Romania: rethinking tourism to ease pressure on overcrowded destinations

Popular landmarks such as Count Dracula’s Castle in Transylvania attract close to one million visitors each year, highlighting both the appeal and the challenges of mass tourism. While tourism brings economic benefits, it can also strain local infrastructure, affect residents’ quality of life and put pressure on cultural and natural heritage.

To address these challenges, the Tourism in Balance project, co-funded by Interreg Europe, is working with cities and regions across Europe to develop strategies that spread tourism more evenly in space and time. Launched in 2023, the project brings together partners from Rome, Amsterdam, Seville, Tallinn, Krakow and Brașov, under the guidance of the Breda University of Applied Sciences.

Rather than discouraging travel, the project focuses on encouraging visitors to explore alternative destinations that offer equally rich experiences while relieving pressure on overcrowded hotspots. In Brașov, a city with strong tourism potential and a new airport, local authorities are using the project to anticipate and avoid the overtourism challenges already faced by larger European cities.

One of the flagship initiatives developed in the region is the Gastro Local Programme, which promotes tourism in rural areas surrounding Brașov. In villages such as Vama Buzăului, residents open their homes to visitors and offer home-cooked meals prepared with locally sourced produce. The programme supports local incomes, strengthens links between tourists and communities, and provides visitors with an authentic experience away from crowded sites.

By combining policy learning, local initiatives and community involvement, the Tourism in Balance project demonstrates how tourism can contribute to regional development without overwhelming popular destinations.

Developed with EU support, the project shows that redistributing tourism flows can benefit visitors, residents and local economies alike, while helping preserve cultural and natural heritage across Europe.

Romania: European regions work together to rebalance tourism and reduce overcrowding