Geographica Timisiensis, vol. 17, nr.1 - 2, 2008 (pp. 251 - 256) ●

DIRECTIONS OF TOURISM DEVELOPMENT IN THE

Florian BENŢE, Corneliu BENŢE Universitatea din ,

Abstract. Short term tourism development in Bihor county should be based mostly upon internal tourism, with emphasis on creating new points of attraction besides the existing ones and new types of accommodation, free time programmes, new kinds of services. We consider that an important element in the development of tourism is filling up the tourists’ programme, depending on the season and the specifics of the tourists, with new possibilities of completing the touristic offer, like visits to museums, caves, participating in fairs, cultural and folkloric activities. Tourism in Bihor can be a component of local development, but it’s role in regard to the resources has to be much more important. The most important landscape, for the tourism, in Bihor county, is the Natural Park of , but it’s valorification in the present phase is conditioned, among others, by the degree of accessibility to the numerous objectives found there. We consider that for the upcoming period the directions of tourism development in Bihor county are: mountain tourism, adventure and cave tourism, balneary and health tourism, business tourism, agro-tourism and cultural tourism.

Rezumat. Direcţii ale dezvoltării turismului în judeţul Bihor. Dezvoltarea turistică pe termen scurt în judeţul Bihor ar trebui să se bazeze în mare parte pe turismul intern, cu accent pe crearea de puncte noi de atracţie, pe lângă cele existente, respectiv noi tipuri de locuri de cazare, programe pentru timpul liber, tipuri de noi servicii. Considerăm că un element important în dezvoltarea turismului îl reprezintă completarea programului turiştilor, în funcţie de sezon şi de specificul turiştilor, cu noi posibilităţi de completare a ofertei turistice precum vizitarea unor muzee, peşteri amenajate, participarea la anumite târguri şi alte manifestări folclorice, culturale. Cel mai important peisaj ca valoare din judeţul Bihor îl reprezintă Parcul Natural al Munţilor Apuseni, dar punerea lui în valoare în etapa actuală este condiţionată, printre altele, şi de gradul de accesibilitate către numeroasele obiective turistice pe care acesta le deţine. Considerăm că pentru perioada următoare, direcţiile de dezvoltare a turismului în judeţul Bihor sunt următoarele: turismul montan, turismul de aventură şi speoturismul, turismul balnear şi de sănătate, turismul de afaceri, agroturismul şi turismul cultural.

Keywords: tourism development, natural park, touristic product, international tourism, agro-tourism, business tourism Cuvinte cheie: dezvoltare turismului, parc natural, produs turistic, turism internaţional, agroturism, turism de afaceri

Tourism is one of the activities which can turn to good account the resources of local communities for the wealth and good functioning of both local communities and their citizen. In the same time, if it isn’t made responsible, tourism can become a very destructive element concerning local resources and even the community itself. An important indicator in this way is the fact that the development of tourism international level has intensified in the last decades because of the prosperity of Nordic countries. However the touristic activity goes on more and more in countries less “developed” where tourism has already

252 ● Directions of Tourism Development in the Bihor County become an important source of income and therefore an engine of progress. Contradiction stays in the fact that, although tourism helps from economical point of view, it also affects mostly negatively than positively both people and environment from area where tourism develops. In Bihor county, the intensification of touristic activity can be extremely good, but if we are taking in consideration the previous specifications and the fact that tourism is wanted to be an instrument of lasting development, not only economical instrument of this county, but also this fact supposes the changing of usual abordation of this field. Bihor county presents varied types of resources and touristy attractions which are situated in rural environment, the cultural and historical inheritance of county, the built patrimony and the specific infrastructure. The county of Bihor owns resorts of national interest (Băile Felix) and also local resorts (Băile 1 Mai, Băile and mountain resort Stâna de Vale). In Bihor county one can distinguish a few ethnofolkloric zones limited by the valley of some important rivers: Crişul Negru, Crişul Repede, Barcăul and Serul. The ethnographic areas which specialists have identified in Bihor are: Beius , Crişul Repede and Barcău Crasna. These areas differ one another by folkloric details, testimonies such as: folk costume, furniture, ceramics, pieces of wood having a household destinations, etc. by the architecture of houses and a different decorative system of the inside. The traditional handicrafts, even though in the last areas are in obvious crisis, in the places where they still exist and function, they bring their own contribution in emphasizing the ethnographic areas. Long time ago, handicrafts contributed to the establishment of a complementary economy which brings extra income for many rural communities in Bihor. Bihor is well known also for its fairs which take place in the county, for festivals and its folklore. Bihor county is characterized by attractive landscapes. On a relatively restrained space one can distinguish three major geographical units: Western Plain (Câmpia de Vest), Western Mills (Dealurile de Vest) and Apuseni mountains, arranged in the shape of an amphitheatre. Starting from the altitude of about 150m in the west part reaching 1848 (Bihorului peak) in the south east part. We mention here some of the areas containing nature monuments or protected areas of major importance for Bihor which can be turned to good account through the agency of tourism: Western Plain (Câmpia de Vest) situated in the east part of Panonic Pusta, scattered with damp zones which are favourite places for rare species of birds: stork, eagle and falcon. In this area is situated the natural resort “Rădvani Forest” which is the home for important colonies of birds. The Natural Park Apuseni Mountains (PNAp) occupies an original and complex field of the Carpathians its surface of 75786ha established by Law nr. 5/2000, Bihor owns 24288ha. An important number of reservations, nature monuments and protected species lead to declaring the area as Natural Park.

Florian BENŢE, Corneliu BENŢE ● 253

The main touristic attractions in this place are the forms of carstic relief. From the landscape point of view, the most important caves encountered in this Natural Park are: Valea Rea, Piatra Altarului, Micula, Vârtop and the Cold Cave. PNAp shelters over ten important underground icebergs. Famous are Scărişoara, Borţig, Bârsa, Zapodie, Vârtop, etc. An unique phenomenon in Romanian landscape is Groapa Ruginoasă (Rusty Hollow) with 450 m in diameter and depth of about 100m. The mountain area from the West of Bihor county is represented by Apuseni Mountains constituents (, Codru Moma, Pădurea Craiului and Plopişului:  the Bihor Mountains are the highest, their altitudes of 1200 and 1848 m (peak Bihor) they are also the most representative. Padiş area (with many caves and nature monuments) the limestone tableland Fântâna Boţii, Ruguțul Hill, Sighișelului area the most remarkably.  Codru Moma Mountains are made of two mountains (Codru and Momade) with altitudes between 930 m and 1095m.  Pădurea Craiului Mountains with low altitudes, 600m. The main mountains touristic areas in Bihor county are: The Padiş area is part of the Natural Park Apuseni Mountains and it is situated in Bihor Mountains. It’s an important touristic region divided into other subunits: The Padiş, Glade Ponor (Poiana Ponor) The Lost World (Lumea Pierdută), The Ponor Fortnesses (Cetăţile Ponorului ), The Yellow Valley (Valea Galbenă),. We can find in this area the Transilvanean Syringa josichaea lilac. Sighiselului Area is part of the Natural Park Apuseni Mountains and it is situated in the west part of Bihor Mounains. It presents touristic interest especially because of the caves, some of them are nature monuments and valleys. The Boga-Aleu and Pietroasa – Chişcău areas attract tourist by:  The Boghii Stones natural reservation, situated in Natural Park of Apuseni Mountains, with a surface of 290 ha;  The Săritoarea Bohodeiului natural reservation, situated in Natural Park of Apuseni Mountains, with a surface of 300 ha stands out by the Săritoarea Bohodeiului waterfall (bigger than 80m);  In Chişcău there are Bears Cave, Fagului Cave and Micula Cave, all of them of major touristic importance for the general tourism as much as for the specialized spelaeology tourism. The Vârtop area (the superior valley of the Aries)- the Bihor peak is a touristic attraction because of the relief massiveness and because of the presence of the glacial circles. In this place, people developed a health resort where you can practice winter sports ( Vârtop) endowed with a sky track on a medium level of difficulty. Stâna de Vale – Iadei Valley area – situated near Vlădeasa Mountains and Craiului Forest; the flowing of water is interrupted by very rapid sections, such as Săritoarea Ieduţului and Iadolina Waterfall. Accumulation lakes (Leşu) increase the region’s charm. Stâna de Vale depression is dominated by high mountains and it’s an important resort and also a very important and attractive touristic area of Apuseni Mountains. Stâna de Vale resort, situated at 1.100 m altitude, is well known and famous by its fresh air and special arranged places used for practicing winter sports.

254 ● Directions of Tourism Development in the Bihor County

Remetea – Roşia-Damiş area in the South West part of Pădurea Craiului Mountains includes one of the biggest cave in our country ( Meziad cave), with five levels and the length of galleries is more than 3400 m. Another significant element is the Albioarei gorge and Ciur Ponor, Ciur Izbuc, Farcu and Vacii caves –areas protected by the government. Finiş valley – Huta area is Codru Moma Moutains is best known on the local market. Vâratec – Pleşu area makes the connection between the peak of Codru Moma Mountains an the Moneasa resort. An analyse of the Bihor county’s offer shows us that it has a big diversity of tourism attraction , but only a small part of it is ready for the touristic development. A big part of these attractions are of local and regional interest, and those which are of international interest are insufficiently developed and promoted. Working at this material I observed that in Bihor County there are no data concerning the touristic activity, especially qualitative data. Much more, a part of the existing quantitative indicators is not relevant. This makes impossible the effect of a study of the market. Thats why the touristic offer of the Bihor County may not work or may not be relevant. Oportunities:  The existence of a tourism strategy in the Hungarian part of the Euro region Hajdu- and the existence of a development’s strategy of the Sixth North-West Region.  The existence of some instruments of active financial support (from U.E.).  The increasing of touristic traffic towards the East and Central Europe and the demanding for more and more types of tourism based on nature and clean landscapes.  The achievement in future of some section of a railway on the route Budapest which crosses Oradea.  The numerous partnerships among institutions and business people in Hajdu-Bihar-Bihor.  The economical development is relatively good, law unemployment.  The existence of touristic associations in county (Natural Park Valea Crişurilor, Ţara Crişurilor). We can see that the touristic development on short term of Bihor county should put the base on internal tourism, with accent on the creation of new attractive elements beside the existent ones (new types of services, programmes for spending free time). We can say that tourism in Bihor county could become an important constituent of local development, also we know that tourism is in a stage o increasing development, bu its (role) regarding resources must be much more important. The natural Park of Apuseni Mountains represents the most important landscape of Bihor county due to its places international attraction. A very important problem is the accessibility degree of many touristic places whose role in internal tourism is very important, these places and landscapes are very difficult to be exploited (cultural traditions, monuments).the improvement of transport’s conditions and those of accessibility can determine the development of some touristic products which should generate an important increasing of demand for internal tourism. The types of tourism which can be developed with preponderance in Bihor county:  The mountain tourism: directing to the majority of the county’s territory is covered by the mountain area which include important and attractive units of : Apuseni Mountains -

Florian BENŢE, Corneliu BENŢE ● 255

Bihor -Vlădeasa Mountains, Pădurea Craiului, Codru-Moma, Şes - Plopiş – we consider that this type of tourism must be a structure in the development of the county territory . It can be combined with the adventure tourism, “speotourism”, ecotourism, cultural tourism. The existing resources in the mountain zone are natural, historical (archaeological) and cultural, and their combination can be extremely valuable in the touristic programs.  The adventure tourism and “speotourism” – this type of tourism is related with the practice of some extreme sports and attracts a lot of followers, especially the young people. In Bihor county we practice: rafting, climbing, Going in for rowing, parapanta and mountainbyke-ing. Generally, the under structure for this sports, the arrangements and the services are underdeveloped toward the county’s potential. The rafting and the kayak can be practiced on some branches of Crişul Repede: especially Vadu Crişului, , Crişul Pietros and Crişul Negru. Going in for rowing can be practiced on Valea Galbena, Valea Oşelu and Valea Seaca. Speotourism is practiced especially in the area Padiş-Cetăţile Ponorului, Defileul Crişului Repede, Cheile Albioarei and Valea Videi (Pădurea Craiului Mountains) and Valea Iadei. The most climb lines of different difficulty grades are concentrated in the area Vad-Şuncuiuş .We can find winter and summer lines in the Bohodei area. Parapanta is practiced occasionally in the area Roşia, Hidişelul de Sus, Stâna de Vale. Mountainbiking can be practiced in Stâna de Vale, Pădurea Craiului Mountains, Padiş.  Cicloturismul – due to the relief and the numerous forest roads and highway system, cicloturismul has all the conditions necessaries to be practiced successfully in Bihor county.  Fishing – even if the touristic potential given by fishing activities is important, the lack of organizing, advertising and promoting activities, makes the existing improvements to be little valued. Adjacent resource improvements of these places offer insufficient and third best services. Fishing, as a sport in Bihor County, is practiced starting 1st of May till 14th of September each year. Different species of fish that can be fished here: carp, dace (chub), barbell, salmon trout, grayling and huck. The pisciculture fund is of 1.269 ha at the Prodacva S.A. Company, 440 ha at the Direcţia Silvică Oradea (Forester Department Oradea), and 3.837 ha at Asociaţia Judeţeană a Vânătorilor şi Pescarilor Sportivi (Sport Hunters and Fishermen’s County Association). The development of some practice place (Băile Felix, Ştei, Vârtop and Stâna de Vale, Leşu Lake) may give the tourism development in Bihor a new important dimension.  The ecosystem – is one of tourism’s forms that takes into consideration and applies not only the protection of the environment and but also the respect towards the human communities and their traditional way of life, often being a good example of responsible tourism. Thanks to the extent of a great area of Apuseni Mountains Natural Park in Bihor County, especially of some quite broad wet areas, the biodiversity is one of the major attractions of the natural habitat in Bihor. The distribution of the natural protected areas in Bihor, sometimes including areas inhabited by ancient communities that still keep their cultural specific, makes ecosystem’s development in Bihor possible.  Balneary and health tourism – due to the richness of the natural resources, Bihor County has a very high potential for balneary and remedial tourism. Bihor has already some balneary and climatic spas which attract many foreign and Romanian tourists: Băile Felix, Băile 1 Mai, followed by other areas where this type of tourism develops like , Beiuş, Tinca.

256 ● Directions of Tourism Development in the Bihor County

 Cultural tourism - the variety of Bihor’s historic and cultural inheritance makes possible the development of some cultural touristic programs at least as diversified: visits at some historical monuments, ethnographic areas, archaeological sites, wood churches and others. Given the potential of Bihor County it’s just a problem of fantasy and mobilization to develop this type of tourism. Of course, this is not possible without major investments in order to solve the existent problems in the branch.  Agro-tourism – the rediscover of the traditional way of life, the possibility to spend time in regions marked by the rural traditions represents the main motivation of the travellers who chose this type of tourism. Bihor County has a rich patrimony in traditions, which may be developed through very simple strategically interventions. In Bihor we’ll find traditional peasant households offering hosting, area typical means of transportation, culinary products which may become successful local brands, and a wonderful ambient in general.  Tourism business - advantage in Bihor county tourism business is that Oradea is a border town, often used as a starting point in numerous business trips. Furthermore, the development of the business county can and should encourage this type of tourism. Conditions for the organization of congresses, symposia, meetings are currently provided by hotels and institutions in Oradea and Băile Felix, in particular. To develop this type of tourism would be necessary, however, another facilities  Urban tourism - is in close touch with the existence of cities, urbanized areas, this type of tourism can be developed, especially in those cities which already provide the minimum conditions for Tourism (good possibilities of accommodation and food, alternative to spend time). Although the potential exists, now we can not say that urban tourism can be developed immediately in Bihor (except the city of Oradea) but may be an objective for the future. Even if rural environment with his specifics dominate somehow “bihorean” tourism, there is also a history of positive urbanization which can be put in value in the future through tourism

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Iuhas Valeriu,(2004), Dezvoltare economică regională, Editura EMIA, Deva, (pp. 69-74, 83-85, 132-134). Petrea Rodica, Petrea Dan,(2000), Turism rural, Editura Presa Universitară Clujeană, Cluj-Napoca, (pp. 63-67). ***, (2007), Planul de dezvoltare al Judeţului Bihor, 2007-2013, Coordonator General – Consiliul Judeţean Bihor, Coordonator Ştiinţific – Universitatea din Oradea, Facultatea de Ştiinţe Economice, (pp. 33-60) ***, (2003), Strategia de dezvoltare turistică a judeţului Bihor, editată de Camera de Comerţ şi Industrie Bihor, Oradea (pp. 26-34).