DIFFUSION OF THE TOURISTIC PHENOMENON IN...
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Geogaphica Timisiensis, vol. 17, nr.1 - 2, 2008 (pp. 239 - 249 ) ●
DIFFUSION OF THE TOURISTIC PHENOMENON IN
THE NORTH-WESTERN REGION. PRESENT AND
PERSPECTIVES
Rozalia BENEDEK
„ Babeş-Bolyai” University in Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Abstract. The recent aderance of our country to the structures of the European Union, and not only,
certifies the territorial analysis, with the goal of conceiving and implementing new development
strategies. These are focused on the identification of optimal solutions, but in the same time
coherent; of eliminating these disparities meant to ensure regional competitivity consequently with
a durable development. Taking into consideration the objectives that are followed the main bond
and engine of development of the North-Western Region is the tourism being a form of active
resting and being able to develop all the other branches of the economy. Another argument of
development through tourism is made up of the great number of mining zones which are
underfavoured these being present in the researched areal, situated predominantly in the
mountainous regions, with a predisposition for leisure activities. At the present, the areal studied
cuantifies partially its touristical potential, of national value resonance, these being: Felix Baths, the
cave systems in the Apuseni Mountains, the cities of Cluj Napoca and Oradea, these being fulfilled
by the ethnographic region of Maramureş. The disfunctions are generated by the lock of
connections between the different types of and forms of tourism, especially that the centres of
touristic polarization the main ones power exhaust the whole potential of the North-Western
Region, a series of local units being in existence (like Boghiş, Sângeorz Băi a.s.o), or areas with a
potential, waiting for development initiative and the necessary finances. As a result of the study and
special modeling a necessity of creating circuits and regional brands is highlighted.
Rezumat. Difuzia fenomenului turistic în Regiunea de Nord-Vest. Prezent şi perspective.
Recenta aderare a ţării noastre la structurile Uniunii Europene, şi nu numai, certifică analizele
teritoriale, în vederea conceperii şi implementăerii unor strategii de dezvoltare, axate pe
identificarea disfuncţiilor şi a soluţiilor optime, dar în acelaşi timp coerente, de eliminare a acestor
dezechilibre, menite să asigure competitivitatea regională concomitent cu dezvoltarea durabilă.
Având în vedere obiectivele urmărite, principalul aglutinator şi motor de dezvoltare al Regiunii
Nord-Vest este turismul, fiind o formă de "odihnă activă" şi în măsură ca să dezvolte toate celălalte
sectoare ale economiei. Un alt argument al dezvoltării prin turism îl constituie numărul mare al
zonelor miniere defavorizate(10), prezente în arealul cercetat, localizate dominant în zona montană,
predispuse la desfăşurarea activităţilor de recreere. În prezent, arealul supus cercetării, valorifică
parţial potenţialul său turistic, de rezonanţă naţională (şi nu numai), fiind: Băile Felix, sistemul
carstic din Munţii Apuseni, oraşele Cluj-Napoca şi Oradea, fiind întregite de zona etnografică a
Maramureşului. Disfuncţiile sunt generate de lipsa conexiunilor dintre diferitele tipuri şi forme ale
turismului, mai ales că centrele de polarizare turistică, principale, nu epuizează întregul potenţial al
Regiunii Nord-Vest, existând o serie de unităţi locale(Boghiş,Sângeorz-Băi, Rodna etc), ori arii cu
potenţial, în aşteptarea iniţiativei de dezvoltare(podgoriile, zonele urbane şi periurbane etc) şi a
finanţelor necesare. În urma studiului şi a modelării spaţiale se evidenţiează necesitatea creeării de:
circuite, branduri regionale etc.
Key words: tourism, disparities, durable development, regional brand
Cuvinte cheie: :turism, disparităţi, dezvoltare durabilă, brand regional
● Diffusion of the Touristic Phenomenon in the North Western Region 240
1. INTRODUCTION
The phenomenological approach of tourism constitutes a strategic necessity,
because Romania’s shift to the market economy (1990) and, afterwards, the adheration to
the European structures (2007), without a full integration unfortunately, generated new
opportunities for the socio-economic development through: opening borders, increasing
competitiveness –that imposes quality and attractive prices-, possibilities to access pre-
and post-adhering funds etc. This phenomenon, with a good organization and
management, could rebalance economy and even retrieve losses determined by a slow
reaction to the existing opportunities and also to their associated risks.
Another argument lies in the definition of tourism itself: a synthesis economic
activity in a continuous evolution that implies a movement of people with psycho-somatic
recreational purposes, through relaxation and active regeneration, and, at the same time,
for culturalization, whose duration and distance (from the places they normally live)
depends on the disposable income, preferences and disposable time. In time, in Romania
this activity could turn into a social necessity.
From a structural point of view, the phenomenon of tourism includes a spatial
component, a human component and, additionally to the latter, a sensorial component,
pointed out through local or areal concentrations, along the seaside – anisotropic
concentration, Prahova Valley, Felix Spa, the monasteries in Moldova, locations that also
constitute leading tourist destinations in Romania.
The North-Western Region, even if it represents only a decoupage of the country’s
reality, it faces the same socio-economic deficiencies as the whole it belongs to; the
disparities „directly perceived” at the level of the tourist phenomenon are simultaneously
felt and reflected in the case of the entire economic sectors.
As a consequence, the main objectives of the present approach are as follows:
Identify and spatial locate the potential tourist objectives, as well as of those
already functioning;
Underline the discrepancies between counties in the North-Western Region
as regarding the tourist phenomenon;
Set up some managerial measures through which these discrepancies could
be decreased.
2. NORTH-WESTWERN REGION – DISTRIBUTION AND
RESOURCES OF TOURISM TYPES
The geographic space and its components hide various tourist activities that could
be valorized through the creativity and the financial force of the „socio-economic”
component, because „it introduces to the economic circuit new perspectives as: landscape
(whose „consumption” could be done only in situ), population’s hospitality, solicitude and
information (geographic, cultural-historical, gastronomical, artistic etc.)” (A. Gheorghilaş-
p. 2, 2oo4).
Structurally, the tourist potential of the North-Western Region includes a cumulus
of representative elements belonging both to the natural and human-made systems, each of
the 6 counties participating with specific and implicitly attractive features, the reason
Rozalia BENEDEK ● 241
being the particular geological and historical evolution framework of each territorial unit,
sometimes different, other times identical, the consequence being the preservation of some
individual geographic characteristics.
2.1. The recreational potential of the natural environment Morphologically speaking, the analyzed area benefits from the presence of the all
major relief forms, through a harmonious between mountains (28%), contact units – hills
and plateaus (30%), plains and large river corridors, preferred by human settlements
(42%) (PATR, 2004).
As regarding the orographic aspects, the different conditions of paleo-geographic
evolution are mirrored in the partial spatial presence of two segments of the Romanian
Carpathians:
The Eastern Carpathians, with the Maramures sector and the Transylvanian
sector, the highest altitudes are reached in the Rodna Mountains (2303 m) and in the
Maramures Mountains, formed mainly by crystalline rocks. This is the central strip of the
principal division, the glacial relief being also present here, with its valuable landscape
features, together with the low altitude volcanic range (Oaş, Gutâi, Ţibleş) in the West,
bordering on two sides the Maramures Depression and then continued with the Calimani
Mountains, where the preservation of the principal and secondary volcanic cones provides
with important touristic and scientific value. Lakes were formed in the glacial circuses,
with clear and cold waters, the Iezer glacial lakes impressing through its shape that
reminds the shape of the country. In the Rodna Mountains, the karstic relief is also
represented with caves (Zanei, Tausoarelor) and karst fensters (Izbucul Izei). As regarding
the volcanic relief, the general aspect of cones and craters were reshaped through erosion,
generating attenuate or „soft” ridges, dykes, the most spectacular one being Creasta
Cocosului that „guards” to the North the former mining town of Cavnic, necks, lava
plateaus etc., all of these landforms being somehow screened by forestry vegetation. From
the administrative point of view, these relief units belong dominantly to the Bistriţa-
Năsăud and Maramureş counties.
The Western Carpathians are represented in this region by the central-
northern sector of the Apuseni Mountains, including their prolongations to the West and
the interposed depressions, symbolically called „gulf depressions” - Beiuş, Vad-Borod
etc.-, and belonging mainly to Cluj, Bihor or Salaj counties. The highest altitude is
reached in the Vladeasa Mountains (1836 m), with crystalline structure and with an
important role in blocking western oceanic air masses, favoring in this way the appearance
of Stâna de Vale climateric and winter sports resort, location that also represents the
Romanian pole of precipitations. Besides, the heterogeneous lithologic constitution, with
alternations of hard and mild rocks, has generated a very picturesque karst relief, with
endo- and exo-karst landforms: caves - Peştera Urşilor, benefitting from modern
arrangements, Peştera Vântului and, even if it doesn’t fit territorially into the analyzed
area the Scărişoara cave and glacier. The attractive potential of these caves, through
representative fauna and speleothems, is increased by the relatively facile access, the
proximity to some important towns (Cluj, Oradea) or to therapeutic or recreational resorts.
In the Territorial Arrangement Regional Plan (2004) the studied territory is referred to
shelter 5000 of caves.
● Diffusion of the Touristic Phenomenon in the North Western Region 242
The two principal mountainous divisions are interrupted by some „hidden”
mountains, with collinar aspect, known as the Intra-Carpathian (Măgura Şimleului,
Măgura Ţicăului- that could be used as belvedere sites).
The mountains could also stir interest through other parameters as slope inclination
or altitude, that could be both a restrictive or a permissive factor for activities as alpinism,
mountain walkings, winter sports, and in association with other natural components –
climate, vegetation, fauna etc. – determines a landscape vertical distribution on different
layers.
The tourist potential of hills and plateaus (the Western Hills, the Someşan Plateau,
the Transylvanian Plain) surpasses that of the low areas – Western Plain – through a more
diverse landscape, but inferior to that of the mountainous regions.
The tourist valorization of hydrography in the studied region is sustained by the
presence of thermalism features in the Western Hills and Plain, of a high level of
mineralization (the mophetic area of the volcanic mountains Oaş, Gutâi, Ţibleş –
carbonate and bicarbonate waters) and of cloro-sodium waters (related to the salt deposits
in Maramureş and in the Transylvanian Depression). Besides, hydrography could benefit
from its important esthetical value and from its recreational potential: rafting – on rivers
as Crişul Repede, Bistriţa, Someşul Mare, fishing, small boat adventures, sunning and
bathing on the other rivers or lakes (Cefa, Ţaga, Geaca etc).
The Northern Transylvania, the name under which this region is promoted by the
North-Western Regional Development Agency (www.nord-vest.ro), distinguishes itself
among other regions in country and abroad through number, quantity of reserve and
chemical diversity of the existing mineral springs, this aspect constituting one of the
principal competing advantages of this region. Within the context of an increase in the
demographic ageing, in the daily stress – with repercussions upon health -, of a reduction
in the working week, the profitability of this resources’ valorization is sustained by a few
aspects as: the rapport price-quality as regarding offered services and touristic units’
equipping that affects seriously the touristic sector’s budget and which is sometimes
affected by overcrowding (Felix Resort) or by deficiencies in applying sustainable
development principles.
The biotic component contributes to the tourist offer through interesting flora and
fauna associations that addresses in principal to the scientific tourism, but not exclusively.
Within these „uncontaminated” areas some protection regulations have to be obeyed,
many of them being declared natural protected areas, in principal because of the rarity of
the existing species. The studied region shelters 169 of such areas with the following
distribution: Bihor County (64), with a total surface of 3o 867 ha, 8o% belonging to the
Munţii Apuseni Natural Park, that is also extended within the limits of the Cluj County;
Satu Mare County (7), with a protected surface of 6 465 ha; Maramureş County (35),
198 191 ha, including the Comestible Chestnut Trees Forest, Creasta Cocoşului Dyke,
Munţii Rodnei National Park; Sălaj County (15), 517 ha, the most famous being the
Grădina Zmeilor Geological Reservation, Barcău River’s Springs, the Sapropelic Swamp
in the locality of Iaz etc; Bistriţa-Năsăud County (27), 38 282 ha, the most representative
being the Munţii Rodnei National Park; Cluj County (35), 198 191ha, with Fâneţele
Clujului – botanic and geologic reservation, Turda Gorges (source ARPM, 2oo6).
Rozalia BENEDEK ● 243
Table.1.Existing and proposed tourist sites within the North-Western Region
Regiunea Nord-Vest, obiective turistice preferate si cele cu potential
Source: „Romania Tourist and Road Map”, 2oo7, processed and supplemented
2.2. Suitability and valorization of the human-made potential This aspect is characterized through a large typology of cultural and recreational
resources most of them found in the region’s museums, being related to the continuous
inhabitance of this area since the Neolithic era (archeologically proved). Besides, it is also
worth mentioning the relics of the following historical periods during which specific
arrangements were developed (related to outmoded practices, customs or beliefs).
County
Tourist sites
and types
Bihor
(BH)
Cluj
(CJ)
Maramureş
(MM)
Proposal for other counties
Bistriţa Năsăud
(BN)
Satu Mare
(SM)
Sălaj
(SJ)
County seat Oradea-airport Cluj-Napoca-
airport
Baia-Mare Bistriţa Satu Mare Zalău
Mountains Bihor Mt.,
Pădurea Craiului
Mt. and Codru-
Moma Mt.
Gilău Mt., the
Vlădeasa Mt.,
Muntele Mare Mt.
Rodna Mt., Ţibleş
Mt., Gutâi Mt and
Maramureş Mt
Călimani and
Rodna
Mountains
The Oaş
Mt
Plopiş and
Meseş Mt.
Lakes Fântânele storage
lake
Baia Sprie, Firiza,
Lacul Albastru
Colibiţa Călineşti-
Oaş
Vârşolţ Dam
Natural
monuments
Bears’Cave
from Chişcău,
Meziad and
Vadu Crişului
Caves, the
Karstic Plateau
Turda Gorges,
Tureni Gorges,
Someşul Cald
Gorges
The Valleys of the
Vaser and Vişeu,
„Dealul Florilor”
Natural Park
Şomcuţa Mare
Munţii Rodnei
National Park
Chestnuts
Forest-
Micula,
Runc
Forest
Tusa –
Barcau
waterfalls
Historical
vestiges and
archaeologi
cal sites
The ruins of
Oradea and
Biharia Fortress
Cluj- the
fortification and
Romanian
Orthodox Church
from Mănăştur;
Dej and Gilău
Roman castrum;
Turda- Potaissa
settlement ruins
Baia- Mare- ruins of
the fortress
Bistriţa town’s
centre
Carei –
Karoly
Fortress,
Ardud
Şimleu-
Bathory
Fortress,
Nuşfalău-
Banffi Castle
and the
tumular
necropolis
Churches
and
Monastires
The Romano-
Catholic
Cathedral-
Oradea
Cluj- the St.
Michael Church,
The Franciscan
Church and
Monastery etc
Wooden churches,
Moisei, Rohia and
Bârsana monastires
Maieru, Şanţ,
Colibiţa
Satu Mare
Cathedral
Acis
Nuşfalău
with the
unique
underground
church
„Inima
Sfântă al lui
Iisus” etc
Monuments The Tailors’
Bastion, Matei
Corvin House, the
Banffy Castele-
Bonţida
Wooden churches in
Ieud- the oldest in
this area
- - -
Museums The Museum of
the „Crişurilor
Land”
Cluj- The History
Museum of
Transilvania, The
Pharmacy
Museum, s. o.
Baia - Mare Minerological Museum,
Sighetul Marmaţiei- Communist Prison
s.o
Ady Endre
Museum
Etnographica
l museum
● Diffusion of the Touristic Phenomenon in the North Western Region 244
As a result of the specific territorial organization and arrangement and in relation
to the tourist demand various tourist products developed in time, among which we
mention:
Fortified settlements, castles and lordly houses;
Churches and monasteries;
Public or private edifices whose architecture corresponds to their construction
period;
Resorts, recreational areas;
Zoological and botanical gardens etc.
The spatial representation of the potential tourist attractions (see the map – Annexe
no. 1) and of those being already exploited outlines a concentration in the main low
depression areas where the most interesting and valuable aspect is the preservation of the
traditional way of life. The urban centres, with the specific architecture that give hints
about the past, but also well integrated into the present, represent other concentration
poles.
The table presents in a synthetic way the most important tourist sites, differentiated
on counties, in the same way they appear in the annex of Romania Tourist and Road Map
(Niculescu Printing House, 2007), with some additional information meant to stir potential
tourists’ interest
3. INTER-COUNTY TOURIST DISPARITIES IN THE
NORTHERN TRANSYLVANIA
These disparities are reflected at the level of the elementary infrastructure (roads,
accommodation units, tour operators and tourist/technique information centres) and of the
tourist integrated components.
These elements could at their turn constitute the genetic factors of these
differentiations.
The tourist specific material infrastructure represents an essential factor that
significantly contribute to the transformation of places or sites with recreational or leisure
potential into marketable tourist products and, at the same time, they provide resorts or
settlements with personality. With all these, the tourist material infrastructure constitutes
only a secondary offer of this activity.
These arrangements could be classified after their destination into:
accommodation, therapeutic, sports and recreational, commercial (for selling handicrafts
or souvenirs), tourist guiding or informational tourist units.
The accommodation units (543 in 2006), with an increasing number in comparison
to 2005, are territorially concentrated in Cluj and Maramureş Counties, rural pensions and
hotels being the best represented categories.
The typology and dominance of the accommodation units in these two counties,
underlines their tourist specialization: rural tourism in Maramures (Iza Valley, Vaser
Valley etc.), respectively cultural and business tourism in Cluj, the town of Cluj-Napoca
being a prestigious university centre and the a real promoter of the economic regional and
national development.
Rozalia BENEDEK ● 245
The most defficitary counties at this chapter (as illustrated in the following
diagram) are Sălaj, Bistriţa-Năsăud and Satu Mare. This aspect is not determined by a
defficitary tourist potential, but rather by lack of initiative in this direction, with a possible
explanation in a tardive constitution of this activity sector in this counties (included into
the 70’ five-years development plan), being somehow „obscured” by the already famous
tourist brands in the other region’s counties (this is also the probable reason why these
counties were not included into the small guide of the tourist map quoted in the table). The
three above-mentioned counties (Cluj, Bihor and Maramures) gather 80% of the
accommodation units in the region
Fig. 1.The repartition by counties of the accommodation units within the
NW Region (2006) Repartiţia pe judete a unitatilor de cazare din Regiunea Nord-Vest (2006)
Another cause, this time general, is the delayed privatization, preceded by the
collapse of the small resorts and being determined by procedural or investment delays as
well as by labor emigration that reduces investing initiative and tourist demand.
The average length of stay, according to INS data, was of 3.3 days, this value being
surpassed in the case of therapeutic resorts, especially the modernized ones (Băile Felix-
13 hotels, 4 pensions, 1 Mai – 1 hotel, 8 pensions), where it reaches 8.1 days, because of
the increased number of potential tourists this type of tourism addresses to.
The access to these resorts and tourist sites is rather difficult, because of the
circulation infrastructure deficiencies, both qualitative and quantitative (defficitary
connections especially with the mountainous areas - Apuseni Mt. (Băişoara, Vlădeasa etc),
Maramureş Mt.). According to INS, only 27.2% of the existing 11.858 km of roads were
modernized (especially the European roads – E60, E81).
Another problem is the lack of town roundabouts in order to mitigate pollution and
overcrowding, while, in rural areas, the lack of roads or pistes for animal traction vehicles,
agricultural vehicles or bicycles. This problem, in spite of some attempts, has not been
legally established by now.
In the future, the construction of the „Transylvania” Highway and the
modernization of the other existing roads would constitute a real opportunity for tourism
Bihor, 15%Bistriţa
Năsăud, 5%
Cluj, 27% Maramureş,
12%
Sălaj, 3%
● Diffusion of the Touristic Phenomenon in the North Western Region 246
development in the region (travel duration shortening), the present precarious
infrastructure determining the isolation of some tourist attractions (Băile Boghiş, Ocna
Şugatag, Sângeorz Băi etc).
The region’s railway network represents only 4% from the national one and faces
important problems because of the decreased passengers’ number, the main cause being
the disadvantage of the travel duration.
The aerial traffic is provided by 4 airports (Cluj-Napoca, Oradea, Baia-Mare and
Satu Mare), with an obvious prevalence for that in Cluj (80% of the total passengers).
Another important component of the tourist phenomenon is the specialized and
qualified labor, whose preparation could be achieved within the existing specialized
universities (Babes-Bolyai University, University of Oradea, private universities) or
within some professional schools, specialization „tourism and public alimentation”, the
highest number of graduates from such schools being reached in Bihor (14%) and Cluj
(10%) counties.
In 2005, only 1.12% from the total occupied population was involved in tourist
activities, the dominating counties being Bihor (46.000 persons – 1.6% from the occupied
population), Cluj (52.000 persons – 1.68 from the occupied population), while in Sălaj
and Bistriţa-Năsăud only 0.8% from the working population perform tourist activities.
Beside these tourism qualification forms, other specialization courses organized by
the National Centre of Tourist Education are also available, having variable durations and
covering instruction for all tourism functions and especially aiming at adults.
As regarding the rapport between Romanian and foreign tourists, the average value
is 3.54 Romanian tourists at 1 foreign tourist. The maximum value of this indicator is
reached in the Bihor County – 5.15 \ 1.
An increase of the foreign tourists number has been noticed lately, but evidently
inferior to that of the Romanians travelling abroad, the reasons being the more attractive
tourist offers (also financially). This aspect determines a negative tourist balance whose
recovering necessitates adequate strategies.
Under the management of the County Councils, the Tourist Information Centres
couldn’t accomplish their tasks – information, guiding or cooperation. There are also good
examples in this respect, one of them being the tourist information campaign initiated by
the Cluj-Napoca townhall, through which tourist information points were set in key tourist
sights and where tourists are provided with information and assistance both in Romanian
and in widespread foreign languages.
The rural tourism is managed by ANTREC, an association that promote rural
pensions by counseling them in organizing attractive tourist activities. The number of the
registered pensions continuously changes, because of the lack of motivation (reflected in a
permanent or temporary cessation of this activity) of some pensions’ owners.
4. MANAGERIAL MEASURES TO MITIGATE REGIONAL
DISPARITIES WITHIN TOURISM
Before trying to identify the best solutions to eliminate these dysfunctions in the
tourist sector, a SWOT analysis of the regional tourism was elaborated. This analysis is
mainly based on the aspects already mentioned in the previous paragraphs:
Strong points:
Rozalia BENEDEK ● 247
Strategic location in relation to tourists emitting countries and to the main
communication ways;
Increase of the tourists’ number in 2006;
Presence of balneoclimateric resorts and of a large tourist offer typology;
Harmonization of the national tourist legislation with that of the EU.
Weak points:
Reduced „low cost” accommodation units;
Degradation of the cultural heritage;
Environmental degradation in former mining areas;
Re-orientation of the internal and external tourist demand;
Lack of co-operation between tour-operators;
High costs versus moderate quality services;
Low average salaries (2oo-25o€) that do not stimulate large-scale tourism;
Defficitary promoting and information system.
Opportunities:
Access to F.E.D.R funds
Inter-regional and trans-frontiers cooperation;
Modernization of resorts and recreational areas;
Increase of the buying power in Romania;
Important resources for the agro-tourism development;
Diversification and quality increase of the tourist services that would help in
regaining tourists previously attracted by neighboring countries as Bulgaria, Turkey,
Czech Republic or Hungary;
Return of the Romanians working abroad.
Threats:
Delays in implementing strategies;
Absence of a tourist marketing system;
Disorganization of traditional communities (A. Tripon, 2oo6).
Taking into account the above mentioned aspects, some major development
strategies could be outlined by identifying areas with specialized and complex tourist
function which could constitute the main target points of the regional economic
development strategy and the most efficient way to eliminate inter-county disparities
though interconnection. These areas are also very attractive for investors.
In order to increase the local tourist circulation and to attract tourist flows from
other European countries, especially from neighboring countries, the following measures
have to be implemented:
Instruction and training of tourist staff at European standards, but also educating
tourists towards sustainable development practices. In this respect, beside the
modernization of the therapeutic resorts, a diversification of tourist products is necessary
(business or wellness tourism offers etc.), so that tourist seasonality could be eliminated;
another proposal is related to rural tourism units that could attract tourists by using
environmentally friendly equipments and techniques (renewable energy – solar,
geothermal etc.).
Providing tourist locations with high quality access ways;
● Diffusion of the Touristic Phenomenon in the North Western Region 248
Arrangement or re-arrangement of some intensely frequented tourist routes,
integration of some less exploited mountainous units (Pădurea Craiului, Ţibleş or
Vlădeasa) into the tourist circuit by implementing the required infrastructure;
Inter-county cooperation between resorts in order to promote joint tourist
attraction actions related especially to environmental protection, pollution factors control,
preservation of some valuable elements as natural resources, historical monuments,
ethnographic or folkloric values in each tourist area;
Development of the peri-urban tourism as a stringent necessity towards providing
recreational possibilities for low-income urban population;
Creation of a rural tourism system within which students from families with
reduced financial possibilities could benefit from a „holiday in the country”;
Promotion of an esthetic integration of rural and urban settlements into landscape
through initiating contests as ”The most beautiful street \ locality”, „My dwelling is a
flower” etc;
Development of specialized tourist types as: viticultural - Şimleu, Carei etc.,
religious - Nuşfalău, Bârsana, Nicula, Ciucea, Muntele Rece, Salva, Bichigiu, Strâmba,
Bălan, fishing, extreme sports (paraglide, delta wing, canoeing, motocross) - Biharia,
Ţibleş, Rodnei Mts., winter sports (ski, bobsleigh, luge) - Rodnei, Ţibleş, Gilău-Muntele
Mare Mts. etc.
- Introduction of some thematic tourist circuits with wide addressability as: „Salaj
and Maramures Wooden Churches Circuit”, „Roman Castrae Circuit”, „Medieval Castles
and Fortresses Circuit”, „Memorial Houses Circuit”, „Salt Mines Circuit”, „Tourist Speo-
circuit”.
- Arrangement of some traditional peasant dwellings (architecture, costumes,
food, music) in order to valorize and benefit within the tourist programs from local
mythology, customs or traditions.
- Setting up of a Regional Centre for Tourist Information and Management in
each important tourist area (Cluj, Oradea, Aleşd, Beiuş, Zalău, Şimleul Silvaniei, Satu
Mare, Tăşnad, Negreşti Oaş, Baia Mare, Sighetu Marmaţiei, Vişeul de Sus, Tg. Lăpuş,
Bistriţa, Năsăud, Dej, Huedin, Turda).
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