 14. Socol | |
| Hotels | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Hostels | 0 | 0 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Motels | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tourist villas | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tourist huts | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 |
| Bungalows | 30 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tourist cottages | 0 | 16 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tourist pensions | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 59 | 0 | 0 |
| Agritourism pensions | 78 | 58 | 80 | 0 | 0 | 50 | 14 |
| Total | 121 | 74 | 106 | 12 | 59 | 64 | 14 |
[i] Source: National Institute of Statistics.
Fig. 6
The structure of total accommodation capacity in the Danube Gorge (2019).
1 – hotels; 2 – hostels; 3 – motels, tourist villas, tourist huts, bungalows and tourist cottages; 4 – tourist pensions; 5 – agritourism pensions.
Source: own study.
Fig. 6
The structure of total accommodation capacity in the Danube Gorge (2019).
1 – hotels; 2 – hostels; 3 – motels, tourist villas, tourist huts, bungalows and tourist cottages; 4 – tourist pensions; 5 – agritourism pensions.
Source: own study.
Table 3
Evolution of the chronological indicators of the number of tourists in the Danube Gorge.
| Years | Absolute indicators | Relative indicators | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level | Absolute change | Dynamic indexes | Growth rate | ||||
| yt | Δt/1 | Δt/t−1 | It/1 (%) | It/t−1 (%) | Rt/1(%) | Rt/t−1(%) | |
| 2015 | 68,961 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2016 | 78,756 | 19,795 | −9,795 | 114.20 | 114.20 | 14.20 | 14.20 |
| 2017 | 84,712 | 15,751 | −5,956 | 122.84 | 122.69 | 22.69 | 7.56 |
| 2018 | 79,898 | 10,937 | −4,814 | 115.85 | 115.85 | 15.85 | −5.70 |
| 2019 | 85,218 | 16,257 | −5,320 | 123.57 | 123.57 | 23.57 | 6.65 |
[i] Source: National Institute of Statistics.
Table 4
The localities in the Danube Gorge where tourist arrivals increased.
| Locality | Years (no. Sosiri Turistice) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | |
| Orșova | 5,649 | 7,835 | 9,074 | 8,133 | 10,258 |
| Berzasca | 1,439 | 1,634 | 1,958 | 3,386 | 3,859 |
| Pojejena | 1457 | 1,697 | 1,987 | 1,580 | 2,195 |
| Eșelnița | 1,344 | 2,871 | 3,621 | 4,002 | 5,919 |
[i] Source: National Institute of Statistics.
Fig. 8
Localities that have recorded increases in tourist arrivals.
Source: own study.
Table 5
Analysis of the tourism potential of the Danube Gorge.
| Indicator | Value | Points | Value | Points | Value | Points | Value | Points | Value | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tourist arrivals | Under 2,500 | 1 | 2,500–5,000 | 2 | 5,000–7,500 | 3 | 7,500–10,000 | 4 | Over 10,000 | 5 |
| Accommodation capacity | Under 100 | 1 | 100–200 | 2 | 200–300 | 3 | 300–400 | 4 | Over 400 | 5 |
| Tourism potential | 1–2 | 1 | 2–3 | 2 | 3–4 | 3 | 4–5 | 4 | Over 5 | 5 |
[i] Source: National Institute of Statistics.
Fig. 9
The competitiveness of tourism.
Source: own compilation.