sustainability Article Vineyards and Wineries in Alba County, Romania towards Sustainable Business Development 1, 2 3 Monica Maria Coros, * , Ana Monica Pop and Andrada Ioana Popa 1 Faculty of Business, Babes, -Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania, 7 Horea Street, Cluj-Napoca, Cluj 400174, Romania 2 Faculty of European Studies, Babes, -Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania, 1 Emmanuel de Martonne Street, Cluj-Napoca, Cluj 400090, Romania 3 Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Babes, -Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania, 58-60 Teodor Mihali Street, Cluj-Napoca, Cluj 400591, Romania * Correspondence:
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[email protected] Received: 27 June 2019; Accepted: 23 July 2019; Published: 25 June 2019 Abstract: Starting from a definition of wine tourism, put in the context of sustainable development, a multifaceted research study was elaborated, aimed at establishing if, and how, wine businesses in Alba County, Romania, can develop on a sustainable path. A mix of desk research, qualitative, and quantitative methods and tools were blended together in this research. An investigation of the wineries’ financial situations and online presence was further completed by the interviews with entrepreneurs, local public administration representatives, and residents in order to establish that business development on the wine-route is highly desired and would eventually enjoy the appreciation of both locals and tourists. Instead of conclusions, a framework for the sustainable development of Alba’s wineries is sketched, focusing on those elements that motivate international and also Romanian wine tourists to visit this destination, and emphasizing the need for the establishment of a destination management organization (DMO) capable of managing the interests of all stakeholders under the conditions of sustainable development.