Clash of cultures Clash of cultures at the Black Seaat the Black Sea
MASS TOURISM IN TRADITIONAL MASS TOURISM IN TRADITIONAL COMMUNITIESCOMMUNITIES
Sorin IoniţăSorin Ioniţă
Romanian Academic Society (SAR)Romanian Academic Society (SAR)
[email protected]@ionita.eu
Lisbon, Apr Lisbon, Apr 20020077
EU periphery: common concernsEU periphery: common concerns
Relative under-development Relative under-development political political urge to devise a pro-active growth urge to devise a pro-active growth strategystrategy
Quest for successful “models” (or Quest for successful “models” (or intellectual fads): industrialization; intellectual fads): industrialization; infrastructure; tourism; human resourcesinfrastructure; tourism; human resources
Weaker institutions – especially the Weaker institutions – especially the regulative functions of the stateregulative functions of the state
Eligibility for substantial EU aid Eligibility for substantial EU aid money money in search of a strategyin search of a strategy
Black Sea peculiaritiesBlack Sea peculiarities
Unprecedented, breakneck change in post-Unprecedented, breakneck change in post-Communist periphery (Ro-Bg) in just 15 Communist periphery (Ro-Bg) in just 15 years: real local autonomy; lifestyles; private years: real local autonomy; lifestyles; private spending powerspending power
Paradoxical attitude: love-hate relationship Paradoxical attitude: love-hate relationship with the stateLocal communities kept under with the stateLocal communities kept under glass case – suddenly exposed to global glass case – suddenly exposed to global marketsmarkets
Property restitution to former owners Property restitution to former owners high high number of present or absentee landlordsnumber of present or absentee landlords
Vama Veche villageVama Veche village
Bucharest
Traditional tourismTraditional tourism
Bohemian tradition: summer art camps Bohemian tradition: summer art camps spreading from Balcic (’20-’30s)spreading from Balcic (’20-’30s)
Alternative, rural summer retreat for urban Alternative, rural summer retreat for urban elites (’60-’80); fashionable with the flower elites (’60-’80); fashionable with the flower power generationpower generation
Informal renting in houses; social bonds; Informal renting in houses; social bonds; garden tourism; tents on the beach; “Vama” garden tourism; tents on the beach; “Vama” brand as a vaguely dissident lifestylebrand as a vaguely dissident lifestyle
Local peasants and fishermen → agro Local peasants and fishermen → agro cooperatives; strong informal sectorcooperatives; strong informal sector
Rural garden tourismRural garden tourism
Flower power traditionFlower power tradition
TransitionTransition
Boom of the real estate market: prices up Boom of the real estate market: prices up 100 times in real terms in just one decade100 times in real terms in just one decade
Owners (locals and new buyers) try to Owners (locals and new buyers) try to capitalize on their real estate assetscapitalize on their real estate assets
Fast build-up, motorization, urban-type Fast build-up, motorization, urban-type densification, non-traditional new houses, densification, non-traditional new houses, high pressure on the flimsy local high pressure on the flimsy local infrastructure and natural habitatinfrastructure and natural habitat
Changing patterns of tourism: mainstream Changing patterns of tourism: mainstream beach-discobeach-disco
TransitionTransition
Types of tourism in Vama Veche after 1990
Mainstream: bar, disco and beach
Garden tourism: "la boheme comfortable"
Tents on the beach: la boheme hard core
TransitionTransition
Clash over the Zoning PlanClash over the Zoning Plan
Local Council adopted with large majority a Local Council adopted with large majority a laissez-faire laissez-faire Zoning Plan, to officialize:Zoning Plan, to officialize:
Densification, high-rise buildings (hotels), Densification, high-rise buildings (hotels), loose regulationsloose regulations
Commune sprawl, by 300%Commune sprawl, by 300% ““Add 6000 tourist capacity in 10 years”Add 6000 tourist capacity in 10 years” Little provision for basic infrastructureLittle provision for basic infrastructure
Local autonomy and difficult conditions Local autonomy and difficult conditions (short summer season) were the arguments (short summer season) were the arguments of the mayor for this pro-growth strategyof the mayor for this pro-growth strategy
Clash over the Zoning PlanClash over the Zoning Plan
Urban elites (Buc, Constanţa) opposed ZP; Urban elites (Buc, Constanţa) opposed ZP; lobbied government to block the plan:lobbied government to block the plan:
Set up NGO: Save Vama Veche (SVV) Set up NGO: Save Vama Veche (SVV) Woodstock-type concert (“Stufstock”)Woodstock-type concert (“Stufstock”) Enrolled conservationistsEnrolled conservationists Proposed plans for tourism diversification, Proposed plans for tourism diversification,
expanding the season; “sustainability”expanding the season; “sustainability” Perverse effects: the SVV campaign / Perverse effects: the SVV campaign /
concert made Vama even more hip and concert made Vama even more hip and crowded at peak seasoncrowded at peak season
Clash over the Zoning PlanClash over the Zoning Plan
Development policy dilemmasDevelopment policy dilemmas
Is tourism enough (rural, agro, eco, cultural, Is tourism enough (rural, agro, eco, cultural, etc) to create prosperity?etc) to create prosperity?
What does it mean “sustainable tourism” in What does it mean “sustainable tourism” in such a community?such a community?
3 S in the summer, plus corporate retreats 3 S in the summer, plus corporate retreats year round (current natural trend)year round (current natural trend)
““quality tourism”, plus some genuine quality tourism”, plus some genuine community life (by what instruments?)community life (by what instruments?)
Is this a false dilemma (short term vs. long Is this a false dilemma (short term vs. long term) or there is path dependency?term) or there is path dependency?
Development policy dilemmasDevelopment policy dilemmas Even if path dependency, what is the basis Even if path dependency, what is the basis
for intervening in local decisions? Whose for intervening in local decisions? Whose values matter more? Who “owns Vama”?values matter more? Who “owns Vama”?
Enlightened elites, state – want to Enlightened elites, state – want to preserve the intangible value of the asset; preserve the intangible value of the asset; deflate property bubbledeflate property bubble
Local voters and taxpayers – in large Local voters and taxpayers – in large majority, want to get rich fastmajority, want to get rich fast
What role do EU funds What role do EU funds play (ex. Rural Dev)?play (ex. Rural Dev)? Private / public beneficiaries: different Private / public beneficiaries: different
channels, pace and objectives?channels, pace and objectives?
Development policy dilemmasDevelopment policy dilemmas
Specific to this Balkan periphery of EU today Specific to this Balkan periphery of EU today (unlike in (unlike in MezzogiornoMezzogiorno):):
The development problem is taking care of The development problem is taking care of itself – growth, jobs, revenues, integration itself – growth, jobs, revenues, integration into the broader formal economyinto the broader formal economy
Just that many people do not feel Just that many people do not feel comfortable with this solutioncomfortable with this solution
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