July 7 th, 2020 Lights ON! Volume 1, Issue 4 Newsletter
Mod of Life Association, Antonini no 2 str, Drobeta Turnu Severin, Jud. Mehedinți www.modoflife.ro, [email protected]
INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Getting started Galbenu Răzvan, President, Mod of Life Association 1. Briefly, what we have done in the past few months We do not only intend to increase the number of tourists in region, the problem is to maintain the percentage of tourists 2. Territory of the cross- we had last year, but also to increase the quality of services border area and visits into the destination. That is why, together with the two project partners, UAT Drobeta Turnu Severin and the Tourism Organization of Kladovo Municipality, we decided to implement „Lights ON!” project. It will define the quality of 3. Accessibility of the cross- the tourism product in the cross-border area of the two border region counties - Mehedinți and Borski, starting with the accommodation area and ending with the transport and tour 4. Situation of the tourism guide area, interspersed with gastronomy and traditional sector products. All these elements will define the quality of the destination as a whole, says the president of the Mod of Life Association, Galbenu Răzvan. 5. Analysis of the external and internal environment We will build and strengthen the tourism product and will go of tourist areas border out with it on the national and international market, to bring added value, both in the area of local communities and in the
development and promotion of tourism at a general level. The activities that will be carried out in this project will involve to 6. Recommendations for a large extent the members of the two communities from valuing the common tourist Drobeta Turnu Severin and Kladovo, as well as the decision- potential makers from the Mehedinți and Borski cross-border area.
Briefly, what we have done in the past few months…
April 2020 unfortunately started with a situation that we did not take into account when we discussed the activities that were to take place between 01-30.04. 2020. Our Serbian partners have asked us to suspend the project’s activities for a period of two months due to the outbreak of COVID-19 in Serbia. Since receiving the official paper from the members of the project team of the Tourist Organization of Kladova Municipality, I got in touch with the project team of Drobeta Turnu Severin City Hall. Following the discussions, they understood the unforeseen situation that arose and decided to start the project suspension procedure, so following the agreement of all those involved in the project, by address number 30 dated 14.04.2020, I requested from BRCT Timisoara the suspension of the project for a period of 2 months, until the situation in Serbia is clarified. In May, on 25.05.2020, the 3rd partner, respectively the Tourist Organization of Kladova, received other sad news. Following decision no. 76622, I was informed that due to the fact that they did not make the planned expenses in due time, the Serbian partner's budget was reduced by 10%. Towards the end of May, on 20.05.2020, through the address no. 23-53 / 2020, the third partner, TOOK, asked us to start the procedure for the resumption of the project in July. I talked to the project team from Drobeta Turnu Severin City Hall, to those from BRCT Timisoara and on 25.05.2020 following the address no. 41 I requested the Regional Office for Cross-Border Cooperation Romania-Serbia to resume the project. Also in May, at the official address of the Mod of Life Association, the leading partner of the project, came a series of clarifications related to the third financial reporting period according to the address no. 214/27.05.2020, asking for the balance and other financial details of the project in both Euro and RON. June began with a series of discussions with the partners involved in the project about the stage in which they are with the activities provided in the project, about the situation of equipment tenders, with the requests they have regarding addendum no. 2 requested by Drobeta Turnu Severin City Hall . Also at the beginning of the month, we completed the requests received in the Clarification Request R.2.1-RORS 248 / 02.06.2020. The clarifications mainly concerned changes related to the situation of some deliverables that were wrongly selected in E-Ms, as well as related to the retransmission of the Tourism Marketing Study, because the file uploaded on the platform could not be viewed.
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The study of tourist marketing, The development of tourist attractions that capitalize on the historical and cultural potential in the cross-border region Romania-Serbia aimed, among others, the following aspects:
TERRITORY OF THE CROSS-BORDER AREA
The territory covered by the project consists of two counties from two neighboring countries: Mehedinti County in Romania and Bor County in Serbia. In Romania, Mehedinți County is located in the southern part, while in Serbia, Bor County is located in the eastern part. The main cities in this area are Drobeta Turnu Severin, in Romania, and Bor and Negotin in Serbia.
The description of the cross-border area:
MEHEDINŢI The Danube River together with the Carpathian Mountains form the well-known area of the Danube Gorge - The Iron Gates. In addition to the mountainous areas, this cross-border region has a flat surface in the western part of the region - the Timok Valley and the Mehedinţi plateau. Mehedinti County is located in the southwestern part of Romania, on the left bank of the Danube at its exit from the gorge. It has an area of 493289 hectares (2.1% of the country's surface) and borders the counties: Caraş-Severin to the west, Gorj to the north and Dolj to the southeast. To the south it borders Bulgaria and Serbia. From the point of view of the administrative organization, the county includes 2 municipalities (Drobeta-Turnu Severin and Orşova), 3 cities (Baia de Aramă, Strehaia and Vânju Mare), 61 communes and 344 villages. Population by domicile of Mehedinţi county was 280888 inhabitants as of July 1 2017.
The county is crossed by the European road E70, and the commissioning of the Rhine - Main - Danube Canal put the county seat, Drobeta Turnu Severin, in direct contact with all the riparian cities from the Black Sea to the North Sea. The bridge at the Iron Gates Hydropower and Navigation System shortened the road distances between Drobeta-Turnu Severin and various European cities. The relief of the county formed by mountains, plateaus and plain, appears in the form of an amphitheater arranged in steps that descend from north-northwest to south- southeast. The highest step, in the northwest, is made up of the Mehedinţi and Cerna mountains, the middle step includes the Mehedinţi plateau, the Motru hills and the high plain of Bălăciţa, the lowest step, the Blahniţa Plain is made up mostly of the Danube’s terraces, Drincea’s and Blahniţa’s valleys. The presence of depressions such as Baia de Aramă, Comăneşti - Halânga, wide valleys and the sub-Carpathian depression of Topolniţa offers living and traffic conditions, including the high areas of the county. The climate of Mehedinţi County is temperate-continental with Mediterranean influences in the area of the Danube Boilers and of Drobeta Turnu Severin municipality. The most important watercourse is the Danube river, which represents the natural border of the county on a length of 192 km. The rivers Cerna, Bahna, Topolniţa, Blahniţa and Drincea flow into the Danube on the territory of Mehedinţi County. In the northeastern part of the county, the Motru river basin stretches with the Coşuştea and Huşniţa tributaries. (INS - MEHEDINȚI County Directorate of Statistics, without year) The most important resources of the subsoil are: coal, asbestos, bentonite, limestone, slate, sand and sulfurous waters. The variety of relief ensures a balanced structure of the use of the county’s surface. Advantaged by its geographical position and its opening to the Danube, Mehedinţi County has known since ancient times a rich activity of trade, shipping, especially freight. Road transport has a network of 1856 km, of which 374 km are part of national and European roads. The post office and telecommunications began in 1862 and have grown in recent years. The commercial and public services have known an important development, meant to satisfy the growing demands of the population. From an economic point of view there are important production capacities in the field of shipbuilding, wagons, wood processing, inorganic products manufacturing, wood furniture manufacturing, celulosis and paper, textiles, food industry, coal mining and electricity generation facilities (hydro and thermo).
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BOR
Bor County covers an area of 3507 km2. It includes the municipalities of Bor, Negotin, Majdanpek and Kladovo. Bor County covers 3.96% of the entire territory of Serbia. The border between Serbia and Romania, in this part of the country, runs exclusively on energy generateb by the Danube River. Geographically, it includes a larger part of the Timok Basin, part of lower Transdanubia and the hill-mountain area, springs and the upper part of Pek River. Several geomorphological mountain units and hilly lands are neighboring or have the territory within the county. These areas represent the Kucaj, Deli Jovan, Stol, Mali Krs, Veliki Krs mountains, the Danube river valley, Veliki Timok (Great Timok) and the Pek River. The county is rich in biodiversity, hosting the largest national park in Serbia - Djerdap National Park. It is home to many animals, such as the otter, the European rabbit, the roe deer, the wolf, the mountain goat and more. The Danube Gorge forms unique landscape formations and, based on them, UNESCO has included Geopark Djerdap as a potential member of the Geopark network. This cross-border area covers huge mountain areas and hills. The area is rich in water flows, biodiversity and an important part of the territory is a flat area, most of which is located in the eastern part of the cross-border region. The Danube River, like most international river basins in the world, offers great opportunities for the diversification of tourist activities. The cross- border region has a fair basis for tourism development, and the territory is considered very adequate.
Population in the RO-SER Cross-Border Area
According to the last census conducted in both countries in 2011, a total of 390,382 inhabitants live in this cross-border region. The population density for this region is 39 / km2, which can be considered a low density. All three regions are listed at the end of the list on the number of inhabitants of the counties at national level. For example, Mehedinţi ranks 39th out of 42 counties, and in Serbia, Bor County ranks 22nd in terms of the number of inhabitants in the 25 counties listed in the 2011 census:
County/Year 1992 - RO 2002 2011 1991 - SER MEHEDINTI 332,091 306,732 265,390 BOR 178,718 146,551 124,992 TOTAL 510,809 453,283 390,382
These data show that human capital is one of the key aspects to be taken into account when planning future development measures. The table shows the rapid population decline in both counties and this is one of the weaknesses of the cross- border region. Also, the low share of the population at national level can lead to a low priority of some key national decisions.
Population in the cross-border region
MEHEDINŢI
With approximately 265,000 inhabitants in 2011, Mehedinti is one of the smallest counties in Romania, representing less than 15% of the population of the Oltenia region. Statistical data indicate a continuous decline in population numbers due to low fertility, high mortality rates and a negative migration balance. It includes many local areas with a population of less than 500 inhabitants, where the share of 6 | Page
the elderly is significant. The vast majority of the population is Romanian (89% at the 2011 census). Other minorities, such as Serbs, Czechs, Hungarians, Germans and Turks, who formed important communities until the twentieth century, saw significant declines in the number of their representatives, who currently represent less than 1% of the county's population. The evolution of the population structure by age groups indicates a relatively slow but continuous aging phenomenon, with important implications for the county's economy and society.
BOR This area has been inhabited since ancient times, but after World War II, the population of Bor County was influenced by two dominant trends. Between 1948 and 1961 the population was growing, but after that period it began to decline. In 1961, the population decline began. According to the 2002 census, Bor County covers an area of 3,507 square kilometers, including four municipalities (Bor, Kladovo, Majdanpek and Negotin), populated by 146,551 inhabitants living in 90 settlements. The average population density in Bor County is 35 people per square kilometer. The most populated municipality is Bor (65 people per square kilometer), and the least populated municipality is Majdanpek (25 people per square kilometer). In the table below, you can see how the population changes in the last three censuses in the two counties. Mehedinti Year/Age 0-19 20-64 65 and Total over 1992 97-540 190-752 44-276 332-901 2002 74-84 182.506 49-384 306-732 2011 55-201 162-949 56-793 265-390 % 56.59% 85.42% 128.2 7% 79.72%
This table shows that in Mehedinti County, during 19 years, about 20% of the population was lost and the main loss is recorded among young people under the age of 19. It is also obvious that there is a decrease among the population over the age of 65 by about 30%.
BOR Year / Age 0-19 20-64 65 and over Total
1991 44.693 111.535 22.490 178.718 2002 30.796 87.433 26.691 146.551 2011 22.616 76.482 25.894 124.992 % 50.60% 68.57% 115.14% 69.94%
Bor County has the highest rate of population lost in 20 years. This is mostly obvious in the young population, where Bor County lost half of its population. In terms of total population, Bor County has lost about 30% of its population in 20 years. What is very worrying is the loss of half of the young population (0-19 years) over 20 years.
The level of education of the population
In the context of tourism development, it is necessary to have a staff with a high level of education to plan and manage development, but it is essential to have good services offered to tourists, which are usually provided by people with medium or low education. The following table shows the educational structure of the population in the two counties.
2011 Without Elementary / Highschool Uiversity elemantary Primary Mehedinti 19.400 60.205 201.712 15.573
Bor 24.134 26.761 45.831 11.561
Total 43.534 86.966 247.543 27.134
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Socio-economical situation in the cross-border area RO-SER
The socio-economy of the region is strongly influenced by the available natural and human resources. Over the centuries, mining in the Carpathian region has been the main economic activity. Other natural resources: the Danube River is a great source of energy and many people are involved in its production. As the rural population is a large part, the agricultural sector is also of great importance for the region.
MEHEDINŢI
According to data published by the National Institute of Statistics, the GDP of Mehedinti County is about 1 billion euros, which is less than 1% of national GDP and about 10% of the Oltenia development region. Currently, the main economic activities in the county are commerce, transport and storage activities, as industrial activities have declined severely in recent decades. Among the main economic units in Mehedinti, the most important are: The Iron Gates Hydroelectric Plant - the largest in Romania, Severnav - a shipyard, established in 1852 by an Austrian company.
BOR
The GDP in 2014 for Bor County was 392 million EUR. It represents about 1.4% of national GDP and is equal to about 3,267 EUR per person. In the industrial structure, the capital intensive capacities of the mining and smelting industry and of the energy and industrial sector are dominant: copper ore production and processing, non-metallic production, electricity production, coal production and construction materials production. The dominant industries in the municipalities are: mining and metallurgy in Bor and Majdanpek, electricity production and chemical industry in Kladovo and Negotin; Referring to a revenue structure in the county, most is represented by agriculture, hunting, forestry, water management (43.7%), followed by manufacturing (20.6%), trade (15.9%). ), transport (10.2%), construction (5.7%). Services represent 30.0% of national income; industry (mining and construction) represents 26.3%.
Description of industries relevant to tourism
MEHEDINŢI
Agriculture is the main source of livelihood for a large part of the county's population, about 60% of the county's surface being represented by agricultural land (most of the arable land, with fertile soils). More than 90% of the agricultural land was privately owned. There is great agricultural potential due to fertile soils, favorable climate, important water resources and huge agricultural land, but lack of investment and a sustainable vision of agricultural development, labor migration and population aging lead to a large proportion of semi-subsistence farms. As a large part of the county's territory is covered by plains and hills, the forested areas are not significant. However, there are about 150,000 ha of forest, mainly deciduous, located in the northern and western part of the county, where the mountains predominate. Fishing has been an important activity for centuries for the inhabitants of the southern part of the county, along the Danube valley, where the river provides local communities with plenty of food. Although there are much stricter rules when it comes to fishing, there are still many communities for which fishing is still important. The forested areas in the northwestern half of the county are important for local communities, not only for wood, but also for the other products that nature has to offer - berries and mushrooms that locals collect and sell, thus ensuring additional income. Tourism is another activity that supports the economic diversification of rural areas. The presence of spectacular mountains and plateaus, with huge karst areas, numerous natural and cultural attractions, have led to the emergence of rural areas, as well-known destinations, not only for the people of the county, but also for the whole country. Thus, most accommodation units built in the last 15 years are located in rural areas and not in the main cities of the county, which once again testifies to the potential of the area.
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BOR In Bor County, agricultural land covers about 45% of the total area and compared to the average of that republic, 63.7% is quite low. Large areas have been reduced due to mining activities, especially in the municipalities of Bor and Majdanpek. Almost 55% of the total agricultural lands are acres, meadows and pastures, representing 39%, orchards, representing 3%, and vineyards, representing 2.2% of the entire territory of the county. Its lower parts are suitable for grapes and the upper part for fruit cultivation. Land areas flat are suitable for crops and gardening, such as the Kljuc and Negotin region, close to the Danube river. The decline in the number of animals has been largely affected by the elderly population living in villages and the lack of interest in employment in agricultural production. Despite the natural advantages, there is a decrease in the number of animals. The total area covered by forest in Bor County is 1,571 km2 of the total Bor County, which is 3,507 km2, which corresponds to a forest area of 44.8% in Bor County. In Djerdap National Park, forests are under 3 protection regimes. The wood industry has positive parts, such as: availability of raw materials, availability of labor and spaces in a fairly good condition. Wood production and primary wood processing are primarily dependent on raw materials. The richness of the natural and cultural heritage is a prerequisite for the development of mountain tourism and heritage-based tourism. There are rural households that offer a variety of holiday programs throughout the year. Industries that support the development of mountain tourism can provide appropriate strengths to stakeholders. There are initiatives to orient agriculture towards organic farming. Forests can be seen as a great development potential, but smart management should be applied to save the natural wealth for mountain tourism. The number of animals decreases, which may lead to loss of authenticity of local agricultural products.
Jobs
The following table shows the jobs by counties defined by sectors: agriculture as a primary sector, industry as a secondary sector and services as a tertiary sector. This table shows that most employees work in the tertiary sector, mainly representing services.
Number of employees in the tourism sector
The table above shows the percentage of the tourism sector in relation to the total employees in the two counties. It cannot be omitted that less than 2% of the total number of employees work in the tourism sector.
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Faculty of Sciences - Department of Geography - Geography of Tourism http://cis01.central.ucv.ro / geografie / Master studies: Tourism and sustainable development This chapter shows that there are various opportunities for the young generation to be educated for future jobs in the field of tourism. In total, 5 schools offer tourism courses in the cross-border region and this is considered a good opportunity for young people. In Craiova, near the target area, the University of Craiova offers various university and master's courses in tourism.
ACCESSIBILITY OF THE CROSS-BORDER REGION
This region has various possibilities to visit. The most commonly used is road infrastructure, but new developments bring to light flight possibilities where airports near this region focus on cheap flights. In both countries, transport infrastructure has significant shortcomings, mainly due to the lack of highways, the low number of intermodal connections, the reduced transport capacity of existing roads, the uneven distribution of railways and roads.
Roads in Mehedinti
The network of public roads has developed as a result of the need to ensure road connections between cities, so that new roads have followed the old ones. The result was the creation of numerous villages and towns along the roads, without the ring road, all local and transit traffic passing through the center of the locality. Due to lack of investment in secondary roads (especially in rural areas), linear localities along both sides of the road) continue to develop on national roads, aggravating the situation in which the transit of traffic on national roads conflicts with the daily life of the community. The only locality in the county where the bypass works is Drobeta Turnu Severin.
The public road network of the county has a length of about 1900 km. The network of national roads in the county by categories of national roads includes the main national roads and the secondary national roads. In Mehedinti, there are about 704 km of second category national roads and there are about 745 km of local roads.
Roads in BOR
The territory of the county is characterized by its proximity to the European Road Corridors X and IV and to the River Corridor VII, ie the northern border of the county is a pan-European corridor VII. The territory of Bor County is interconnected and connected with other parts of Serbia through a network of roads of varying degrees. In Bor County, there are 297.4 km of first category national roads. There are about 444 km of second category national roads. There are approximately 752.3 km of local roads, with a modern 311.6 km highway. Despite many years of insufficient investment in maintenance and road reconstruction, the current situation of the road network is not satisfactory. Almost half of the local road network does not have a modern pavement. The development of public road transport is unsatisfactory and is the result of the poor quality of the local road network.
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Railroad
MEHEDINŢI The length of the Mehedinţi railway is 124 km, of which 123 km are electrified. The density of the railways is 25 / 1,000 square kilometers.
Mehedinti County has a relatively low density compared to other counties in the West region.
BOR In Bor county, there are about 120 km of railway lines with standard line width, among which there are no electrified railways. The railways in Bor County are considered regional. The connection of the "Prahovo" port through Dam Djerdap 2 with the Republic of Romania would have a transnational impact, as it could be the first railway crossing point in the target cross-border area, which indicates that the permitted speeds vary from 40 km / h to 80 km / h. Rail transport and the possibility of its development can play a significant role in the development of the traffic system in Bor County, especially given that rail traffic is the most favorable. From an environmental point of view. There is a possibility to modernize the existing railways and to considerably increase their absorption and transport capacity. Passenger transport is not large enough and is unprofitable due to the rugged railways, low speed and small number of passengers. The difficulties with rail transport come from the very poor condition of the infrastructure, very outdated compared to the new standards, in some cases non- existent. The state of the infrastructure is considered the main problem that disrupts the transport system. A major disadvantage is the fact that there is no railway crossing the border between Romania and Serbia, although there are some development plans. Railways have traditionally been a good option for travel in Bor County. Currently, the number of tourists arriving in Bor County is very low, while more and more tourists go by road. The difficulties related to rail transport come from the very poor condition of the infrastructure, very much outdated. The poor condition of the railway transport is obvious in the cross-border area in Romania.
Harbors Ports in the cross-border region play an important role in economic development, as the region crosses the Danube River as an important pan-European corridor VII. The commercial ports are located in Drobeta Turnu-Severin and Orşova in Romania and in Prahovo, Serbia.
The harbours of Drobeta Turnu-Severin and Orsova have a modern passenger terminal with a river station that meets the European standards. Drobeta Turnu-Severin ports are well connected and have road access to the city's street network and several connections to main roads and rail access. The port of Orsova has internal access to the street network of Orsova and further with other road infrastructures. The port of Prahovo in Bor is located on the right bank of the Danube River (861 km). It is a so-called pool type harbor. It is located 4 kilometers downstream of the Djerdap 2 Hydroelectric Power Plant. Its technical equipment and support infrastructure are in very poor condition. Prahovo is connected and accessible by rail and road networks. The ministries of both countries intend to implement several infrastructure projects for the Danube sector, within the Danube Strategy.
Tourist harbors
For tourist purposes, the main harbor in Bor County is in Donji Milanovac. Here, in the last ten years, many international cruises have stopped. The number of cruise stops is increasing. Usually, some of the cruise tourists have time to visit nearby attractions, such as the Lepenski Vir Museum or just strolling through Donji
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Milanovac.
Maritime transport on the Danube and cruises are relatively poorly developed. Only one port for passengers and cargo - Moldova Noua (river-border crossing point with the Republic of Serbia) exists for a length of over 64 km (southern border of Caraş Severin County). Few local operators offer trips along the Danube and most are private operators (Hercules Tour, S.C. Hercule S.A., S.C. Manea S.A.). Generally, these are day trips, and the ships used are small (10-20 seats), with a limited number of services included.
Bicycle trails
This area is internationally recognized as a destination for bicycles, mainly due to the existence of the EuroVelo 6 and EuroVelo 13 routes. These are international bicycle routes recognized by the European Cyclists' Federation, which is an umbrella federation for national cycling organizations in Europe. EuroVelo is a long-distance cycling network which crosses Europe. EuroVelo 6 is a river route that starts in France and continues through Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Serbia, Bulgaria and Romania to the end of the river in the Danube Delta. EuroVelo 13 follows the old Iron Curtain, the divided borders of Europe during the Cold War. EuroVelo 13 starts in Norway in the Barents Sea, along the border between Finland and Russia to the Baltic Sea and then enters Germany. Then follows the old border between West Germany and the former East Germany, the current borders between the Czech Republic and
Germany, then Austria, the Austro-Slovak and Austro-Hungarian borders before following the borders of Romania, Serbia, Bulgaria and Macedonia. It ends in Bulgaria, by the Black Sea, after following the border with Greece and Turkey. There are other options for mountain biking in the mountain areas of the two counties. One of the most recognized cross-border cycling routes is the Iron Gates Bicycle Route. This route is located close to Dobreta Turnu-Severin and Kladovo, and some of the routes are cross-border between the two countries.
Airports
Craiova Airport, Romania Craiova International Airport serves both passenger traffic and aircraft travel in southwestern Romania. Currently, at Craiova International Airport, Wizzair has routes to the following destinations: Milan - Bergamo, Rome, Bologna, Venice, London, Liverpool, Barcelona, Madrid, Paris and Cologne. Since 2016, Ryanair has had regular flights to Valencia. Thus, the entire region of southwestern Romania has at its disposal the fastest and most comfortable means of transport to various destinations in Europe.
Timisoara Airport
Romania Timisoara International Airport serves both passenger traffic and aircraft travel in western Romania. The airport is located in the northwestern part of Timisoara, at a distance of 12 km. The national and international destinations from Timisoara airport are the following: - national destinations: Bucharest, Cluj-Napoca, Iasi; - international destinations: Paris, Dortmund, Düsseldorf Weeze, Munich, Frankfurt Hahn, Memmingen, Brussels, Milan-Bergamo, Bologna, Rome, Treviso, Bari, London, Eindhoven, Barcelona, Madrid.
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Nis Airport, Serbia Nis Airport now specializes in low-budget flights, especially to Eastern and Northern Europe. Direct flights are currently available to / from: Bratislava, Berlin, Basel, Bergamo, Düsseldorf, Dortmund, Eindhoven, Memmingem, Malme, Stockholm and Zurich. The carriers are: Wizzair, Ryanair, Germany and Swiss.
The tourism sector situation
A global understanding of tourism resources, products and services existing at a destination is a critical first step in the development of tourism. This chapter provides information on natural and cultural potential, attractions (natural and cultural), accommodation and other components of the tourism supply chain, to summarize the strengths and weaknesses of the destination.
The natural and cultural heritage of the cross-border region
The natural heritage is one of the most important pillars of tourism development. It is even more important in the context of tourism. The natural heritage of this area dictated the conditions of development - settlements, resources for economic growth and the like. The cultural heritage of the area consists of creations of human history. Cultural activities corresponded to the technical level and economic development of the area, thus demonstrating the stage of development. Both natural and cultural heritage are now the greatest value for the development of mountain tourism.
Natural heritage - Mehedinti Mehedinti County has a great diversity of flora, over 4000 taxa with 28 endemic species in the Iron Gates Natural Park and 23 in the Domogled-Cerna Valley National Park. A large number of plant species are rare, endangered and endemic, such as: Stipa danubialis, Apiacee Iron Gates (Prangos carinata), Rhodope tulip (Tulipa hungarica), bell (Campanula crassipes) etc.
The habitats found in Mehedinţi County are meadows and bushes, forest, rocks, caves and wetlands. The state of wild flora and fauna is directly related to the state of natural habitats, to the impact caused by the action of other environmental factors. The fauna from Mehedinţi County presents a great diversity of vertebrate and invertebrate species. The large number of species found is due to the variety of biotopes in this area, meeting the situation where a small number of species is found on a small area. The most valuable natural heritage of Mehedinţi County is represented of the two natural parks and a national park - the Natural Geopark Platoul Mehedinţi, the Natural Park Porțile de Fier and the Domogled-Valea Cernei National Park. The Iron Gates Natural Park corresponds to IUCN category V: "Protected landscape: protected area managed mainly for landscape conservation and recreation". Two special protected areas have been declared the Iron Gates Natural Park, as part of the European ecological network NATURA 2000 in Romania, namely: -the Danube-Bazias-Iron Gates course, covering 10,124.4 ha and the Almaj-Locvei Mountains, covering 118,141.6 ha. This natural park is also declared as a Site of Community Importance as the Iron Gates, an integral part of the European ecological network NATURA 2000, on an area of 124,293.00 ha.
Iron Gates Natural Park is characterized by lush biodiversity, which has made this protected area recognized both nationally and internationally. Climate, soil, petrography, geomorphology, the influence of the Danube on them, as well as the social context have created unique places that have preserved the characteristic features of habitats over the centuries. In 2011, the park was included in the list of wetlands of international importance - declared a Ramsar site.
Domogled-Valea Cernei National Park, founded in 1990, is located in southwestern Romania and is located in 3 counties - Caraş-Severin, Mehedinţi and Gorj. It covers 8220 ha in Mehedinti. From a geographical point of view, the Park covers the Cerna river basin, from its source to the confluence with Belareca, over the Godeanu Mountains and the Cerna Mountains on the right slope and the Valcanului Mountains and the Mountains.
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Mehedinti on the left slope. Domogled- Valea Cernei National Park, with an area of 61,211 ha, is a mountainous area with many mountain peaks, sinkholes, caves, valleys and waterfalls. This park is home to a wide variety of flora and fauna species, some of which are very rare or endemic.
Mehedinti Plateau Natural Geopark was established in 2004. The Mehedinti Plateau Geopark covers an area of 106,000 ha. Within the park, there are 17 declared nature reserves, such as: Ponoare District Complex, Topolniţa Cave Reserve, Epuran Cave. The Geopark Administration has 5 tourist information points. The geographical individuality of the Mehedinţi Plateau consists in the combination of mountain features and hills. It can be compared with mountains, with which it has a lithological resemblance, as well as in terms of terrain (narrow valleys, dams), the presence of caves and tectonic fragmentation and, at the same time, with hills (low altitude, smooth peaks, many human settlements). ). Here, the groundwater dug many caves, famous for their size and beauty, such as Topolniţa, Epuran, Bulba, Gramei, Isverna etc.
Cultural heritage - Mehedinti The wonderful cultural heritage of this county is now becoming the basis for the development of tourism. The cultural heritage of Mehedinţi County is represented by 569 historical monuments, archeological vestiges, popular historical monuments. The most important of these are: • Traces of settlements from the Paleolithic, Mesolithic and Neolithic eras; • Testimonies from the history of life: fortresses, monasteries, churches, buildings with special architectural features: houses, water mills, stone arrangements, etc.
• The existence of a high ethnic diversity, with different customs and traditions (Romanians, Serbs, Czechs, Swabians, Turks, Greeks, Hungarians), without ethnic conflicts; • The presence of the largest hydroelectric power plant in Romania and the Danube basin; • The ruins of the medieval fortress Tri Kule, a historical monument; • The ruins of the Ladislau fortress - historical monument; The cultural heritage of the Plateau Mehedinţi Geopark List of culturally protected areas: • Severin medieval fortress • The Roman camp from Drobeta. • Trajan's Bridge • Drobeta's baths • Topolniţa Monastery • Grecescu Church • Roman Catholic Church • St. Anne's Monastery • Vodiţa Monastery • Iron Gates Museum • Strehaia Monastery • Art Museum
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Natural heritage Bor
In Bor County, there is a diverse natural heritage. In Djerdap National Park alone, more than 1,100 plant species, 50 forest and shrub communities, endemic forest communities and 200 bird species are recorded.
In Bor county, there is a national park - Djerdap. This park is located in the northeastern part of Serbia along the border with Romania. The surface of the national park is 63,608 ha. The park stretches along the right bank of the Danube at about 100 km, from Golubac to Karatas, covering a narrow strip of hills, which is about 2-8 km wide, at an altitude between 50 and 800 meters above sea level. Djerdap National Park is divided into areas with three levels of protection. The type of protection regime for each zone is determined according to the purpose and function of that zone: 1. The first level of protection requires strict protection of exceptional natural and cultural values. In areas with the first level of protection, all protection measures, scientific research, educational activities and public presentations are carried out under a special regime. 2.The second level of protection is reserved for the protection of areas around locations that have been placed under protection at the first level, the protection of particularly valuable natural systems (characteristics of systems, landscapes and other natural resources). 3. The third level of protection shall apply in those areas of the National Park which are outside the first and second levels of protection. Activities related to tourism, sports, recreation, forestry, water supply, exploitation of mineral raw materials.
Cultural heritage Bor Visiting cultural and historical monuments, enjoying the authentic stories of the locals and the taste of unique specialties are some of the peculiarities offered to tourists. Thus, the rich cultural heritage of Bor County will be presented to tourists in a pleasant way.
In Bor County, there are many cultural heritage monuments. The most relevant are: • Lepenski vir • Diana Fortress • Tabula traiana • Fetislam Fortress • Bukovo Monastery • Stevan Mokranjc Museum • Hajduk Veljko Museum
The main existing forms of tourism in the cross-border region
Mehedinti Mehedinti County is located in southwestern Romania, where the Danube and the Carpathian Mountains meet and is a land rich in history, ethnocultural diversity and natural heritage. This is the region of ancient Dacia, which first came into contact with Roman civilization and where the Danube made its way through the Carpathians. Therefore, Mehedinţi County can be divided into several areas of tourist interest: the southwest with the Danube Boilers and the famous statue of the Dacian king Decebal; to the south, protected nature reserves; and the north of the county, a karst area with caves and special natural objectives, such as the Ponoare natural bridge. Mehedinţi County has certain tourist resources, both emblematic natural attractions, such as the Danube gorge, the vast karst area of the Plateau and Mehedinţi Mountains, as well as cultural attractions (ruins of Trajan Bridge, Drobeta Camp, medieval fortress Turnu-Severin) that offer the premises for tourism development, cultural and rural tourism, ecotourism and adventure tourism.
The main starting point for cultural tourism is Drobeta Turnu-Severin, the two- millennium old city, which includes important archaeological attractions - the foot of Trajan's Bridge, built in the second century AD by Apollodorus of Damascus, by order of Emperor Trajan, the Roman Camp built by Trajan to defend his border on the Danube, being the first stone fortress built by the Romans in Dacia, the ruins of the Roman thermal bath. Another attraction of Drobeta Turnu-Severin is the medieval, recently restored fortress, which hosts all kinds of cultural events. Another point of interest is the Iron Gates Hydroelectric Power Plant, the largest in Romania, which can be partially visited by tourists (the Turbine room, located 14 m below the lake level is the main attraction). Cultural routes focus on the ancient period, the Middle Ages or modern history. 24 | Page
Ecotourism is another important form of tourism, representative for Mehedinţi County, because it includes protected areas in the county: Iron Gates Natural Park, Plateau Mehedinţi Geopark and Domogled- Valea Cernei National Park. In the three parks, there are several marked tourist itineraries.
Rural tourism is developed mainly in the settlements along the Danube Gorge, the Mehedinti Plateau and at the foot of the Mehedinti Mountains, where the landscape is the most spectacular and where there are many villages that keep unchanged traditions and celebrate religious holidays (Isverna, Ponoarele, Ilovita, Godeanu Dubova and Ieselniţa).
Adventure tourism, which offers both light activities such as hiking or trekking, as well as demanding adventure activities - cave tourism, mountain biking, cycling, find the right terrain in the mountainous part of Mehedinti County. Cave tourism capitalizes on the vast and well-known caves in the area, such as Topolnita, Epuran, Isverna, Ponicova, Gaura cu Musca. Cycling is already popular amongst tourists visiting the Iron Gates Natural Park and could bring many benefits with minimal investment, with little impact on the environment.
Mountain tourism can be developed due to topographic diversity. In an area of 4900 km2, and a population of 330,000, there are several mountains that can be exploited. The Mehedinti Mountains (Stan peak is the highest peak - 1446 m), located in the northwest of the county, are part of the western massif of the Southern Carpathians and have a great diversity of landscapes (limestone peaks, mountain lakes, gorges and limestone cliffs) , with numerous beech forests, mineral springs and thermal caves. The Almaj Mountains are located in the southwest of the county. The southern part of these mountains is part of the Danube Gorge. The Mehedinţi plateau covers the central part of the county, from the Motru river to the western end of the Romanian Plain. Its height is between 500m and 650m. The hydrographic system of the Mehedinţi Plateau (Motru, Cosuştea and Topolnita rivers) has produced well- karstized areas: caves, gorges, karst lakes and natural bridges. The watercourses are dominated by the Danube and its tributaries: Cerna, Bahna, Topolnita, Blahnita and Drancea. In this context, mountain tourism is highlighted by the presence of marked tourist routes: there are 14 tourist routes. There are many activities in the mountains, such as bird watching, international nautical tourism (cruises in different sectors of the Danube), water sports on the Danube (rowing), cycling, mountain biking and horse riding tourism.
Bor
Bor County is an area with various natural attractions that could be key elements for the successful development of tourism. The most important attractions are based on: Danube River, Djerdap National Park, other high areas such as Kucaj, Deli Jovan, Mali and Veliki Krs, Miroc and Homolje Mts.
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Cultural heritage is represented by archeological sites and cultural monuments, such as: Diana, Fetislam, Trajan's Table, Trajan's Bridge, Lepenski Vir, Rajac, Rogljevo and Smedovac wine cellars and cultural heritage of special importance, such as Bukovo Monastery, Bukovo Monastery Vratna, Stevan Mokranjac's House and the Old Church of Negotin. Bor County has already developed several forms of tourism. They are based on a rich natural and cultural heritage of the region in which tourists are interested. In Bor county, you can practice activities on the water (for example, on the Danube or on some lakes), in flat areas (in the municipality of Negotin) and in the mountainous areas Stol, Veliki and Mali Krs, Miroc and many others. In Bor County, there are many cultural heritage sites dating back several centuries. Coming from the west, on the road near the Danube, the first main cultural attraction is Lepenski vir. This is one of the most important archeological sites in Serbia. It is located on a terrace on the Danube in the Djerdap Gorges. Monumental sculptures have been found here dating from 7000 to 6000 BC. On the same road to the east, there are other places of tourist interest - Tabula Traiana, Fetislam Fortress and Diana Fortress. Other cultural locations in the county are located in or near cities. These are usually museums that interpret the historical aspects of the area. Because the area has several protected parts, ecotourism has its own potential for development and growth. The largest protected area in Bor County is the Djerdap National Park, with many opportunities for hiking and visiting local heritage sites. Representatives of the Djerdap National Park have ecotourism support activities, such as hiking tables and information panels, also provide special guidance services for tourists. Rural tourism from Bor county is developed mainly in villages with better access to important tourist attractions. The main values of rural tourism are the warm hospitality of the hosts, the food and drinks in the household (usually wine)
and the clean and fresh air in the rural areas. One of the representative rural tourist offers is located in the village of Rajac, where the stone wineries are centuries old. The offer of adventure tourism is diverse - from caving to mountain biking and cycling. Some activities require support from local specialty clubs and permission from the protected area administrator (eg caving), and others can be done on their own (eg cycling and mountain biking). In Bor county, mountain tourism exists in the form of hiking and skiing in Crni Vrh Mt. Hiking is the most practiced. Throughout the year, many hiking activities are organized by local hiking clubs and climbers. There are also many signposted hiking trails, which are used by individual hikers. In Stol Mt., there is an open possibility for climbing.
Accommodation in the cross-border region
From this table, it can be concluded that most of the accommodation in the cross-border queen is in hotels, followed by guesthouses and rural households. Motels in the cross-border region have fewer accommodations.
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Number of accommodation units classified according to type of accommodation:
There are a total of 226 accommodation units in the area in the two counties, which represents approximately 60% of the total number of accommodation units in the two counties.
The table above shows that most accommodation in the cross-border region has 3 *. The smallest number of accommodation places are 5 * and 1 *.
Rates per person per night with breakfast for the type of accommodation:
Both of the above tables provide information on the price range in the accommodation distributed by type of accommodation. The lowest prices are in hostels and motels, while the highest prices are in hotels, rural households and guesthouses.
Certifications in the region
The Ecotourism Certification System "Eco- Romania" certifies ecotourism programs and trips offered by tourists or guides and small-scale accommodation structures in rural and natural areas. The Ecotourism Certification System addresses two different categories of applicants: - eco-tourism programs / excursions offered by tour operators (ie eco-tours of maximum 15 participants); - small-scale accommodation structures in rural and natural areas (ecological houses and pensions of maximum 25 rooms).
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- The Ecotourism Certification System was developed by the Romanian Ecotourism Association (http://www.asociatia-aer.ro) in partnership with Green Cross Romania and co-financed by the Foundation for Ecological Partnership. - There are no partners of this ecological certification in Caraş-Severin county or in Mehedinţi county. The main certified ecological products are Băile Tusnad and their surroundings, Danube Delta, Mara-Cosau Cocos Ridge, Mărginimea Sibiului, Pădurea Craiului, Ţara Dornelor, Ţara Haţegului-Retezat, Transilvania Mountains, Zarnesti-Piatra Craiului. - A tour operator from Serbia that organizes trips to Bor County is awarded by the German certification company TourCert. TourCert matches TourCert's environmental and social standards. Based on a self-assessment, an action plan should be implemented and reported annually to TourCert. The tour operator has laid the foundations of a CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) management and complies with the TourCert verification requirements (www.tourcert.org).
ANALYSIS OF THE EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL ENVIRONMENT OF TOURIST AREAS BORDER
Analysis of the marketing macroenvironment. PEST analysis This analysis includes external forces acting on behalf of the macro- environment and the micro-environment by stimulating or slowing down tourism activity in the area. These factors constantly exert a greater or lesser influence on the tourist destination, being in a permanent change. The elements of the macro- environment, which is the object of the PEST analysis, include: the political- legislative environment, the economic environment, the social and cultural environment, the technological environment, the demographic environment, the natural environment. In addition to these elements, demographic factors (population structure by age, ethnicity, degree of mobility, total population, etc.) and natural and ecological factors can also be studied.
Political-legislative environment
The political environment is formed by the social structures, the political forces that act and by the relations established between them. All this determines a stable or less stable political climate with direct influences on the business environment in a region, as well as the degree of state intervention in the economy and the general attitude of the administration towards the economic life of society. The legislative environment includes all the legal norms and normative acts that regulate the development of the commercial activities of the enterprises and directly affect the tourist activity. The legal and institutional environment includes not only domestic trade law, but also regulations established by competent international bodies. Regarding the activity in tourism, Mehedinți County Normative acts that regulate the development of activities in tourism in Romania are represented by: - Government Ordinance no. 58/1998 regarding the organization and development of the tourism activity in Romania; - Law no. 755/2001 for the approval of the Government Ordinance no. 58/1998 regarding the organization and development of the tourism activity in Romania;
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- Government Ordinance no. 5/2003 for the amendment of art. 33 of the Government Ordinance no. 58/1998 on the organization and development of tourism in Romania. - Law no. 229/2003 regarding the approval of the Government Ordinance no. 5/2003 for the amendment of art. 33 of the Government Ordinance no. 58/1998 on the organization and development of tourism in Romania - Government Decision no. 238/2001 regarding the conditions for granting the tourism license and patent - Order of the Minister of Tourism no. 170/2001 for the approval of the Methodological Norms regarding the criteria and methodology for issuing tourism licenses and patents - Order of the Minister of Tourism no. 691/2002 for the modification and completion of the Methodological Norms regarding the criteria and methodology for issuing tourism licenses and patents, approved by the Order of the Minister of Tourism no. 170/2001 - Order of the Minister of Tourism no. 910/2002 for the modification of the Methodological Norms regarding the criteria and methodology for issuing tourism licenses and patents, approved by the Order of the Minister of Tourism no. 170/2001 - GD 1328/2001 regarding the classification of tourist reception structures - GD 1412/2002 for the modification and completion of GD no. 1,328 / 2001 regarding the classification of tourist reception structures - Order of the Minister of Tourism no. 510/2002 for the approval of the Methodological Norms regarding the classification of tourist reception structures - Order of the Minister of Tourism no. 911/2002 on amending and supplementing the Order of the Minister of Tourism no. 510/2002 for the approval of the Methodological Norms regarding the classification of tourist reception structures - Order of the Minister of Tourism no. 188/2003 regarding the modification and completion - Law no. 143/2003 for the approval of the Government Emergency Ordinance no. 152/2002 on the organization and operation of spa and recovery tourism companies - Government Decision no. 77/2003 regarding the establishment of measures for the prevention of mountain accidents and the organization of the rescue activity in the mountains - Government Decision no. 559/2001 regarding some measures for marketing food and non-food products in tourist resorts - Government Decision m. 237/2001 for the approval of the Norms regarding the access, evidence and protection of tourists in tourist reception structures - Government Decision no. 306/2001 on the practice by economic agents in tourism and by cultural institutions of non-discriminatory tariffs and fees for Romanian and foreign tourists and visitors - Government Decision no. 805/2001 on some information measures on the maximum tariffs for accommodation services in tourist reception structures with tourist accommodation functions for unorganized tourism
- Government Decision no. 1,185 / 2001 regarding the increase of the limits of the contravention fines provided in some normative acts in the field of tourism - Joint order of the Minister of Tourism, the Minister of Health and Family, the Minister of Public Administration and the Minister of Water and Environmental Protection no. 330/262/109/327/2002 on the disinsection and deratization of tourist reception structures in seaside resorts - Government Ordinance no. 107/1999 regarding the commercialization activity of the tourist services packages - Law no. 631/2001 for the approval of the Government Ordinance no. 107/1999 regarding the commercialization activity of the tourist services packages - Order of the Minister of Transport, Construction and Tourism no. 516/2005 for the approval of the framework contract for the marketing of tourist services packages - Order of the Minister of Tourism no. 235/2001 regarding the insurance of tourists in case of insolvency or bankruptcy of the travel agency - Government Decision no. 867/2006 for the approval of the norms and criteria of attestation of tourist resorts. Methodological norms regarding the classification of tourist reception structures - Government Decision. no. 305/2001 regarding the attestation and use of tourism guides - Government Decision no. 631/2003 for the modification and completion of the Government Decision no. 305/2001 regarding the attestation and use of tourism guides - Order of the Minister of Transport, Construction and Tourism no. 637/2004 for the approval of the Methodological Norms regarding the conditions and criteria for the selection, schooling, attestation and use of tourist guides - Government Decision no. 511/2001 regarding some measures for organizing the activity leisure in tourist resorts - Government Decision no. 452/2003 regarding the development of the leisure activity nautical - Order of the Minister of Transport, Construction and Tourism no. 292/2003 for the approval of the Methodological Norms regarding the development of the nautical leisure activity - Government Emergency Ordinance no. 152/2002 on the organization and operation of spa and recovery tourism companies - Law no. 143/2003 for the approval of the Government Emergency Ordinance no. 152/2002 on the organization and operation of spa and recovery tourism companies
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- Government Decision no. 77/2003 regarding the establishment of measures for the prevention of mountain accidents and the organization of the rescue activity in the mountains - Government Decision no. 559/2001 regarding some measures for marketing food and non-food products in tourist resorts - Government Decision m. 237/2001 for the approval of the Norms regarding the access, evidence and protection of tourists in tourist reception structures - Government Decision no. 306/2001 on the practice by economic agents in tourism and by cultural institutions of non-discriminatory tariffs and fees for Romanian and foreign tourists and visitors - Government Decision no. 805/2001 on some information measures on the maximum tariffs for accommodation services in tourist reception structures with tourist accommodation functions for unorganized tourism - Government Decision no. 1,185 / 2001 regarding the increase of the limits of the contravention fines provided in some normative acts in the field of tourism - Joint order of the Minister of Tourism, the Minister of Health and Family, the Minister of Public Administration and the Minister of Water and Environmental Protection no. 330/262/109/327/2002 on the disinsection and deratization of tourist reception structures in seaside resorts - Government Ordinance no. 107/1999 regarding the commercialization activity of the tourist services packages - Law no. 631/2001 for the approval of the Government Ordinance no. 107/1999 regarding the commercialization activity of the tourist services packages - Order of the Minister of Transport, Construction and Tourism no. 516/2005 for the approval of the framework contract for the marketing of tourist services packages - Order of the Minister of Tourism no. 235/2001 regarding the insurance of tourists in case of insolvency or bankruptcy of the travel agency - Government Decision no. 867/2006 for the approval of the norms and criteria for attestation of tourist resorts.
The economic environment
It includes all the factors in the economy that influence the ability of the tourist destination to compete in the tourism field, but also the possibility and availability of consumers to buy various services and goods. Among the factors that influence the purchasing power are the inflation rate, the evolution of prices, the consumption patterns of the population, etc. Other factors for analyzing the state
and economic trend of the tourist area used are: structuring the economy by sectors of activity, existing accommodation facilities, tourist traffic, average length of stay, tourist seasonality. These aspects related to the economic situation of the area are reflected, directly or indirectly, and determine the volume and structure of the service offer, the level of revenues at the level of the tourist area, the size of demand, price movement and level of competition.
Inflation rate
The inflation rate has an important impact on marketing efforts to promote the tourist area because a high rate means a struggling economy and therefore low marketing potential. Also, when nominal incomes exceed the inflation rate, there is an increase in real incomes and consumers can purchase increased quantities of tourist goods and services.
The evolution of the inflation rate is unstable, with a downward trend. In the economic environment, it is desirable to stabilize the inflation rate, because its instability generates variations in tourist service tariffs (accommodation, auxiliary) and prices of tourist products offered, and these frequent changes in tourist product tariffs can have a negative effect on tourist demand, and implicitly on the tourist activities in the area. However, the downward trend of this economic indicator has positive effects on the purchasing power of the population and can generate an increase in demand for tourist services and products.
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Tourist traffic In order to highlight the optimal level of tourist demand for the tourist area Mehedinți - Bor, the tourist activity registered in the period 2010-2015 is analyzed. The tourist traffic expresses the real demand in different aspects and must be analyzed in the light of the indicators: tourist arrivals and overnight stays in accommodation structures. These indicators will be presented at the level of the studied area, for the accommodation units, and their evolution will be analyzed for the period 2010 - 2015. Arrivals / overnight stays in accommodation structures
The analysis of the tourist circulation registered in the Mehedinți-Bor tourist area, is made in order to capture its volume, dynamics and structure, on the main indicators in the idea of identifying the main tourist flows in the area. Thus, analyzing the above data, the following conclusions can be drawn: - the tourist circulation registers in the analyzed period an oscillating evolution (the number of tourists accommodated on the Romanian bank of the Danube, as well as the number of their overnight stays decreased in the period 2010- 2014, being followed by an increase in 2015; on the Serbian bank of the Danube, but , the evolution was oscillating throughout the analyzed period, with increases and decreases from year to year both of the number of accommodated tourists and of the number of their overnight stays); - there is also a downward trend in the number of overnight stays for tourists registered on both banks of the Danube, which may indicate a loss of interest in the tourist products offered or dissatisfaction with the quality of services.
- in order to have an overview, the tourist traffic in Mehedinți County and Bor District was compared with the existing situation at national level. It is observed that both Mehedinți County and Bor District have shares under 1% of the total number of tourists and of the total number of overnight stays registered at national level (Mehedinți County has a share of approximately 0.80% of the total number of tourists and 0.70% of the total number of overnight stays, and the Bor district has a share of approximately only 0.49% of the total number of tourists and 0.22% of the total number of overnight stays).
Accommodation infrastructure Tourist reception structures with existing accommodation functions in Mehedinți county
The development of tourist activities is related both to the presence of tourist resources natural and anthropic, as well as the existence of a well-developed technical and material base to provide satisfaction and comfort to tourists. Benefiting from special attractions, in Mehedinti County, especially the southern area, along the Danube river, a series of tourist reception structures were built over time.
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The tourist accommodation capacity in the county registers an important increase (from 27 to 55 units and from 1,524 to 2,118 accommodation places), and this increase is mainly due to the appearance of numerous tourist and agrotourism pensions. On the other hand, there is an important change in the structure of accommodation in the county. If in 2010 the hotels owned 54.86% of the number of accommodation places, in 2015 only 50.61% of the number of accommodation places in the county are owned by hotels.
Tourist routes
Route 1. BALA - BALA DE SUS - BUSEŞTI - DALMA - RUNCŞORU -RUDINA - BALA
• access: from Tr.Severin on DN 67 to Floresti, DJ 670 to Campu Mare and DJ 671A to Bala Băi • bookmark: yellow dot • time traveled: approx. 5h • length: approx. 50 km • degree of difficulty: medium • seasonality: not recommended in winter and in rainy periods • equipment: mountain bike Description:
The route starts from the thermal pool in Bala Băi on the country road that leads to Bala de Sus on the Slatina meadow. We pass under the old church of St. Nicholas next to a fountain, cross Bala de Sus in the direction of VNV and enter the forest road on the Raieni valley. We follow the valley upstream, we pass the confluence with the Voicii valley, then a rock called Piatra Cerbului and after approx. 8 km we reach a crossroad. We leave the Tarniţa valley on the left and after 500 m we arrive at the confluence of Homu - Raieni. We leave the Raieni valley on the right and follow the forest road upstream on the Homului valley. After approx. 7 km from the entrance on the Homului valley we reach the village of Buseşti. From the indicator arrow we go to the left to the center of the village where we meet another indicator arrow. We change the direction to the left, we pass the church (next to it there is an old dilapidated wooden church), we leave the village and we reach the top of Delanţului. We advance to the SW on a country road through pastures and forest edges. After approx. 5 km we meet the first households in Dalma. We enter the village and at an intersection with an indicator arrow we turn right towards Runcşoru. After 2.5 km we reach an intersection in the village where we turn right. At the intersection there is a signpost to the wooden church in Runcşoru. We climb La Glamei hill, then descend through the forest and go out on a bare ridge instead of La Palotă. Soon we reach the intersection with DJ 671A. From Runcşoru to here we traveled 7 km. We leave on the right the road to Şovarna and descend the Vrăjitoarea hill towards Rudina village. Once in the village, we turn left, then right (signposted arrows), climb the Serbian Road, cross the Rudinii peak and descend to
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Bala de Sus. From here, the road turns right on the asphalt and descends into Bala Băi.
Coordinates: - route entrance 44 * 53 '40.16 ”N, 22 * 49' 32.11” E, 249m -intrare V.Raieni, 44 * 54 '03.01 ”N, 22 * 46' 18.14” E, 259m - entrance V. Homului, 44 * 55 '47.53 ”N, 22 * 36' 57.06” E, 426m - Delanţ peak, 44 * 55 '54.95 ”N, 22 * 42' 54.07” E, 603m -Dalma intersection, 44 * 54 '27.41 ”N, 22 * 44' 05.83” E, 563m - Runcşoru intersection, 44 * 53 ′ 20.86 ″ N, 22 * 43 ′ 48.80 ″ E, 526m -sovarna intersection, 44 * 51 ′ 36.17 ″ N, 22 * 47 ′ 18.46 ″ E, 351m - final route, Bullet, 44 * 53 '21.16 ”N, 22 * 49' 39.71” E 240m Points of interest : - Bala Băi thermal pool - St. Nicholas Church, Bala de Sus - water mill, Valea Homului, Buseşti - the wooden church from Busești - the wooden church from Runcşoru Belvedere points: - Delanţului peak, view towards the horns of Cerboana and Babelor, Mehedinţi plateau - Rudinii peak, view towards Bala and Iupca Valley
Route 2 - LA VARNIŢĂ - CIOCÂRDIE'S HOLE
- access: from Tr.Severin on DJ 607B to Ciresu (28 KM), then to Marga approx. 3 km to Varniţă. - mark: red triangle - time traveled: ¾ h - degree of difficulty: environment - seasonality: all year long - equipment: ordinary, mountain hiking
Description: La Varniţă - Găurinţi saddle - V. Lunca cu Lilieci - Răşiţa truss - V. Topolniţei - Gaura lui Ciocârdie From the La Varniţă glade (info panel and indicator arrows) the path leaves through the meadow to the NW, a grove of woods and reaches a saddle. On the top left is a lookout point. The path descends on a rubble valley bordered by limestone walls until it reaches a wide and wooded valley. To the right (N), there is a saddle from where you can descend to the entrance of Găurinţi of the Topolniţa
cave. We follow the path to the left through the forest on the valley framed by steep walls and tanks, we pass a meadow, then we climb the right slope to a peak. Here we meet an old road that comes from the right on the top of Răşiţa. Our path descends to the S through the forest to the Topolniţa riverbed, which, followed upstream, takes us shortly to Gaura lui Ciocârdie,
Coordinates: - La Varniţă, 44 * 49 '01.27 ”N, 22 * 33' 42.76” E, 430m - Găurinţi Saddle, 44 * 54 '20.82 ”N, 22 * 30' 51.2 - Ciocârdie's hole, 44 * 48 '52.27 ”N, 22 * 33' 36.12” E, 375m Points of interest: - the greasy area under the La Varniţă glade - the resurgence of Topolniţa at Gaura lui Ciocârdie Lookout points: - the rocks above the La Varniţă meadow, view towards Lunca Peţimii, Cornetul Prosăcului, Mehedinţi Mountains and Plateau
Connection routes: - the road on the top of Răşiţa towards Cireşu - Topolniţa Valley to the Topolniţa Hermitage monastery - Gura Prosăcului and Peştera Femeilor (entrances to Topolniţa Cave) "Epuran's Cave over the Cornet of Prosac."
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Route 3 - GORNENŢI Village - MEHEDINŢI Mountains Ridge - BALTA CERBULUI Glade
- access: from Tr.Severin on DJ 607B to Ciresu, then on DC 3 to Podeni (35 km) or from E70 from the Bahna viaduct on DJ607C. from Podeni on DC3A to Gornenţi - mark: red dot - time traveled: 2-2 1 / 2h - degree of difficulty: Easy - seasonality: all year round, not recommended in winter, on heavy snow. - equipment: ordinary, mountain hiking
Description:
From the center of Gornenţi village, we go up on the main road, then, at the fountain, we follow the road on the right and after approx. 600 m we leave the village. We continue following the forest road that goes up to the N, then we turn to the V, bypassing the source of the crate on our left. We pass a sheepfold and, following the road, we reach the SE foot of Ciolanului Mare, we go a section near the summit, we cross a forested area and we meet a fork in the road. The one on the right climbs to a slate quarry. We will follow the one on the left, crossing the stony slope to the source of Ogaşul Rău (Dahoaca), above the La Funduri area where the water catchment of the villages of Gornenţi and Malarişca. After approx. 4.5 km from the village, we reach the main ridge of the Mountains Mehedinti, next to a barrier. From the meadow sprinkled with limestone boulders, the road descends on a forested karst valley, passes through Gherghina's Crow and after approx. 1.5 km we cross the forest road which, followed to the right, leads us in a short time in the Balta Cerbului glade.
Coordinates: - route entrance 44 * 54 '43.92 ”N, 22 * 32' 49.62” E, 597m - career road fork 44 * 55 '45.27 ”N, 22 * 31' 09.05”, 985m - M. Mehedinţi ridge 44 * 56 '00.91 ”N, 22 * 30' 26.80” E, 1030m - Gherghina's Crow, 44 * 56 ′ 02.01 ″ N, 22 * 30 ′ 12.37 ″ E, 1008m - final route 44 * 55 '40.81 ”N, 22 * 31' 06.61” E, 949m
Points of interest: - the old church from Gornenţi - secular pines from Gornenţi (Black Banat Pine - Pinus Nigra ssp. Banatica) - Balta Cerbului glade
Lookout points: -SE peak of Ciolanului Mare, view towards V. Camena, Pietrii Corner, Pietrele Vinete Peak, Gornovei Peak, Ponorăl Hill, Mehedinţi Plateau. Connection routes: - the ridge road of the Mehedinti Mountains - Herculane Baths at Ogaşul lui Roşeţ, 7 Izvoare - Ţăsnei Gorges - The Great Ciolan
Route 4 - LA VARNIŢE - GURA PROSĂCULUI
- access: from Tr.Severin on DJ 607B to Ciresu (28 Km), then to Marga approx. 3 km to Varniţe. - mark: red triangle - time traveled: ½ h - degree of difficulty: Easy - seasonality: all year round, not recommended when the river waters are high - echipament: hiking boots (rubber boots at high water)
Description: La Varniţe - V. Topolniţei - Gura Prosăcului From the La Varniţe glade (info panel and indicator arrows) we follow the road to Marga (E), approx. 50 m to the intersection with a forest road on the left. We descend on the road through the forest until we reach the wide meadow of Topolniţa. From here we go to the left downstream on the river to the impressive portal of Prosăcului, where the Topolniţa river enters underground, among huge boulders. At high waters we have to cross the river several times. The return is made on the same route, or on the route marked with a yellow dot that leads to the Woman's Cave” entrance, passes over Prosăcului and reaches the starting point in La Varniţe glade.
Coordinates: - La Varniţe, 44 * 49 '01.27 ”N, 22 * 33' 42.76” E, 430m - Prosac's mouth
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Points of interest: - Topolniţa meadow, upstream of Prosăc - Topolniţa gorges from Gura Prosăcului - the portal of the Prosăcului gallery Lookout points: - the area in front of Gura Prosăcului, view towards the entrance of the cave and the surrounding walls Connection routes: - the valley of Topolniţa upstream to the gorges and the cave from Sfodea - The Woman's Cave (entrance to the Topolniţa Cave) to the La Varniţe glade - Ciocârdie's hole "Epuran's Cave over the Cornet of Prosac."
Route 5 - LA VARNIŢE - PROSĂCULUI CANDLE - EPURAN CAVE
- Access: from Tr.Severin on DJ 607B to Ciresu (28 KM), then to Marga approx. 3 km to Varniţe. - mark: blue stripe - time traveled: 2 h - degree of difficulty: Easy - seasonality: all year long - Equipment: does not require
Description: From the La Varniţe glade (info panel and signpost arrows) we follow the road to Ciresu about 20 m to the intersection with a path that climbs through a glade on the right side. The path then climbs through the forest, reaches a saddle from where it deviates to the left, crosses an area with rocks and exits at the top. We go to the right to the cliffs above the steep slope that leads to the Topolniţa valley and Gura Prosăcului (viewpoint). From here the path enters the forest and crosses the plateau on the top of Cornet. We reach the large meadow where orientation becomes difficult. We turn right through meadow, then next to the ruins of a dwelling we turn slightly left and enter the forest. The path continues near the summit through the forest to a large grassy saddle. From here the route goes to the left, passes through a few sinkholes and descends to the Ponorăţ meadow. Arriving above the meadow, we follow the path under the limestone walls on our right, we pass by the entrance to Epuran Cave, we slip through the boulders that fell from the wall, then through the meadows on the right the path takes us to the road: Cireşu - Jupâneşti.
Coordinates : - La Varniţe, 44 * 49 '01.27 ”N, 22 * 33' 42.76” E, 430m
Points of interest: - the sinkholes from Prosetul Cornetul - the walls at the entrance to Epuran Cave - the meadow and the ponor of Ponorăţ
Lookout points: - the rock above Prosăc, view towards the meanders of Topolniţa valley, the rocks from Varniţe and Găurinţi, the hills from Marga and Godeanu - the entrance area of the Epuran cave, view towards the Ponorăţ meadow
Link routes: - Prosac's mouth - Women's Cave (entrance to Topolniţa Cave) - Ciocârdie's hole - Grama's cave
Route 6 - WINTER - POIANA BELETINA
- access: from Tr.Severin or Baia de Arama on DJ670 and DC50 to Isverna - mark: blue triangle - time traveled: 2 ½ - 3h - degree of difficulty: environment - seasonality: not recommended in winter - equipment: usual, for mountain hiking
Description: Izverna (center) - Plaiul Lung - Poiana Plaiului (Draghina) - Valea Plaiului - La Pripor - Şaua Beletina The route continues through Poiana Beletina, Foeroaga Beletina, V. Cernei (about 2 hours) From the center of the village the route starts on an alley in front of the town hall, climbs through the village and after about 1 km it exits on the top of Plaiul Lung. The path follows the gentle peak to Poiana Drăghina. From here the path goes to the right of the meadow and soon enters the Plaiului Valley. Next is the limestone and forested vilcelon until the place La Pripor”, from where we cross through the forest to above the Ladies' Valley. The path keeps the left bank of the valley in a slight ascent until close to the source. The path deviates slightly to the right and we come out on the main ridge above Poienii Beletina, near a sheepfold. 46 | Page
Coordinates : - route entrance, 44 * 58 '45.54''N, 22 * 37' 27.86''E, 447m - Poiana Plaiului, 44 * 59 '22.79''N, 22 * 37' 21.67''E, 656m - La Pripor, 45 * 00 '10.00''N, 22 * 37' 16.62''E, 885m - Saua Beletina, 45 * 00 '35.78''N, 22 * 36' 08.50''E, 1200m
Lookout points: - Plaiul Lung and Deaghina glade, view towards Isverna and Lunca Cosustei. - Beletina saddle, view towards Poiana Beletina and Stan's Peak
Route 7 - ISVERNA - CROVUL MARE Saddle
- Access: from Tr.Severin or Baia de Arama on DJ670 and DC50 to Isverna then about 2 km to the exit from Cănicea village - mark: red cross - time traveled: 2 ½ h - degree of difficulty: environment - seasonality: not recommended in winter - equipment: common for mountain hiking
Description: Isverna - Cănicea - Valea Stoienilor - La Străji - Izvorul lui Vuc - Faţa Izvoarelor - Padina Izvorul Alb - Şaua Crovul Mare The route continues through Crovul Mare and Foeroaga Mare to Valea Cernei (approx. 2h) From Cănicea village, the route starts on Stoienilor Valley and climbs among houses and gardens. Up to the top of La Străji we climbed steeply on a slope with ravines. From here the road climbs easily, crosses a pine forest, passes by Izvorul lui Vuc and exits on the meadows at Faţa Izvoarelor. We leave the road that continues on the level curve towards some households and we go up diagonally to the right, aiming at the upper end of the rocks on our right. The path enters the forest, passes a rocky area on a ridge and enters a valley above the White Spring. We climb the forested valley until close to the source, we go out on a glade and we climb to the main ridge in the saddle from which we descend to Crovul Mare, Foeroga Mare and Cerna Valley.
Coordinates : - route entrance 44 * 58 '21.34''N, 22 * 36' 36.11''E, 462m - La Straji 44 * 58 '38.95''N, 22 * 35' 56.07''E, 676m
- Fata Izvoarelor 44 * 59 '04.27''N, 22 * 35' 18.96''E, 898m - Saua Crovul Mare 44 * 59 '46.92''N, 22 * 34' 50.48 '', 1200m
Lookout points: - At Străji, view towards V.Coşuştei, Izverna, Geantul Stoienilor, Polom peak, Cuca Înaltă. - The face of the springs, view towards V.Coşuştei, Poiana Iliei, Polom peak
Route 8
TOURIST ROUTE Isverna - Poiana Beletina; Jud. Mehedinti This route is arranged and maintained by the Mehedinți Plateau Geopark, Salvamont County Public Service, with the support of the Mehedinți County Council, being approved by the Ministry of Regional Development and Tourism through the homologation certificate no. 603 of 23/11/2011 and has the following characteristics: • Mark: blue triangle; • Duration: 230– 3 hours; • Degree of difficulty: medium; • Seasonality: not recommended in winter; • Equipment level: equipment of medium complexity;
Route 9
TOURIST ROUTE Gornenți - Mehedinți Mountains Ridge - Poiana Balta Cerbului Jud. Mehedinti This route is arranged and maintained by the Mehedinți Plateau Geopark, Salvamont County Public Service, with the support of the Mehedinți County Council, being approved by the Ministry of Regional Development and Tourism through the homologation certificate no. 602 of 23/11/2011 and has the following characteristics: • Mark: red dot; • Duration: 2-230 hours; • Degree of difficulty: easy; • Seasonality: all year round, not recommended in winter; • Equipment level: medium complexity equipment;
Route 10
TOURIST ROUTE Podeni - Mehedinți Mountains Ridge - La Ciucioare Jud. Mehedinti 48 | Page
This route is arranged and maintained by the Mehedinți Plateau Geopark, Salvamont County Public Service, with the support of the Mehedinți County Council, being approved by the Ministry of Regional Development and Tourism through the homologation certificate no. 601 of 23/11/2011 and has the following characteristics: • Mark: blue triangle and red stripe; • Duration: 3 hours; • Degree of difficulty: medium; • Seasonality: all year round; • Equipment level: medium complexity equipment;
Dubova - Ciucarul Mare mountain route, Almaj Mountains Dubova - Ciucarul Mare mountain route is a fairly easy route that offers you some spectacular views over the Danube Boilers. If you had the opportunity to walk on the Danube, I recommend you climb this route for a beautiful view from above. The Danube Boilers (Large Boilers and Small Boilers) are 9 km long and represent the most spectacular part of the route. Danube from spring to discharge. One of the best places to catch a glimpse of all this beauty is on Ciucarul Mare. Road access: - on the road DN 57 to Dubova Good to know: - paved and good road to Dubova; - the route starts from Dubova (23 km from Orsova), in front of a mixed shop with a terrace in front, opposite a football field; - route marked with yellow stripe; - Route duration: approx. 2 hours (pictures & breaks included); - there are no water sources on the route;
Route 11
TOURIST ROUTE Stariste-Trescovat. The access on the route is made from DN 57 near the tourist stop Stariste (6 km from Svinita locality) in the direction of walking towards Berzeasca locality and crosses forests of sky, garrison and beech and meadows. It is a route with a medium degree of difficulty that is covered in about 6 hours and is marked with a red equilateral triangle on a white background. The main point of attraction is it Trescovat volcanic neck.
Route 12
TOURIST ROUTE Svinita-Tricule.
The access is made from DN 57 to 1 km from Svinita locality, in the direction of walking towards Berzasca locality. It is a route that has a medium difficulty fence and is covered in about 5 hours with an equilateral triangle on a white background. As points of attraction: you can admire the waters of the accumulation lake, Svinita locality, the vestiges of the traditional houses and the church from the old village as well as the ruins of the medieval fortress of Tricule.
Route 13
TOURIST ROUTE Cioaca Cremeneasca-Rudina route. The access is from DN 57, 6 km from Dubova to Svinita. The route of medium difficulty can be covered in 4 hours, it is marked with a red equilateral triangle with white edges. Along this route you will encounter many contrasting landscapes such as abandoned waste dumps, the serpentinite of Tisovita and Plavisevita, the traditional architecture represented by two-celled houses.
Route 14
TOURIST ROUTE Liubotina-Rudina Valley. It is connected with the Cioaca Cremeneasca-Rudina route with the same terminus point. The access to the route is also made from DN 57 but from km 8, from Dubova near the Liubotina viaduct in the direction of Svinita. It is a fairly long route, of medium difficulty, which is covered in about 6 hours. It is marked with a blue equilateral truing with a white border. It is a picturesque route, along the Liubotina valley where a series of waterfalls can be found and from the Rudima plateau a beautiful panorama opens to the Danube.
Route 15
TOURIST ROUTE Cazanele Mari. The access is made from DN 57 from Dubova locality at approximately 100 m from the Dubova town hall. The route is one of medium difficulty and covers about 2 hours and is marked by a yellow triangle on a white background.
Route 16
TOURIST ROUTE Cazanele Mici. With access from DN57, in Dubova bay, 22 km from Orsova on the way to Moldova Noua, it is a route of medium difficulty and can be covered in about 1 hour. The route is marked with a red triangle with a white border. It is one of the most beautiful routes in the park, with numerous viewpoints that open to Cazanele Mari and the Serbian side of the Danube. 50 | Page
Route 17
TOURIST ROUTE Orsova-Alion Hill. The access on the route is made from the European road E70 at the exit from Orsova to Drobeta Tr Severin near the Tarziului viaduct. It is a route that is covered in 2.30-3 hours and presents an average degree of difficulty. Along the route there are numerous viewpoints that offer an impressive view over the Gulf of Cerna, the Iron Gates I Hydroelectric Power Plant and the town of Kladovo on the Serbian coast.
Route 18
TOURIST ROUTE Orsova-Tarovat. With access from the European road E70 at the exit from Orsova in the direction of Drobeta Tr. Severin is a route with medium degree of difficulty that can be covered in 5 hours. The marking of this route is made by a blue equilateral triangle with white edges and crosses areas wooded, hilly without steep slopes. The terminus of the route is the confluence of the Danube with the river Bahna.
Route 19
TOURIST ROUTE Racovat-Boldovin. It is a route with access from the road communal crossing the Ilovita commune - approximately 1.3 km from the town hall of Ilovita commune and overlaps the road that accompanies the valley of the Racovat river upstream. The route is marked by a red circle with a white edge, is of medium difficulty and can be covered in 5 hours. The main attraction is one of the 3 places that make up the reservation fossilifera Bahna - the first paleontological reservation in Romania.
Route 20
TOURIST ROUTE Valea Voditei-Dealul Duhovna. The access to the route is made from DN 70 from the Vodita viaduct (approximately 6 km from Orsova, 19 km from Drobeta Tr. Severin), it is a route of medium difficulty that can be covered in 5 hours and is marked with a yellow circle on the background white. The route climbs to Duhovnei Hill from where the panorama can be admired on the Bahna-Orsova depression.
Route 21
TOURIST ROUTE Dubova-Cazanele Mari 2. The entrance to the route is made from DN57 at the exit from Dubova to Moldova Noua - 2 km from the Dubova commune town hall and can be crossed in 2 hours. The route is of medium difficulty and is marked with a blue equilateral triangle with a white edge and offers a series of viewpoints from where you can admire the Great Boilers and the Serbian bank of the Danube.
Route 22
TOURIST ROUTE Balta Nera - Ostrov Moldova Veche. The access in the route is made from DN 57A at the exit from Socol (approximately 2km) to Pojejena, it has two secondary variants through DN 57A and 4.5 km on Moldova Veche island, it has medium difficulty and can be covered in about 8-10 hours by bike . The main route is marked through a vertical blue stripe on a white background and the secondary one with an equilateral triangle with white edges. The route crosses a series of reservations and special avifauna protection areas.
Route 23
TOURIST ROUTE Valea Morilor de Apa. It has 4 secondary options (one in Gornea, one in Sichevita, one in the Gramensca valley and the fourth in Zasloane), has medium difficulty and can be covered in 6 hours by bike. The main route is marked with a blue vertical stripe on a white background, the secondary one by a blue equilateral triangle on a white background and crosses the Camenita, Gramensca valleys.
Route 24
TOURIST ROUTE Gura Vaii-Dealul Crucii (St. Peter's Cross). With access from the European road E70, through the communal road that crosses the town of Gura Vaii, near the railway bridge. It is a route of medium difficulty that can be covered in 3 hours and is marked by a blue band on a white background. The route offers an overview of the entire Iron Gates I Hydropower and Navigation System.
Route 25
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TOURIST ROUTE Dubova-Cazanele Mici. The access is made from DN 57 in Dubova Bay, 24 km from Orsova to Moldova Noua, the route is of medium difficulty and can be covered in 4 hours. The marking of the route is made by a yellow equilateral triangle with a white edge, there are numerous viewpoints here that offer special images of the Great Boilers and the Serbian bank of the Danube.
ONE DAY PROGRAMS. PROGRAM 1. Car and naval tourist itinerary. Taking over the group The program begins with a visit to the Museum of the Iron Gates Region, located in Drobeta Turnu Severin, organized in several sections (history-archeology, natural sciences, aquarium, folk art and ethnography). Also at this point you can visit the ruins of the Roman camp "Drobeta" which is the first stone construction erected by the Romans in Dacia, a building that protects the first Roman bridge over the Danube, its ruins (2 feet) being visible today. Visiting these objectives can be done in approx. 2 hours. The continuation of the route is made on the European road E 70 that accompanies the Danube bank, through the gorge sculpted by this river in the Carpathian arch, which is one of the most spectacular natural phenomena in Europe, its tourist value being given by the beauty and variety of the landscape. After going through approx. 12 km, at the exit. Gura Văii can visit the Hydropower and Navigation Complex "Iron Gates", which is the largest building of its kind in Romania, being an elegant monument of contemporary technology. The ensemble developed between the Romanian and Serbian banks of the Danube, made up of the overflow dam, locks, hydroelectric power plant control blocks, has impressive dimensions. The complex also has a museum that can be visited, this being structured on geology, archeology and ethnography sections. The route continues to Vodiţa Monastery, deviating approx. 1.0 km from E 70. Here you can visit the ruins of the oldest monastic settlement in Wallachia founded by the voivode Vladislau Vlaicu (one of the first Bessarabians) at the urging of the monk Nicodemus, in 1372. Along with them, you can visit the monastery current, built in 1990. Continuing on DN 70, and deviating approx. 4km, the route can offer a visit to one of the most interesting fossiliferous points in the country - the paleontological reservation Bahna, - of great scientific value. The route continues along the Danube Gorge, to Orşova. Meals can be served at local (2 or 3 star) restaurants in the city. Later, the city of Orşova can be a tourist attraction, by visiting several objectives such as: the Roman Catholic Cathedral (unique in Romania for its architectural style). Near the city, you can visit the St. Anne's Monastery, founded by the well-known interwar journalist Pamfil Şeicaru. Here is also the Pamfil Şeicaru Memorial Museum.
From the city of Orşova, the tourist program can be developed in two variants:
1. Car variant: Group takeover Leaving the city of Orşova, the route follows DN 57, visiting instead Eşelniţa, the Ethnographic Museum (where you can see both the ethnographic collection and the collection of icons and church books from the 15th - 20th century) as well as the Hermann's Turtle Captivity Growth Center. It was funded by externally funded projects by the University of Bucharest, being an interesting objective from a scientific point of view. At the entrance to Mraconia Bay, there is "The Face of Decebalus", a bas-relief carved in a natural monolithic limestone column, being the largest work of its kind in Romania (40 m high and 25 m wide). You can also visit the Mraconia monastery, a monastery based on a former river navigation guide point. The route continues through the Danube Boilers, the most interesting and imposing sector of the Danube Gorge, which is a mixed nature reserve. Its landscape value results from a wide diversity of karst relief with steep slopes and the variety of plant species and habitats of European importance gives this goal scientific importance. Return to the city of Orsova; Meals can be served along the way at guesthouses along the Danube, or at local restaurants in the city (2 or 3 star). Visiting these objectives can be done in one day. Equipment needed: boots; in case of traveling on the Ciucaru Mare plateau.
2. Passenger ship variant: It is possible to embark on river passenger ships such as DIERNA, DANUBIUS and FLAMINGO provided by economic agents from the city of Orşova, to visit the Danube Boilers the most interesting and imposing sector of the Danube Gorge. From the ship you can see the "Tabula Traiana", an objective located on the Serbian shore, of historical cultural importance, UNESCO monument, Roman inscription that glorifies the work of building the Roman military road along the Danube. You can also admire "Decebal's Face", bas-relief carved in a natural monolithic limestone column, being the largest work of its kind in Romania (40 m high and 25 m wide). The program ends with the return of tourists to the place of departure (Dr. Tr.Severin, Orsova). The distance traveled on this route is approx. 120 km (round trip), from Drobeta Turnu Severin and 60 km round trip from Orşova. Travel can also be done by coaches provided by local businesses. The cost of such a program with approximately 20-30 tourists (depending on the embarkation capacity of cruise ships, a maximum of 90 people can be embarked 54 | Page
on the ship Dierna and a minimum of 60 people on the ship Flamingo) is structured as follows: - Coach transport provided by ec. rooms: approx. 250 Euro (including Danube cruise) - Guide services provided by the park administration: 30 Euro; - Cost of museum entrances, objectives to visit: 2 Euro / person; - Mass: approx. 10 Euro / person;
Contact: Iron Gates Natural Park Administration Email: [email protected] , tel / fax +40 252 36 25 96 Contact person: ranger Baratky Felix - local guide, tel 0735550359 ranger Stoica Marius -local guide, tel 0735550358
PROGRAM 2. - Combined car and hiking route: 1 day Cultural, ecumenical tourist program. Taking over the group (depending on the locality) Visiting objectives: - Vodita Monastery - St. Anne's Monastery - The Roman Catholic Cathedral in Orşova - Eşelniţa Parish Museum - Mraconia Monastery The cost of such a program is structured as follows: - bus transport provided by agents ec. premises: about 100 Euro; - Guide services provided by the park administration: 78 lei; - Meal: about 10 Euro / person at the nearby guesthouses.
Contact: Iron Gates Natural Park Administration Email: [email protected] , tel / fax +40 252 36 25 96 Contact person: ranger Baratky Felix - local guide, tel 0735550359 ranger Stoica Marius -local guide, tel 0735550358
PROGRAM 3 - One-day hiking trails.
Hiking can be done on the marked trails in the Iron Gates Natural Park, hiking that can last 5-8 hours, depending on the chosen route. The park administration can provide tourist guide services for a number of 10 tourist routes, with different degrees of difficulty. They offer both a tour of some picturesque landscapes, and a visit to isolated households of locals (halls) to observe and learn about the occupations of locals, the traditional way of life in the area. Traditional fishing with sacovistea The interest for following these routes can also arise from the variety of vegetal associations, made up of thermophilic elements, many of which are endemic as well as the tree vegetation.
Some of the routes may be of interest for scientific tourism, as they partially cover forest, botanical or mixed nature reserves. The hiking trails are: - The Vodita route, MH county - The Boldovin route, Iloviţa and reaches Boldovin Peak, returning to Racovaţ Valley, MH County - The Tarovăţ route starts from the river Bahna and partially follows the old Austro- Hungarian border, descending into place. Orşova. jud. MH - The Ciucarul Mare route partially covers the reservation of the Large and Small boilers; jud MH - The Ciucarul Mic route, partially covers the reservation of the Big and Small boilers; jud MH - The “Şviniţa -Trikule” amphitheater route, MH county - The Trescovat route, which allows you to walk the volcanic neck to the top; jud. MH - The Plavisevita - Liubotina route, which follows the two valleys, MH county - The route Sf. Elena - Gârnic, jud. MH - St. Peter's Cross Route - MH County Tourists can be picked up by the park guide, at their request from the starting points of the routes and brought back, at the end of the program, to these points. The cost of such a route is reduced to the cost of guide services (78 lei) given that there is no facility to provide accommodation or meals on these routes. Programs based on the tourist routes can be of one day (if only one route is covered) or they can be carried out over several days, depending on the number of routes to be traveled. In case of several days, accommodation and meals are provided by restaurants and guesthouses in the area (2 or 3 stars or daisies) at prices between 20-40 Euro / day accommodation and approx. 10-15 euro / meal. We specify that such programs can be realized only with relatively small groups of tourists (10-15 pers.). Terms: - participants will be equipped with mountain, waterproof ice, sweater, cape, backpack; - the weather can be unpredictable; - for shooting wild animals, habitats, flora for commercial purposes, another 25 euros / day / person are charged; - the program does not include meal insurance; - please make a reservation at least 3 days in advance.
Contact: Iron Gates Natural Park Administration Email: [email protected] , tel / fax +40 252 36 25 96 Contact person: ranger Baratky Felix - local guide, tel 0735550359 ranger Stoica Marius -local guide, tel 0735550358
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Institutional support and stakeholders
ROMANIA: NATA - National Association of Travel Agencies (www.anat.ro). STEO - Spa Tourism Employers' Organization (www.spas.ro/) FRTE - Federation of Romanian Tourism Employers (www.fptr.ro) RHIF - Romanian Hotel Industry Federation (www.fihr- romanianhotelsorg.ro/) ANTREC (www.antrec.ro).
List of tour operators and travel agencies in Romania (cross-border region)
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SERBIA: 1. Local tourism organizations (which exist in each municipality - established by municipalities to promote tourism); 2. Local administrations in the region: Bor, Negotin, Kladovo, Majdanpek; 3. Djerdap National Park, Stara Planina Public Company, Eastern Serbia Regional Development Agency - RARIS, Danube Competence Center - DCC 4. Hotels and private businesses involved in the tourism industry 5. Travel agencies in the region 6. Transport providers (buses, taxis, Serbian railways)
List of tour operators and travel agencies in Serbia (cross-border region)
In the two counties, there are a total of 38 tour operators and travel agencies based in Mehedinti and Bor. There are 19 offices in Mehedinţi and 19 in Bor County. There are a number of tour operators in this region, but it is important to note that there is no cross-border tour operator or agency offering day trips in this region.
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Support programs relevant to tourism -POR Regional Operational Program / Regional Operational Program -POCU Human Capital Operational Program -PNDR National Development Program -Ro-SE / Romania-Serbia Cooperation Program -BS State Budget -BL Local Budget -FEADR - European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development IPA / CBC -IPA Cross-border Cooperation Program Romania-Serbia
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR VALUING THE COMMON TOURIST POTENTIAL
Analyzing the internal and external environment of the tourist area Mehedinți - Bor, it can be concluded that the tourist potential of the area is high but, for the development and capitalization in a unitary way of natural and cultural values common to the mentioned tourist destination, a promotional program is necessary. The effort in promoting the tourist destination Mehedinti - Bor consists in the first stage in "conceptualizing" this tourist destination. The identity of the tourist area Mehedinti - Bor must uniquely position the targeted area, in terms of tourist potential, natural resources, history and civilization.
The capitalization of the attractive elements of the natural environment has been differentiated so far, depending on the proximity and the possibilities of access to the main centers of tourist interest. In order to occupy a better position on the tourist market, it is necessary to make a considerable advertising effort to promote the common tourist objectives of the Mehedinti - Bor area. In this sense, the most effective promotion actions must be considered, actions that lead to: - Increasing the number of Romanian and foreign tourists to the promoted objectives; ensuring a sustainable development of tourism in a way that the environmental, cultural and heritage riches belonging to the Mehedinţi - Bor area are equally appreciated in the present and preserved for future generations; explicit recognition of the area and its specificity, with the creation of social responsibility for the destiny of the community; developing a favorable attitude towards the tourist product; - Awareness of the population in Romania and Serbia about the national tourist riches and the desire to share them with guests. - The promotion actions in the field of tourism aim both at attracting new clients and at maintaining the existing ones, addressing the general public, but also the target groups. The essential issue is considered to be the efficiency of the
promotion act, ie the choice of the method with the most significant impact on the public. The message conveyed must pursue three main objectives: attracting attention, maintaining attention and convincing the public. Advertising is very important in tourism promotion because it deals with creating a favorable image of the tourist objective / destination and attracting potential tourists. Tourist advertising consists of activities to send messages with precise objectives: awareness of the tourist potential of the area, information on important objectives to visit, creating and improving the image of the tourist destination, attracting new tourists.
Promotion activities with a direct role in revitalizing tourism in the region are particularly important for all tourist structures in the Mehedinti-Bor area. That means that it is recommended to insist, in the promotion of the tourist destination Mehedinti- Bor, especially on the following directions:
• media channels: internet, media, outdoor advertising Increasing internet access, increasing online commerce, the relatively cheap promotion environment and Internet accessibility are just some of the reasons why we recommend this type of promotion. In this direction it is advisable to build a presentation portal of the tourist destination Mehedinti-Bor. The presentation site is very important because, once launched, it becomes the "face" of the Mehedinţi-Bor tourist destination and represents its unitary image from the point of view of the tourist offer. Advertising through media channels (print, radio and TV) is an effective way to promote the tourist area of Mehedinti - Bor. In order to have the expected impact, it is recommended to publish, press releases, in local / regional newspapers, as well as to transmit some news to local / regional radio and TV stations. In order to promote the tourist potential of the Mehedinţi - Bor area, it is recommended: placement / pasting / displaying posters in the main localities in the project coverage area, respectively the Mehedinţi - Bor area, in places with high visibility and population flow.
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• free distribution of tourist promotion materials (guides, maps, films, brochures) mainly to tourists on the occasion of participation in fairs, festivals and also to organizations operating on the market (eg: local public administrations, tourist information centers, etc. .) for good promotion and attracting as many tourists as possible to the promoted tourist destination. The tourist guide acquaints the reader with the tourist potential of the tourist destination Mehedinţi - Bor. It must provide captivating information that meets memorable conditions (comprehensible and persuasive message); emotional approach, originality, creativity, color harmonization and accessibility. The photo album will complete the tourist guide with exceptional photos based on the idea that "a picture is worth a thousand words". An important element that should not be missing from any tourist guide is a map of tourist attractions. The map will have to visually signal the tourist objectives. Brochure that promotes local tourism, crafts and local crafts. This must be done as visually appealing as possible, with photos that will arouse tourists' interest in this sector.
• Informational films Tourist promotion films are an effective method to advertise / promote the Mehedinţi - Bor cross-border area in order to attract as many tourists as possible and to inform them about the tourist opportunities offered by the Mehedinţi - Bor area. It is recommended to make some films in a dynamic way, with a strong visual impact so as to stimulate the interest of tourists to visit the area.
• organizing events to inform and raise awareness of local communities about the natural and cultural heritage and its promotion for sustainable economic development.
It is recommended to organize such events in order to inform and raise awareness of citizens, decision makers in the 2 areas, respectively Mehedinti and Bor, on the tourist potential of the area, development and capitalization in a unitary manner of common natural and cultural values of the area, on the natural and cultural riches of the Mehedinţi-Bor tourist area for their appreciation at their fair value and their conservation for the future
• promoting common crafts and traditions
The development of tourism as an economic activity is closely linked to souvenirs that manage to reproduce the emotional experience related to the place visited. The promotion of the Mehedinţi - Bor tourist area is recommended to be done by creating / making tourist souvenirs. Tourists want to have an object that reminds them of the history of the places visited, the landscapes that impressed them. The development of authentic souvenirs can play an important role in highlighting tourist destinations. The development of a market of handmade souvenirs will generate income for local producers, and the originality of these products can become one of the reasons of attraction to visit the tourist area. Due to the special conditions characterized by the uniqueness of the landscape, the richness of the fauna and a vast heritage of historical symbols, the area can become a unique tourist destination, full of authenticity. All this is the basis for the construction of authentic souvenirs that are associated with historical heritage, tradition and cultural identity.
From the point of view of the content of the message and the graphic appearance of the advertising materials, it must meet the requirements of: 64 | Page
• memorability - comprehensible and persuasive message, • emotional approach, • originality, creativity and color harmonization, • accessibility, • general impact - the use of symbolic elements representative for the promoted area.
Project: Lights ON!
Project No .: RORS 248
Deliverable No .: DC2.5
Document Version: RV1
Document Preparation Date: 2020.07.01
Responsibility: Lead Partner Mod of Life
Type of Deliverable
N Document, Report, Drawings, Newsletter X
DEM Demonstrator, pilot, prototype
DEC Websites, patent fillings, videos, etc.
OTHER
ETHICS Ethics requirements
ORDP Open Research Data Pilot
Dissemi nation Level
PU Public X
CO Confidential, only for Members of the Consortium, including the EU Commission Services
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Cross-border cooperation. The Romania-Serbia Interreg-IPA Cross-Border Cooperation Program is funded by the European Union through the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA II) and co-financed by the partner countries in the program.
Project title: Lights ON! (Ems code RORS 248) Material Editor: Mod of Life Association Date of publication: July 2020 The content of this material does not necessarily represent the official position of the European Union. For any notifications, contact: [email protected]
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