ANALYSIS OF AGRITOURISM AND RURAL TOURISM SITUATION IN THE NORTH EAST OF ROMANIA.

In Romania, rural tourism and agro-tourism were practiced in an unorganized way until 1989, as tourists sought a cheaper accommodation compared to the standard accommodation units. Since 1989, gamma services have been improved, so more homes for locals have been opened for tourists. Hence the need for an organization of accommodation, homologation and classification, and the first forms of organized rural tourism appeared in the Rucăr-Bran area, with the establishment of ANTREC, which was then developed at national level. As a result of these changes, as well as the tendency to improve and modernize the tourist activities carried out in rural areas, rural tourism and agrotourism have started to occupy an important place in the Romanian tourist offer, representing for the eager ones an attractive alternative in view leisure time. As a result of the development of legislation, rural tourism and agritourism have seen a significant development, increasingly aligning with European standards in this area. In this paper we propose to analyze the situation of the tourist and agro-touristic pensions situated in the largest development region in Romania, the North East Region, which has a rich history and tradition and whose tourism development could contribute to the economic growth of the area, representing at the same time a means of promoting Romania and its rich traditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]