The importance of ecomarketing in developing of ecotourism in romania

Scientific Papers Series Management , Economic Engineering in Agriculture and Rural Development

Vol.11, Issue 3, 2011

ISSN 1844-5640

59

THE IMPORTANCE OF ECOMARKETING IN DEVELOPING OF

ECOTOURISM IN ROMANIA

Cristian CUTAŞ 1

, Petrică ŞTEFAN 2 , Silviu GHEORGHE3

1

[email protected]

General Division of Foreign Relations - Ministry of Economy, Commerce and Business

Environment, 16, Ion Câmpineanu, sect. 1, 010036, Bucharest, Romania, Ph: +40.21.401.0564,

Fax: +40.21.315.0961, 2 University of Agronomical Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, No. 59, Blvd. Marasti, sect. 1,

011464, Bucharest, Romania, Phone: +40 21 318 25 64/232, 0723554321, Fax: + 40 21318 28

88, [email protected]

3

Corresponding author :

University of Agronomical Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, No. 59, Blvd. Marasti, 011464,

Bucharest, Romania, (+49) 021/2242815, 0764-501.690, [email protected]

[email protected]

Abstract

Ecotourism appeared in order to satisfy the people’s need to retreat in the middle of nature and to visit and know

natural areas still unaffected or little affected by man’s presence and activity. The first steps in developing

ecotourism have already been made: the protected areas perimeters have been established, most of them (26 out of

28) have their own administrative structures, projects have started to develop for the conservation, the development

of (eco)tourism or for raising awareness at local level. For most protected areas, management plans have been

elaborated, certain good practices models have been created. Ecomarketing deals with promoting these products

and services. It promotes the products and services which have ecological benefits and low impact on the

environment, in other words „eco” characteristics. Nevertheless, in Romania there are still many things to improve

in this domain.

Keywords: ecotourism, ecomarketing, „eco” products and services, ecological benefits.

INTRODUCTION

The year 2002, as the International Year of

Ecotourism [Nistoreanu and collaborators

2003], generated a series of activities

worldwide, the most important of which were

regional conferences and the World

Ecotourism Summit. Within it was stated that

ecotourism is a clear way to actually

implement sustainable development, the

summit ended with the Quebec Declaration,

document which synthesises the role and

impact of ecotourism on the environment,

local communities, economic and social

activities in general.

Ecotourism [Swanson] means travelling most

often to emerging countries towards relatively

undisturbed natural areas in order to study,

relax or for voluntary assistance aimed at the

flora, fauna, geological structures and

ecosystems in an area, as well as the people

living in the surrounding area, their needs,

culture and relationship with the land.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

In 2020, at national level, famous ecotourist

destinations will be created, which will

contribute to the improvement in the local

communities’ life, to protecting and

preserving natural resources and to providing

quality tourist services. All these actions will

turn Romania into an internationally

acknowledged ecotourist destination.

General objective:

To create the conditions for the development

of ecotourism at the level of protected areas

and in their neighbouring areas, aiming at

achieving a tourist product that is competitive

nationally and internationally.

The national strategy for the development of

ecotourism was developed based on a set of

priority domains.