Seasonal variations in the tourism industry consist of alternating patterns of overuse and underuse of touristic potential and resources, which correspond to overexertion in the peak periods and to reduced income levels in the trough periods. We analyze both trend and seasonal components for agritouristic boarding houses, conventional boarding houses, hotels, and overall arrivals in 41 Romanian counties by using the Season-Trend decomposition using the LOESS method previously used in forecasting. Our findings suggest that there is a moderate positive relation between trend and seasonality in agritouristic boarding houses, a situation that is not shared with other types of accommodation units studied. While at a country-wide level the seasonal character of agritourism is not significantly different from other types of accommodations studied, in some counties located in south-east Romania, the seasonality exhibited by agritourism is significantly lower. Agritourism seasonal patterns exhibit spatial correlation features, indicating that underlying natural and anthropic causes exert more influence than in the case of other types of accommodations. These findings may be used to shape public policy and entrepreneur behavior in agritourism and rural tourism, domains where farm income diversification is instrumental to surviving events such as crop failures, price changes, and consumer behavior.

The hedonic pricing model posits that the price of a given product or service is an aggregate of several distinct characteristics that define it. In the context of tourism, this approach can be used to assess the prices of accommodations in a given area or market. This study explores the main determinants of tourism prices in the Brașov area of central Romania, a county that ranked as the second most visited area in Romania in 2021 based on the number of arrivals according to the ordinary least squares regression model on a sample of 398 accommodation units of different types. The main finding of this research paper is that prices are strongly influenced by luxury amenities and that prices tend to rise in lower-population-density areas, which we associate with rural areas. As previously noted in the literature, monetary values can be assigned to incremental changes in the independent variables, with the most significant changes deriving from the inclusion of spa, sauna and restaurant services in the tourism offer of accommodation units.

This study investigates the factors influencing pricing in Romanian rural tourism using a hedonic pricing model through a hybrid LASSO-OLS regression and geographically weighted regression (GWR). By analyzing data from 5028 unique accommodation units across 1170 local administrative units, we identify some key pricing determinants, including accommodation size, capacity, facilities, and environmental attributes. The results reveal that larger accommodations and those with higher guest capacities command higher prices. Luxurious facilities, such as massage services, pools, and fireplaces, significantly increase pricing, although the impact of such features varies by region, as do accommodation type and natural scenery, with agritouristic boarding houses and proximity to natural attractions like water bodies and forests being more valued in certain regions. These factors can aid rural entrepreneurs in optimizing pricing to enhance competitiveness and profitability.

The need to diversify economic activities in rural areas is essential for stimulating sustainable development. In this regard, rural tourism can be an effective tool for supporting the development in rural areas. The purpose of this article was to identify the favorability of Hunedoara County for rural tourism activities, which would contribute to the sustainable development of tourism. Rural tourism activities would generate economic and social benefits both for local communities and for tourists, and at the same time preserve and protect the cultural and natural values of the area. The research methods used to carry out this study are both qualitative (documentary study) and quantitative (a questionnaire applied in order to identify the perceptions of tourists with respect to the tourist development potential of Hunedoara County through rural tourism). The main results of the research consist in the identification of some directions for future development of Hunedoara County. These directions would, in the future, lead to an increase in the visibility of local rural communities; to the preservation of local traditions and customs, while promoting sustainability and respect for the environment; and to the implementation of a plan for sustainable development through rural tourism in the studied area.

Food insecurity remains a persistent global challenge, despite significant advancements in agricultural production and technology. The main objective of this study is to identify and quantitatively assess some of the structural determinants influencing country-level food insecurity and provide an empirical background for policy-making aimed at achieving the Sustainable Development Goal of Zero Hunger (SDG 2). This study employs a beta regression model in order to study moderate or severe food insecurity across 153 countries, using a cross-sectional dataset that integrates economic, agricultural, political, and demographic independent variables. The analysis identifies low household per capita final consumption expenditure (β = −9 × 10⁻⁵, p < 0.001), high income inequality expressed as a high GINI coefficient (β = 0.047, p < 0.001), high long-term inflation (β = 0.0176, p = 0.003), and low economic globalization (β = −0.021, p = 0.001) as the most significant predictors of food insecurity. Agricultural variables such as land area (β = −1 × 10⁻⁵, p = 0.02) and productivity per hectare (β = −9 × 10⁻⁵, p = 0.09) showed limited but statistically significant inverse effects (lowering food insecurity), while factors like unemployment, political stability, and conflict were not significant in the model. The findings suggest that increased economic capacity, inequality reduction, inflation control, and global trade integration are critical pathways for reducing food insecurity. Future research could employ beta regression in time-series and panel analyses or spatial models like geographically weighted regression to capture geographic differences in food insecurity determinants.

The sustainable development of tourism can contribute to the diversification of local economies, job creation, and the valorization of natural and cultural heritage. The study analyses the perceived role of rural tourism in the sustainable development of mountain communities through an approach that involves multiple stakeholders and integrates the perspectives of tourists, economic operators, and local authorities. This manuscript aims to connect tourists’ experiences with the problems encountered in the economic activities of tourism operators and the involvement of local authorities in supporting the sustainable development of mountain communities through tourism in the Banatul Montan region. The analysis, conducted between 12 May and 1 July 2026, included three non-probability samples from the Banatul Montan region: 260 tourists, 64 economic operators, and 31 representatives of local authorities. The research is based on a cross-sectional, exploratory, associative, and multi-actor approach. The methodology consisted of developing and administering three distinct questionnaires addressed to tourists, economic operators, and representatives of local public authorities. The results obtained were analyzed using descriptive statistics, scale reliability assessment through Cronbach’s alpha coefficient, as well as correlation analyses and ordinal logistic regressions. The conclusions indicate that the results highlight a descriptive contrast between the perspectives of the three groups, without metric equivalence or a statistical demonstration of differences. The analysis keeps the experiential, operational, and institutional levels distinct and does not allow causal inferences. The study results may serve as a basis for informing sustainable development strategies for the region, aiming to improve residents’ quality of life and tourists’ satisfaction in the mountain area analyzed.