Could the All-Inclusive system increase the appeal of the Romanian seaside?

Abstract

The tourist infrastructure built during the Communist period on the Romanian seaside had a toilsome opening towards all-inclusive services, in 2023 less than 15% of the total number of hotels offering AI or AIL services. For the last 20 years, many Romanian tourists have become loyal to destinations abroad, easily accessible, some of them known to offer predominantly all-inclusive services. Using semi-structured interviews, the study analyzes the perception of a sample of Romanian tourists related to the development of the all-inclusive system on the Romanian seaside. Applying the thematic analysis procedure, 3 main themes emerged regarding the AI system: diversity, benefits for families and quality issues. Based on them, implications for managers and other stakeholders are discussed.