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Sustainability of Agritourism Activity. Initiatives and Challenges in Romanian Mountain Rural Regions

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  • Tabita Adamov

    (Faculty of Management and Rural Tourism, Banat’s University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine “King Michael I of Romania”, Calea Aradului no.119, 300645 Timișoara, Romania)

  • Ramona Ciolac

    (Faculty of Management and Rural Tourism, Banat’s University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine “King Michael I of Romania”, Calea Aradului no.119, 300645 Timișoara, Romania)

  • Tiberiu Iancu

    (Faculty of Management and Rural Tourism, Banat’s University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine “King Michael I of Romania”, Calea Aradului no.119, 300645 Timișoara, Romania)

  • Ioan Brad

    (Faculty of Management and Rural Tourism, Banat’s University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine “King Michael I of Romania”, Calea Aradului no.119, 300645 Timișoara, Romania)

  • Elena Peț

    (Faculty of Management and Rural Tourism, Banat’s University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine “King Michael I of Romania”, Calea Aradului no.119, 300645 Timișoara, Romania)

  • Gabriela Popescu

    (Faculty of Management and Rural Tourism, Banat’s University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine “King Michael I of Romania”, Calea Aradului no.119, 300645 Timișoara, Romania)

  • Laura Șmuleac

    (Faculty of Agriculture, Banat’s University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine “King Michael I of Romania”, Calea Aradului no.119, 300645 Timișoara, Romania)

Abstract

Sustainability has become a priority in the last decades. If we consider rural regions, agritourism, an activity strongly related to local communities, represents an opportunity to ensure the sustainability of rural settlements and of the environment, and at the same time an innovative and diversifying possibility for the economic support of rural settlements. Many studies have shown that the sustainability trend of the current period can be achieved by combining rural and local resources and traditional products specific to the rural regions with tourist activities, the challenge being the revitalization of rural economy. A large number of Romanian mountain rural regions can provide opportunities for sustaining agritourism activity; some of them may succeed to capitalize on the niche characteristic of agritourism, and through appropriate and effective strategies to move from the pioneering stage to an economically and socially valuable chance for improving the living conditions from rural area and finally to ensure sustainable development of rural communities. This paper begins from the importance of agritourism for rural regions. It aims at identifying the current situation of the agritourism activity in three regions and at developing proposals that are based strictly on the specific needs of the regions. In our opinion, the implementation of these specific actions would represent future challenges and at the same time ways of supporting the sustainable development of agritourism activities and of local settlements.

Suggested Citation

  • Tabita Adamov & Ramona Ciolac & Tiberiu Iancu & Ioan Brad & Elena Peț & Gabriela Popescu & Laura Șmuleac, 2020. "Sustainability of Agritourism Activity. Initiatives and Challenges in Romanian Mountain Rural Regions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(6), pages 1-23, March.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:6:p:2502-:d:335824
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Monica Maria Coroș & Donatella Privitera & Loredana Maria Păunescu & Adrian Nedelcu & Cristina Lupu & Alexandru Ganușceac, 2021. "Mărginimea Sibiului Tells Its Story: Sustainability, Cultural Heritage and Rural Tourism—A Supply-Side Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-24, May.
    3. Zabih-Allah Torabi & Amir Reza Khavarian-Garmsir & Colin Michael Hall & Neda Beiraghi Khatibi, 2023. "Unintended Maladaptation: How Agritourism Development Policies in Iran Have Increased Vulnerability to Climate Change," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(17), pages 1-15, August.
    4. Tatjana Tambovceva & Dzintra Atstaja & Maria Tereshina & Inga Uvarova & Agita Livina, 2020. "Sustainability Challenges and Drivers of Cross-Border Greenway Tourism in Rural Areas," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(15), pages 1-26, July.
    5. Viorica Milu, 2021. "Preliminary Assessment of the Geological and Mining Heritage of the Golden Quadrilateral (Metaliferi Mountains, Romania) as a Potential Geotourism Destination," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(18), pages 1-29, September.
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    7. Alieh Abadi & Mehdi Khakzand, 2022. "Extracting the qualitative dimensions of agritourism for the sustainable development of Charqoli village in Iran: the promotion of vernacular entrepreneurship and environment-oriented preservation per," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 24(11), pages 12609-12671, November.
    8. Marius-Ionuț Gordan & Elena Peț & Gabriela Popescu & Ioan Brad & Anda Ioana Milin & Tabita Cornelia Adamov & Ramona Ciolac & Anka Roxana Pascariu & Tiberiu Iancu, 2022. "Factors Influencing the Accommodation Prices of Romanian Rural Tourism," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-22, December.
    9. Khairabadi, Omid & Sajadzadeh, Hassan & Mohammadianmansoor, Saheb, 2020. "Assessment and evaluation of tourism activities with emphasis on agritourism: The case of simin region in Hamedan City," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 99(C).
    10. Ionuț-Adrian Drăguleasa & Amalia Niță & Mirela Mazilu, 2023. "Capitalization of Tourist Resources in the Post-COVID-19 Period—Developing the Chorematic Method for Oltenia Tourist Destination, Romania," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-31, January.
    11. Gabriela Popescu & Cosmin Alin Popescu & Tiberiu Iancu & Ioan Brad & Elena Peț & Tabita Adamov & Ramona Ciolac, 2022. "Sustainability through Rural Tourism in Moieciu Area-Development Analysis and Future Proposals," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-23, April.
    12. Cong Wang & Yuanyuan Hao, 2023. "Empirical analysis of tourist satisfaction of leisure farms: evidence from Qing Jing Farms, Taiwan," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 10(1), pages 1-9, December.
    13. Ramona Ciolac & Tiberiu Iancu & Gabriela Popescu & Tabita Adamov & Andrea Feher & Sorin Stanciu, 2022. "Smart Tourist Village—An Entrepreneurial Necessity for Maramures Rural Area," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-27, July.
    14. Cosmin Alin Popescu & Tiberiu Iancu & Gabriela Popescu & Tabita Adamov & Ramona Ciolac, 2023. "The Impact of Agritourism Activity on the Rural Environment: Findings from an Authentic Agritourist Area—Bukovina, Romania," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-23, June.
    15. Ching-Cheng Shen & Yen-Rung Chang & Der-Jen Liu, 2020. "Rural Tourism and Environmental Sustainability—A Study on a Model for Assessing the Developmental Potential of Organic Agritourism," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(22), pages 1-16, November.
    16. Chenghua Jin & Misuzu Takao & Masahiro Yabuta, 2022. "Impact of Japan's local community power on green tourism," Asia-Pacific Journal of Regional Science, Springer, vol. 6(2), pages 571-591, June.
    17. Francesco Pagliacci & Leonardo Cei & Edi Defrancesco & Paola Gatto, 2022. "The EU Mountain Product Voluntary Quality Term as a Valorization Tool for Livestock Farms: Challenges and Opportunities in an Alpine Context," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-15, March.
    18. Ramona Ciolac & Tiberiu Iancu & Ioan Brad & Gabriela Popescu & Diana Marin & Tabita Adamov, 2020. "Agritourism Activity—A “Smart Chance” for Mountain Rural Environment’s Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(15), pages 1-26, August.
    19. Ramona Ciolac & Tiberiu Iancu & Ioan Brad & Tabita Adamov & Nicoleta Mateoc-Sîrb, 2021. "Agritourism—A Business Reality of the Moment for Romanian Rural Area’s Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-29, June.
    20. George Moise & Agatha Popescu & Iulian Alexandru Bratu & Ion Răducuță & Bogdan Gabriel Nistoreanu & Mirela Stanciu, 2023. "Can We Talk about Smart Tourist Villages in Mărginimea Sibiului, Romania?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-23, May.
    21. Angelo Belliggiano & Eugenio Cejudo Garcia & Marilena Labianca & Francisco Navarro Valverde & Stefano De Rubertis, 2020. "The “Eco-Effectiveness” of Agritourism Dynamics in Italy and Spain: A Tool for Evaluating Regional Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(17), pages 1-25, August.
    22. Kurtyka Marcak, Izabela & Janowska-Biernat, Justyna, 2020. "Opportunities And Barriers To The Development Of Tourism In Rural Areas," Roczniki (Annals), Polish Association of Agricultural Economists and Agribusiness - Stowarzyszenie Ekonomistow Rolnictwa e Agrobiznesu (SERiA), vol. 2020(3).
    23. Giovanni Peira & Davide Longo & Francesca Pucciarelli & Alessandro Bonadonna, 2021. "Rural Tourism Destination: The Ligurian Farmers’ Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(24), pages 1-15, December.

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