Heritage advantages vs. economic constraints in the sustainable development framing: A study on social perception in Apuseni Mountains Natural Park

Abstract

In a natural park, tourism is seen as an economic activity that can easily bring many benefits. Apuseni Natural Park (ANP)was chosen as a case study because it impacts communities (and especially moți) which have preserved their culture and traditions, coming from ancient times, in an area with remarkable natural and anthropogenic tourist resources. The aim of the study is to analyse the perception of local communities (endogenous), and visitors (exogenous), in order to highlight the heritage, economic advantages, and constraints in the natural park. The research is based on survey method and a number of spatial analysis tools, GIS, bibliographic sources, cartographic data mining, and field observations. The results show that local communities perceive in a high ratio the advantages of heritage preservation, linking them to the improvement of their life and less the disadvantages on the local economy. A more significant contrast in perception is revealed by tourists, who think that a national park has many advantages and constraints, the last ones accounting for the possible loss of functioning of the destination. In the frame of the recognised attractiveness of the ANP, the study suggests the need for a continuous monitoring process and the adoption of a receptive administration for each area and every actor involved.

Adventure Tourism: Insight from Experienced Visitors of Romanian National and Natural Parks

“…Residents are directly involved in the tourism sector by providing services such as accommodation and food services. Thus, tourists can experience deep immersion in local cultural values by experiencing in situ old customs and rituals that are preserved in many rural communities located in the proximity of the parks [30,32]. Such rich cultural values were previously proved to be linked with the experience of visiting natural parks in Romania and in other Eastern EU Member States [33][34][35].…”

Agritourism and local products in terms of protection and sustainable development of the Carpathians: a participatory discussion on key issues and challenges

“…It is a unique region in terms of natural, cultural and socio-economic conditions. Currently, rapid changes in this region lead to a loss of biodiversity, landscape values, the abandonment of folk traditions and the impoverishment of its material and immaterial heritage (UNEP, 2007;Manea et al, 2019). In order to ensure the protection of this unique region and strengthen the local economy at the same time, improve the quality of life of the region's inhabitants and increase the activity of local communities, the Carpathian countries have signed the Framework Convention on the Protection and Sustainable Development of the Carpathians (i.e.…”