Balneary tourism has long surpassed the limiting perception of a niche segment, currently consolidating itself as an important element of health tourism and representing a fundamental engine in the growth of the local economy. Although Romania possesses natural resources and a distinguished balneary tradition, the competitiveness of destinations cannot be based only on natural factors, thus, modern management is necessary for the efficient management of resources, emphasizing strengths and, at the same time, remedying weaknesses through management strategies capable of transforming vulnerabilities into opportunities for sustainable development. In this context, this study evaluates the degree of competitiveness of the Sovata balneary-climatic resort. The research applies a multidimensional evaluation model of the degree of competitiveness structured on four pillars: tourism resources, infrastructure, management, and destination sustainability. The study highlights the importance of infrastructure, for the Sovata resort to remain competitive.
Druta et al. (Wed,) studied this question.