The program accelerates establishment of ecotourism destinations and supports the creation of a national network of ecotourism destinations in Romania. The aim of this program is to contribute to the economic development of local communities, nature conservation and local culture and development, and to position Romania as an important ecotourism destination.
CONTEXT
Romania is one of the most biodiverse countries in Europe. The 27 national and natural parks, the Natura 2000 network and the cultural and historical heritage make this country an ideal ecotourism destination.
An ecotourism destination is a micro-region with remarkable natural and cultural assets, where sustainable tourism can be conducted, offering integrated experiences with minimal environment impact, by aggregating a network of complementary ecotourism service providers under the same common marketing and development strategy.
The areas most suitable for ecotourism are, however, among the least developed in Romania, with low revenues, no economic opportunities and, many times, jeopardized by an “industrial” approach to development: deforestation, mass tourism or other activities that place nature and the unique values of the area at risk.
STRATEGY
In 2012, Romania was the first European country to develop a national methodology for the assessment and establishment of ecotourism destinations. Five such certified destinations have been established up to now: Zărnești-Piatra Craiului, Eco Maramureș, Țara Hațegului – Retezat, Ținutul Zimbrului, and Țara Dornelor. Other five areas focused on sustainable ecotourism: Colinele Transilvaniei, Băile Tușnad și împrejurimile, Pădurea Craiului, Mărginimea Sibiului, and the Danube Delta.
The seven ecotourism destinations included in the RAF program are:
Băile Tușnad, Eco Maramureș, Pădurea Craiului, Colinele Transilvaniei, Țara Dornelor, Țara Hațegului – Retezat, Ținutul Zimbrului.
The program is designed as a long-term intervention and is developed along three strategic lines:
- To create a leadership and management core by supporting local organizations in at least seven regions to capitalize on the ecotourism potential to create sustainable plans with the local leadership community to help develop the area as an ecotourism destination.
- To contribute to the public debate about ecotourism, by bringing best practices and lessons learned during the implementation of the program before decision makers.
- To communicate about and promote Romania as an ecotourism destination at the local, national, and international level
“The Development of Ecotourism Destinations in Romania” is an integrated program, developed in partnership with Fundația pentru Parteneriat (as a coordinator and strategic partner) and Asociația pentru Ecoturism din România (technical assistance partner), joined by other specialized partners.
In 2019 the Friends for Friends Foundation (FFFF) joined in the effort to assist the ecodestinations in the marketing and communication process.
Since March 2021, we have been working with Asociatia “Ivan Patzaichin-Mila 23” to accelerate the development of ecotourism in Danube Delta by developing new touristic routes to less visited areas. Between 2024 and 2025, AIP launched a training program to strengthen the Local Gastronomic Points network in the Danube Delta, hosted at the Ivan Patzaichin Community Centre. Between 2026 and 2028, a new program will strengthen the link between tourism and local gastronomy, supporting small rural entrepreneurs in ecotourism destinations through training, mentorship, and business development, with a focus on maintaining quality standards.
From March 2022 until May 2025, the Asociația Synerb Venture Catalyzer joined the ecotourism program with an entrepreneurial component. Synerb provided technical and strategic support to incubate, strengthen and grow organizations in various areas of entrepreneurial and organizational development.
The Synerb team produced a documentary about the people of ecotourism, illustrating the importance of community collaboration, and a case study examining the sustainability of organizations involved in developing ecotourism destinations.
Starting 2026 a new Synerb-run program will test the development of two pilot Rural Entrepreneurship Centers in ecotourism destinations to offer continuous, tailored support for small rural businesses. These centers will connect small local entrepreneurs with expertise from universities, NGOs, and private-sector mentors, providing training and business development help.
From June 2022, through Make Better association, the Deschis! program further supports ecotourism development by catalyzing the revitalization of vacant spaces/latent assets into entrepreneurial establishments, within the network of ecotourism destinations. The first phase of the project mapped out the revitalization potential and assessed relevant resources and active stakeholders (including potential sources of public/private funding). Between 2024-2027 the program will continue with focus on capacity building for the organizations playing a part in the revitalization of latent assets throughout the ecodestinations and on strengthening a national level community of practice.
The program has helped convert disparate bits into an ecotourism system, built on a network of eco-destinations driven by common goals, that can advance the visibility of the ecodestinations and the discussions in the public policy area.
Moreover, the program stimulates the professionalization of the management of ecotourism destinations, local development through ecotourism, and contributes to the promotion of the ecodestinations network on the national and international tourism markets under the Discover Eco-Romania brand.
Infrastructure and specific services involved in local partnerships (2014-2025):
- 7 ecodestinations with 84 communities and 62 protected areas
- +300 accommodation facilities, +140 other services and small producers
- 7 local associations playing a critical part in ecotourism development
For more information about events in the ecotourism destinations, please access this link:
https://www.eco-romania.ro/en/descopera-eco-romania/events