COMPARATIVE ECONOMETRIC ANALYSIS ON THE EVOLUTION OF TOURISM TRAFFIC IN PRAHOVA AND BRASOV COUNTIES
The paper analyzes the comparative development of tourist traffic in the counties of Prahova and Brasov, the main indicators for assessing values, numbers of tourist arrivals and overnights number, being studied as econometric time series. The economic crisis triggered worldwide began before 2009 also in travel industry, has important effects at national level in Romania territorial. Studied in this context is the tendency of tourist movement in Prahova and Brasov counties, and recording developments oscillatory growing up in 2008 and a significant decrease in the year 2009. Conclusions of the analyzed phenomena show that the results are the effects of the emergence of financial bottlenecks that led to a significant drop in income population and therefore in important reduction of the tourist arrivals and of the overnight stays in these counties. However, it is expected a revival of tourist traffic in Prahova and Brasov counties, after economic recovery of Romania.
Analysis of the correlation between the existing accommodation capacity and the number of tourists arrived in Suceava County structures of touristic reception.
In the international touristic practice, but also in the specialized literature, it is perceived the population’s trend to spend the leisure time in an active way, by practicing tourism. It is also noted the fact that the forms of tourism organized in the big crowded centers, with fixed, rigid, monotonous programs, with journeys from a crowded environment to another, don’t satisfy anymore the tourists’ aspirations, motivations, options. They prefer the countryside zones that offer a non-polluted environment, with a natural and cultural potential very slightly altered. Such an area, which is inscribed in the rich heritage of the Romanian tourism, is Suceava County, which, by its offer, may be envisaged as an exceptional touristic zone of Romania. Suceava County, Bârsa Land’s progress demands the inclusion of the principals of the lasting regional development in its development strategy. Within this framework, the importance of studying and analyzing the touristic activity’s evolution can be noted. The need of acknowledging the fluctuations registered by the results of the touristic activity deployment allowed the approach of the issue related to the correlation stage between the existing accommodation capacity and the number of tourists arrived in the accommodation structures of Suceava County during the 2000-2006 period. The mutual involvement relationship, the existence, the direction, the form and the intensity of the connection between the two indicators are analyzed in this paper. The conclusions stated following the analysis of the obtained result, represent an upper step for filling in the image regarding the regional tourism activity in the conditions of the establishment and application of certain regional lasting development strategies.
The economics of the open university revisited
Revision of earlier cost calculations for the Open University and Conventional Universities in the U.K. for 1973 confirms the findings of a significant cost advantage to the Open University. An analysis of developments at the Open University since 1973 indicates, however, that there has been little reduction in average cost in real terms and no improvement is likely on known developments to 1979. This is surprising for it might be expected that as student numbers rise average costs would fall. A more detailed analysis of the structure of Open University costs indicates why this has not happened. A major determinant of costs is the number of courses and these have continued to grow rapidly since 1973. The rate of increase of new courses has been faster than the rate of increase of new students. In effect the University has been using the economies provided by increased student numbers to increase student choice through the provision of more courses rather than reduce average cost.Average cost could be reduced whilst keeping the same number of courses by changing the components of the teaching system such as broadcasting. If such fundamental changes were not acceptable then an alternative would be to change the mix of courses between the relatively expensive science and technology areas and the cheaper arts and social science areas. A further alternative is to keep the same mix but ensure a longer life for science and technology courses.