GREAT EXPECTATIONS FOR TOURISM AND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN ROMANIA: WHY ARE NOT THEY MET?

Tudorel ANDREI
The Bucharest Academy of Economic Studies, 6, Romana Square, district 1, Bucharest, postal code: 010374, postal office 22, Romania, Phone: +4.021.319.19.00, Fax: +4.021.319.18.99
andreitudorel@ase.ro

Constantin MITRUT
The Bucharest Academy of Economic Studies, 6, Romana Square, district 1, Bucharest, postal code: 010374, postal office 22, Romania, Phone: +4.021.319.19.00; Fax: +4.021.319.18.99
cmitrut@ase.ro

Daniela-Luminita CONSTANTIN
The Bucharest Academy of Economic Studies, 6, Romana Square, district 1, Bucharest, postal code: 010374, postal office 22, Romania, Phone: +4.021.319.19.00; Fax: +4.021.319.18.99
danielaconstantin_2005@yahoo.com

Bogdan OANCEA
“Nicolae Titulescu” University,Calea Văcăreşti, Nr. 185, Sector 4, postal code 040051, Bucharest, Romania, Phone: +4.021.330.90.32, Fax: +4.021.330.86.06
bogdanoancea@univnt.ro
(corresponding author)

Abstract
Despite the high potential of the Romanian tourism competitiveness and reducing interregional disparities, the results obtained in the last fifteen-twenty years are far below expectations. This paper aims to identify national and regional characteristics of tourism in Romania during the period 1990 to 2010 and to evaluate the most important factors that influenced foreign tourists’ arrivals in Romania and the departures of Romanian tourists abroad. As infrastructure is one of the main obstacles to tourism development we have used data from development regions in order to explore the changes in the concentration of accommodation capacities. We have developed econometric models estimated on panel data to assess the implications of road infrastructure development and accommodation capacity utilization on economic results of tourism. The results indicate the important relationship between the territorial distribution of road infrastructure and the concentration of accommodation capacity.

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PROVINCIAL CLUSTERING IN THE SOUTH OF THAILAND: CONCEPTUAL AND EMPIRICAL

Kiatkajon CHAIRAT
Department of Economics, Faculty of Economics, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand.
Corresponding author: Kiatkajon Chairat Tel: +6681 870 0219
kiatkajon2111@gmail.com

Sumalee SANTIPOLVUT
Department of Economics, Faculty of Economics, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand.

Supachart SUKHAROMANA
Department of Economics, Faculty of Economics, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand.

Abstract
This paper aims to determine the cluster of 14 provinces in the Southern part of Thailand. We formulated 24 indicators for provincial clustering based on three major concepts: spatial, functional, and micro-foundational. Factor analysis shows that 10 of these indicators significantly determine provincial clustering. Cluster analysis obviously categorises 14 provinces into five cases of three to seven provincial clusters. In each case, the formation of groups is determined using the proximity criteria. Discrimination analysis helps to classify the most appropriate form, and in each case shows that clusters three and four are appropriate for provincial clustering.

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TRADE OPENNESS, URBAN CONCENTRATION AND CITY-SIZE GROWTH IN TURKEY

Hasan ENGIN DURAN
Assistant Professor of Economics, Izmir Institute of Technology,
City and Regional Planning Department,
Corresponding Author, Adress: Izmir Yüksek Teknoloji Enstitüsü, Gülbahçe Köyü, Izmir-Turkey,
Tel: +902327507004
enginduran@iyte.edu.tr

Sevim PELIN ÖZKAN
Research Assistant, Izmir Institute of Technology, City and Regional Planning Department,
Adress: Izmir Yüksek Teknoloji Enstitüsü, Gülbahçe Köyü, Izmir-Turkey
pelinozkan@iyte.edu.tr

Abstract
Aim of the present study is to investigate two important issues on urban concentration in Turkey. First, we investigate whether population tend to have an uneven distribution across cities between 1965-2012, second, we analyze the determinants of city-size growth by relating it to the process of trade liberalization and to a range of other socio-economic and geographical factors. In terms of methodology, we employ various cross sectional and spatial econometric tools to implement our analysis. Our results indicate three major conclusions: First, urban concentration tends to increase recently, leading to an unevenly growing cities and creating urban giants (i.e. Istanbul). Second, trade liberalization is shown to intensify this process since metropolitan areas, which are more open to trade, tend to grow faster than others. Third, specialization of cities in industrial activities (i.e. manufacturing) and economies of agglomeration are likely to reinforce the spatial concentration of population around larger cities.

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