ABSTRACT
From the early 1960s, the Romanian authorities struggled to transform Romania into an attractive tourist destination for foreign visitors, especially those from the West, in connection with their long-term aim of improving the state’s balance of payments by accumulating hard currency. Attracting a significant number of Western tourists was not an easy task to accomplish. Western interest in Romania, a socialist country, was low, and Romanian legislation did not encourage tourist travel to Romania. The country lacked the necessary infrastructure in respect of tourist concerns for safety and security, health and hygiene. In addition, Romania could not boast of many natural and cultural sights that were considered to be comparable to most other European destinations.
