Tourism, Accessibility and 112 Calls: Constanța County Case Study

Tourism creates unique pressures on emergency services, particularly in high-season destinations. This study examines the relationship between seasonal tourist influx and 112 emergency call volumes in Constanța County, Romania, between 2018 and 2024. Using a quantitative design, the research analyzes official datasets from the Special Telecommunications Service (STS) and national statistics to assess correlations between tourist numbers and agency-specific emergency calls. The findings reveal strong positive associations between tourist presence and call to the police (r = 0.944), ISU-SMURD (r = 0.963), and the gendarmerie (r = 0.952) during August, the peak tourist month. By contrast, ambulance calls showed no statistically significant variation linked to tourism. Regression analysis confirmed that nearly 89% of the variation in police call volume is explained by tourist presence in August. Beyond these statistical patterns, the study reflects on accessibility challenges in emergency communication, highlighting the contribution of digital tools such as SMS113 and the Apel 112 app in supporting both tourists and persons with disabilities. The results underscore the importance of multilingual support, strategic resource planning, and inclusive communication during high-demand periods. Overall, this case study provides relevant insights for emergency services management in tourist-heavy regions and calls for broader national and European-level research to strengthen resilience, equity, and responsiveness in emergency call systems.