Cultural tourism in Oltenia (Romania) ? disregarded opportunity

As the importance of cultural tourism is increasing, ever more states from Europe and not only are using cultural tourism for their tourism development strategies to attract a growing number of tourists. Oltenia’s cultural heritage with value for tourism is manifested through arts and crafts, costumes, religion, festivals, music, dance, folklore, literature, local cuisine, as well as monuments and other constructions testifying for the people’s history. The current analysis, focusing on the cultural patrimony as a major tourist resource, aims to identify and examine what types of tourism plans and strategies have been adopted by the Romanian government to develop and promote cultural tourism in the country as a hole and for specific regions in particular, and what effects they had on the tourism industry, as well as to define the necessary activities for the successful development of cultural tourism in Oltenia. The main goal is to demonstrate that beside balneary spas, the region also owes significant natural and cultural resources to support the development of cultural tourism.