The paper presents an innovative method for tourist route planning inside a destination. The necessity of reorganizing the tourist routes within a destination comes as an immediate response to the Covid-19 crisis. The implementation of the method inside tourist destinations can bring an important advantage in transforming a destination into a safer one in times of Covid-19 and post-Covid-19. The existing trend of shortening the tourist stay length has been accelerated while the epidemic became a pandemic. Moreover, the wariness for future pandemics has brought into spotlight the issue of overcrowded attractions inside a destination at certain moments. The method presented in this paper proposes a backtracking algorithm, more precisely an adaptation of the travelling salesman problem. The method presented is aimed to facilitate the navigation inside a destination and to revive certain less-visited sightseeing spots inside a destination while facilitating conformation with the social distancing measures imposed for Covid-19 control.

Visitors’ increasing interest in nature-based and cultural tourism, especially in the context of ecotourism destinations, has generated a heated debate in tourism literature. Some authors consider that ecotourism should be approached through a niche strategy rather than through mass marketing. Therefore, identifying the main characteristics of visitors to ecotourism destinations is very important in setting management and marketing strategies adapted to their specific needs. The present paper aims to identify the profile of visitors to Romanian ecotourism destinations, considering the ecotourism potential of this country and the scarcity of empirical studies on these types of destinations. To reach this aim, a survey was conducted in four Romanian ecotourism destinations. By computing the data collected from a sample of 1157 visitors, four visitor segments have been identified based on a single characteristic (visit purpose). Crosstabulation and Chi-square analysis were used in order to identify the profiles of these segments. The results reveal that most of respondents are nature travellers, followed by culture travellers. The findings may be used by ecotourism destination managers in order to target specific market segments and establish proper management and marketing strategies.

The use of sentiment analysis methodology has become crucial for e-commerce enterprises in order to optimise their marketing tactics. In the present setting, the authors strive to demonstrate the ethical and efficient use of artificial intelligence in the realm of business. The researchers used qualitative research methodologies to analyse a total of 1687 evaluations obtained from 85 online retailers associated with electronic commerce Europe Trustmark. These stores were linked with 18 different nations and operated over 14 distinct domains. The investigation used the combined power of natural language processing and machine learning, implemented via a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) platform. The results of the study indicate that consumers often exhibit a neutral emotional tone while leaving one-star ratings. Although the influence of unfavourable evaluations is generally limited, it highlights the need for more attentiveness in their management. The extent to which users interact with goods and services has a substantial impact on the probability of publishing reviews, regardless of whether the encountered experience is unpleasant or favourable. The authors urge for the acquisition of tools and skills in order to boost the efficiency of managers and experts in parallel with expanding technological landscapes, with a particular emphasis on the utilisation of artificial intelligence for sentiment analysis.

Among the most important factors that favor the development of a sustainable business environment are the sources of financing and the skills developed by the higher education system, according to recent studies. To align with these, several universities have started providing entrepreneurship knowledge. Are these sufficiently well-known by the students in Romania? The current paper aims to carry out an in-depth analysis of concepts. The primary objective of this study is to explore the most relevant sources of entrepreneurial financing in the context of a sustainable entrepreneurial higher education. For such an endeavor, quantitative research was conducted, being designed and distributed through a questionnaire. Data were collected from a sample of 285 students of Transilvania University in Brasov interested in entrepreneurship. Results indicate that the main sources of entrepreneurial financing are retained earnings/profit, personal sources, supplier credits, European funds, loans (bank credits), leasing, and business angels. Evidence shows that most respondents assert great confidence in European funds. Notably, the entrepreneurial qualities of the founder are one of the enablers of a successful and sustainable business. Additionally, this research opens new ways of collaboration between the academic and the business environment to better train future professionals in the economic field.

This paper aims to provide an in-depth analysis of the knowledge of and access to funding sources in the context of sustainability. Additionally, it seeks to analyse the perspectives and intentions of entrepreneurs regarding the use of such sources in the future. For this purpose, quantitative research was conducted, and data were collected from a sample of 267 respondents, companies operating in the Central Region of Romania. The evidence indicates that reinvestment of profits is the most commonly used funding source, followed by bank loans and leasing. The least-used and least-known funding source are Business Angels. Among the conclusions of the study, the demonstration of the link between the level of use of the funding sources, which moderates the close relationship between sustainability and the financial performance of a company, is noteworthy. Ultimately, this research opens new ways for collaboration between the academic environment, government, and local authorities. The results can be beneficial for stakeholders at both the micro- and macroeconomic levels interested in the sustainable development of the SME sector.

Sustainable development represents the optimal development option which proposes a harmonization of goals covering economic, social, and environmental aspects. The research aims at identifying students' level of knowledge of the concept of sustainable development, of the 17 goals as part of this type of development, and their interest in building a career in the field of sustainable development. The results of the research show that students are familiar with the 17 goals of sustainable development, the main sources of information about sustainable development and SDGs as subjects studied at the University and on the Internet; moreover, many of them want to build a career in the field of sustainable development.