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ETHICS AND TOURISM

– DRACULA PARK ROMANIA

– CASE STUDY

International Conference - "Educating for Tomorrow’s Tourism", Ohrid, Macedonia, 10 -12 October, 2003, pp.206 –211

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Ada Mirela Tomescu Elena Botezat

Management & Marketing Department

Faculty of Economic Studies

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INTRODUCTION

• Europe is hosting, on its territory, several

tens of amusement parks

• These parks annually attract millions of

tourists, and cover a variety of

entertainment facilities

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The managers dealing with touristic

activity recognized the need of ethics in

their businesses.

They also understood that law by itself

cannot protect a nation and its cultural

heritage.

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As time goes by, tourism becomes more and

more diverse, stretching from Enjoyment

(relaxation) to Entertainment and even to

the Evolution as development of human

personality, the last being the most

ambitious function of tourism according to

the “3E Theory”.

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“3E Theory”

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Because some of us find spending their

leisure time in a relaxing quiet, away

from the city jungle area boring,

something new, unusual, sometimes wild

or even dangerous was created.

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Following this tendency, the operators in

tourism, stimulated even more certain

types of tourism, demanding a high effort

from the tourist taking them, some being

considered dangerous.

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DRACULA’s MYTH

• Market’s demand certaintouristic products, in this respectthat is just the type of touristicproduct based on the Draculamyth, the famous vampireoriginated in TransylvaniaRomania.

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The ideea of

developing Dracula Park

• The high demand for “adrenalin rushes”

determined those in charge with

Romanian tourism to propose building a

theme park, based on the Dracula myth,

character created in 1898 by Bram

Stoker and based on historical realities,

enriched by Stoker’s imagination.

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DRACULA’s

MYTH

• DRACULA’s

myth is one of

the most well-

known modern

myths in the

world.

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• more than 250 movies

were already shot;

• about 1000 books

published;

• and no less than

10000 articles

written.

DRACULA’s

MYTH

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DRACULA’s MYTH

LOCATON

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DRACULA’s TOUR

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• The DraculaPark Project wascreated in orderto capitalize themyth in Romania,the origincountry of theCount Dracula.

Tihuta Castel – Touristic Product: Dracula Tour

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The historical truth is far away and

every novelist, each scriptwriter, film

director, play writers, comics strips,

have added more and more elements

in order to catch the attention of

world-spread spectators.

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Dracula myth is based on a

famous historic figure,

Vlad Tepes, a Romanian

ruler.

PRINCE VLAD THE IMPALER, the grisly inspiration for the fictional vampire "Dracula".

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He is well known for

impaling his enemies, a

common practice at the

time otherwise a very

cruel practice!

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DRACULA PARK PROJECT –

AN ETHICAL APROACH

• We examine the effects resulted from

developing such a project!

• Is it ethical to develop any type of

tourism, any kind of product?

• Which are the tasks of tourism industry

in contemporary age?

• How can we balance to assuring its

survival and its development?

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The ideea of

developing Dracula Park

Most supporters of this project consider that the

young generation experiments dangerous

things starting from childhood

So, it is normal that the youth will choose the

unusual for their spare time, looking for things

making them fear or giving them the feeling

that they cannot control what’s happening,

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• In the past years, especially when young

people are concerned, violence has

increased in Romania too, due to violent

movies.

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• Having adrenalin rush attractions

adjacent to building and equipping this

“Land” means to invest a huge amount of

money, expenses that the Romanian state

cannot afford.

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• In spite of the fact that more than 30

foreign companies stated their interests to

invest here, each of them wishing to

acquire and to carry out parts of the

project.

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• The project was evaluated at 40 billions

euro. In this respect we are sceptic

regarding fulfilling these intentions.

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In fact for now the project faces a

dead end!

The reasons are various...

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• Is it ethical todevelop such violentand bloody story,aggressing fearingscaring the people?

• Is it ethical to exposethe fragile brain ofthe children andteenagers?

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• In our opinion

these ethic reasons

are extremely

important, and

also a very

delicate problem!

Clock Tower Sighisoara - The Medieval Citadel

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The house where Vlad Tepes – DRACULA was born!

• For instance the

concentrate efforts

of civil society

(NGOs, especially

ecologists, Church,

mass-media etc.) had

mainly determined

the relocation and

postponing begin of

park building.

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• Mass media

reveals the

hostility of a

part of local

people to carry

out this project.

Bran Castle – One of Vlad Tepes Residence

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CONCLUSION

We consider that all attractions (strange

figure sprinkling the tourist with blood,

diabolic art galleries, Dracula costumes,

torture chambers etc.) in such a park

should be monitored and various

consequences upon the visitors’ health

should also be researched.

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CONCLUSION 1 Based on Maslow pyramid, the

classic well known needssystem that explain thecomplex human behaviourproduction of services andgoods can be forecasted;

In this approach each level isactually dependent of thebelow, but of the above levelat the same time!

In our opinion it is better tounderstand as a matter ofoverlapping all the five, asfollowing:

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CONCLUSION 1 A

A viable touristic product is

surpassing the difficulties of

the accurate reduction of

products life cycle, it must

guarantee satisfy the five

type of needs at least at a

minimum level!

A single unfitting cancel all

others!

SUCCESS OF TOURISM INDUSTRY = CONSUMERS NEEDS SATISFACTION !!!

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CONCLUSION 2

We strongly believe for the ethical

reasons above mentioned, and

not only, this type of tourism

cannot be practice as any other

form of tourism.

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CONCLUSION 3

The sanctions have risen at the very beginningand show some of obstacles, as we alreadyobserved –for instance having asconsequence the park relocation.

But if more sanctions will become visible laterthe cost will be considerable higher forinvestors and for tourism operators too.

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CONCLUSION 4

The rejection of a project by the

native population lead to a failure for

sure!

Tourist would feel as an intruder not

as a welcome guest!

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In our opinion

“tomorrow tourism industry” has future if:

1. It will take into consideration:

a) The needs on the whole;

b) Social responsibility.

2. It will develop rewarding products for:

a) Individual;

b) Firms;

c) Society.

Thank you for your attention!

• This paper can be download, see link:

https://uoradea.academia.edu/AdaTomescu

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