Author: Andrei Blumer (Association of Ecotourism in Romania)
Presentation for Topic 2: Multi-Stakeholder Approaches to Developing Ecotourism Destinations
2nd European Ecotourism Conference
23-25 October 2013, Romania
Wilderness Tourism in Europe: The PAN Parks Tourism Model
Ecotourism – a new paradigm for development
1. Ecotourism – a new paradigm for
development
www.eco-romania.ro
The Association of Ecotourism in Romania
2. What does AER do?
1.
Professional organisation for members and partners
1.
2.
2.
Umbrella organisation for European level promotion of members and partners under the
Discover Eco-Romania brand (catalog, site, travel shows, etc.);
Assistance for green management of guesthouses and tour-operators through the Eco-Romania.
Certification system.
Development agency for applying the ecotourism destination concept
1.
2.
3.
Developing local service networks, certification, marketing;
Communication, awareness and advocacy (national, local, academic and business sectors) ;
Assistance for protected area administration (visitor management plans, interpretation trails,
trainings, etc.)
3. About what are we going to talk?
1. Romanian case studies:
ecotourism destinations.
2. Good example in Europe
4. Micro-regions in the process of becoming ecotourism destinations
Mara
Maramures
Tara
Dornelor Calimani
Padurea
Craiului Apuseni
Tusnad –
Sfanta Ana
Tarnava Mare Hartibaciu
Tara
Hategului Retezat
Tara Branului
– Piatra
Craiului
Macin &
N Dobrogea
Danube
Delta
13. Networking and certification
Retezat NP region –part of the
European PAN Parks network;
certified businesses part of the
local network of destination
14. Local events reinvented as a quality ecotourism experience
Șezătoare din Salasu de Sus,
designed to be a high quality
tourism product.
16. Ecotourism standards and criteria
Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC)
European EcoTourism Labeling Standard (EETLS)
Ecotourism Destination
Criteria
Romania
Private initiative - Romania
Sweden
Romania – Governmental
Initiative
17. Developing the concept and criteria for ecotourism destination in
Romania
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
A well defined micro-region that has at least one protected area;
A minimum set of tourism services (e.g. 50 beds, medical care, bank, etc.);
The existence of a DMO managed by the partnership between the administration
of the protected area, business sector and local authorities;
Responsible approach towards environmental and socio-culture components of
the destination;
The existance of a critical mass of green businesses;
Good premises for visitors satisfaction with a high quality information and
interpretation infrastructure;
A holistic image of the destination that integrates the protected area and local
communities
