Current situation analysis
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Contents I. Dobrich ...... 5 A. Tourism accommodation infrastructure ...... 6 B. Tourism flows ...... 7 C. Tourism economy ...... 10 II. Silistra ...... 12 A. Tourism accommodation infrastructure ...... 12 B. Tourism flows ...... 14 C. Tourism economy ...... 17 III. Razgrad ...... 19 A. Tourism accommodation infrastructure ...... 19 B. Tourism flows ...... 21 C. Tourism economy ...... 24 IV. Ruse ...... 26 A. Tourism accommodation infrastructure ...... 27 B. Tourism flows ...... 29 C. Tourism economy ...... 33 V. Veliko Tarnovo ...... 35 A. Tourism accommodation infrastructure ...... 36 B. Tourism flows ...... 38 C. Tourism economy ...... 41 VI. Pleven ...... 42 A. Tourism accommodation infrastructure ...... 43 B. Tourism flows ...... 46 C. Tourism economy ...... 48 VII. Vratsa ...... 50 A. Tourism accommodation infrastructure ...... 51 B. Tourism flows ...... 53 C. Tourism economy ...... 55 VIII. Montana ...... 57 A. Tourism accommodation infrastructure ...... 57 B. Tourism flows ...... 59
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C. Tourism economy ...... 62 IX. Vidin ...... 64 A. Tourism accommodation infrastructure ...... 64 B. Tourist flows ...... 66 C. Tourism economy ...... 69 A. Tourism Accommodation infrastructure ...... 72 B. Tourist flows ...... 75 C. Tourism economy ...... 78 XI. Calarasi ...... 80 A. Tourism accommodation infrastructure ...... 80 B. Tourist flows ...... 82 C. Tourism economy ...... 85 XII. Giurgiu ...... 86 A. Tourism accommodation infrastructure ...... 87 B. Tourist flows ...... 89 C. Tourism economy ...... 91 XIII. Teleorman ...... 93 A. Tourism accommodation infrastructure ...... 94 B. Tourism flows ...... 96 C. Tourism economy ...... 98 XIV. Olt ...... 100 A. Tourism accommodation infrastructure ...... 100 B. Tourism flows ...... 102 C. Tourism economy ...... 105 XV. Dolj ...... 107 A. Tourism accommodation infrastructure ...... 108 B. Tourism flows ...... 110 C. Tourism Economy ...... 112 XVI. Mehedinti ...... 113 A. Tourism accommodation infrastructure ...... 114 B. Tourism flows ...... 116 C. Tourism economy ...... 118
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XVII. Touristic SWOT Analysis of the ROBG Cross‐border area ...... 119 A. Tourism competitiveness in the ROBG cross‐border area – tourism development strategy 121 B. Strategic and operational objectives ...... 123 C. Touristic markets and touristic potential ...... 124
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I. Dobrich
Dobrich is one of the seaside departments of the ROBG cross‐border area. In geographic terms, Dobrich territory makes the transition from the northern Bulgaria hills and plateaus to the Black Sea shores. The Bulgarian seaside is very picturesque with high rocky cliffs and sand beaches that are backed by wooded terrain or plain steppe‐like vegetation. Dobrich is the only Bulgarian district in the area that does not directly touches the Danube. It has a land border with Romania and the seaside county of Constanta. Dobrich is thus better connected to the neighbouring Romanian territory than other cross border Bulgarian districts. With only small ports, the economy of Dobrich is concentrated on tourism. Nevertheless its position, between the major Black Sea ports of Varna in Bulgaria and Constanta in Romania, represents a real territorial opportunity. Dobrich is also one of the most agricultural departments of Bulgaria with cereals, honey and wine being some of the main outputs. The tourism in Dobrich is mainly concentrated in the seaside tourism resorts or towns and villages on the shore of the Black Sea. Its hinterland is not developed, as it did not manage to capitalize enough on the seaside tourism development and propose additional or alternative products to the tourists. The only touristic focal point outside the seaside is the capital Dobrich, a university centre. The seaside tourism is concentrated around the historical city of Balchik and the seaside resort of Albena. The tourism accommodation in Albena is largely inherited from the Communist period and it consists of mass‐tourism hotels with different comfort levels and many having seen new investments in renovation and reclassification. Balchik is an attraction for both Bulgarians and Romanians as it boasts the Orientalist‐inspired beach palace of the former Queen Mary of Romania with its surrounding extensive landscape, a botanical garden and a former Tatar fishermen village. From a main attraction point for the Romanian artistic elite in the interwar period, Balchik has become a major port during the Communist time and retains only a limited part of its previous intimate atmosphere, even though the high chalk seashore and the specific vegetation still create a special feeling. Many fishermen villages and little towns (Kavarna, Shabla) that are between Balchik and the Romanian border have developed agro‐ tourism and seaside tourism on a low scale (pensions and B&B) and have become a destination for the Romanian and Bulgarian clientele in search of alternative to the mass‐tourism in the seaside resorts. This recent development is concentrated on the seashore and does not manage to radiate in the hinterland. The tourism season is thus highly unbalanced with strong highs in summer and very low frequentation in winter. Some little accommodation units nevertheless try to offer additional offers in order to push the end of season towards the end of October and the beginning of April. An important attraction of Dobrich sea‐shore are the mussels farms that were built in the sea and cater to the shore fish restaurants that capitalize on the atmospheric position on or near the high coast. The main opportunities for Dobrich in the tourism field are thus to balance its seasonality by further developing its sea‐side tourism (through highly specific tourism products based on the local produce and attractions) and by creating a hinterland offer that builds on the sea‐side “success” and does not try to “beat” the sea‐side. Given Dobrich agricultural character and its multi‐ethnic specificity (Tatars, Turks, Bulgarians, etc.), the hinterland should offer a truly agro‐tourism experience to the Romanian and Bulgarian clienteles that are attracted by the seaside. The diversification of the tourists’
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experience, not far from the seaside has an important potential as it a mutual reinforcement effect is very likely.
A. Tourism accommodation infrastructure
Dobrich is, together with Constanta, one of the most touristic ally developed districts/county of the ROBG cross‐border area, on the back of the sea‐side resorts. This is illustrated first and foremost by the accommodation infrastructure. The number of places is important and is registering a sound evolution: apart from 2009 when the economic crisis was felt, the increase is constant with even an accelerating trend in 2012.
Number of yearly average places 35000
30000
25000
20000 Number of yearly average 15000 places
10000
5000
0 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
The distribution by comfort level illustrates also a more diversified offer than in other areas of the ROBG cross‐border area. The 3* dominate as the seaside resorts have seen investments in renovation of hotels and smaller accommodation units. In 2012 important 4* and 5* accommodation capacities were opened to the public. The structure and its evolution is indicative of a tourism destination that sees increasing flows of tourists and builds on them in order to further increase its attractiveness.
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The evolu on of accomoda on capacity by comfort level
18000 16000 14000 12000 1* & 2* 10000 8000 3* 6000 4* & 5* 4000 2000 0 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Accomoda on places by category of comfort 2012
1* & 2*
3*
4* & 5*
B. Tourism flows
The tourist flows are increasing at a rhythm that is similar to the one of the opening up of new accommodation capacities. The chart below present also the important particularity of Dobrich that is
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the only county/district of the ROBG cross‐border area where foreign tourists are a majority in the overall tourist flows. They are also the main source of evolutions in tourist frequentation (they are the main responsible for decreases and increases). It is obvious that these foreigners are mainly Romanians that prefer the Bulgarian seaside offer to the Romanian one.
Arrivals 400000
350000
300000
250000
200000 Residents Foreigners 150000
100000
50000
0 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
The overnights are also on the increase, after a 2009 decrease, a strong increase in
Overnights spent in accomoda on units 2500000
2000000
1500000 Overnights spent in accomoda on units 1000000
500000
0 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
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The annual average stay, on the other hand, displays high fluctuations: after decreases in 2009 and 2010, it saw strong increases in 2011 only to see a sharp decrease in 2012. This fluctuation is mainly to the changes in the tourists’ behaviour that in turn is dependent on the economic situation: tourists tend to stay longer if the expectancies about the economy and their revenues are positive. As Dobrich is dependent on foreign tourists (Romanians) this is even more relevant as travelling to another country is a choice that is even more sensitive to economic outlook. The average stay is nevertheless bigger than everywhere else in the ROBG cross‐border area, but as in Constanta’s case, the dominance of the sea‐ side tourism and the practice of closing many hotels during the off‐season are falsifying the figures that show just the occupancy rate of the “season” period (the summer period and some Spring and Autumn months). The fluctuation of the average stay is a concern for the sustainability of the new investments in accommodation capacity.
Annual average stay 6,1
6
5,9
5,8 Annual average stay 5,7
5,6
5,5
5,4 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
The seasonality, similar to the Constanta one, is very unbalanced with a very high summer season and a very low winter season. Both Bulgarian residents and foreigners display the same seasonality pattern. The seasonality is highly dependent on the seaside high season, as the hinterland tourism offer is limited and the seaside resorts offer little products for the low season.
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Seasonality 70 000
60 000
50 000
40 000 Arrivals of BG‐resident tourists 30 000 Arrivals of foreign tourists 20 000
10 000
0
C. Tourism economy
The occupancy rate illustrates the seasonality of the destination, with very high occupancy rates in summer and very low ones during the winter. Nevertheless, contrary to Constanta, the resorts and accommodation facilities in Dobrich do not close completely during the winter, continuing to see occupancy rates around 10%. This is a starting base for further balancing of the seasonality, in order to enable the accommodation units and tourism‐associated economic activities to ensure better revenues in the lower season.
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Accomoda on capacity occupancy rate (%) 80
70
60
50
40 Accomoda on capacity 30 occupancy rate (%) 20
10
0
The average revenue per accommodation place is higher than in other Bulgarian districts from the ROBG cross‐border area, but is still lower than the national average. In this respect the revenue per accommodation place in Dobrich registered a worse evolution than the national one (it was equal to the national average in 2008 and registered sharper decreases in 2009 and 2010). Nevertheless the revenue is recovering well with strong increases in 2011 and 2012.
Annual average revenue per accomoda on place ‐ EUR
8,00
7,00
6,00
5,00
4,00 Dobrich Bulgaria overall 3,00
2,00
1,00
0,00 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
The tourism economy of Dobrich is thus highly dependent on seaside tourism and its associated resorts, a heavily relies on nearby foreign tourists for its revenues. These factors require a rapid
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balancing of the seasonality through the development of tourism products that incorporate local specificities and are built for the spring, autumn and even winter periods.
II. Silistra
Silistra is an agricultural district whose relief is mainly made up of fertile hills and the Danube valley plain. Its main urban centre is Silistra, a small Danube port that is also its industrial centre. The little town of Dulovo is the main hinterland urban centre of Silistra. A ferryboat connects the Romanian side of the Danube and the town of Calarasi with the town of Silistra on the Bulgarian side. Silistra is one of the districts in the ROBG cross‐border area with important Turkish minorities. The main attraction is the Biosphere Reserve of Srebarna a UNESCO site of global natural and cultural inheritance. Nevertheless little accommodation capacities or tourism products are centred along the reserve. Silistra city is also a point of interest with its archaeological heritage: . The Turkish fort “Abdul Medzhidi” or the so‐called Medzhidi Tabiya fortress is located south of Silistra and is the best preserved of the six defensive points of the Turkish fortification system, which played an important role during the Crimean war (1853 ‐ 1856) and the wars between Russia and Turkey (1853 ‐ 1856 and 1877 ‐ 1878) (source: visitbulgaria.org) . The Roman and Byzantine ruins of the ancient port on the Danube The overall touristic frequentation of Silistra is low, mainly made up of transiting and/or business tourists. The main barrier to the Silistra tourism, apart from the low development of tourism products and facilities, is its proximity to the seaside counties and districts, attracting the tourists away and making it more difficult to retain them for longer stays. The main resources of Silistra should target the off‐season (in order to avoid direct competition with the sea‐side resorts) and emphasize its nature and agricultural patrimony of produce and traditions. This can be done through the creation of new products of agro‐tourism and nature‐active tourism.
A. Tourism accommodation infrastructure
The touristic infrastructure of the Silistra County in the last years has registered a fluctuant evolution. The investments made before the economic crisis that began in years preceding 2008 has generated the apparition of new accommodation places as we can see in the graphic below. The effect of investments made before 2008 can be observed in 2009, but starting with 2010 the number of average places are starting to drop constantly.
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Number of yearly average places 800
700
600
500
400 Number of yearly average places 300
200
100
0 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
The evolution of accommodation capacity by comfort level shows that the accommodation units with 1* and 2* has registered similar evolution as the previous graphic. Starting from 2008 a constant growth can be seen until 2010 when the accommodation capacity of 1* and 2* units has started to decrease. Accommodation units classified in the 4* and 5* comfort level appeared starting from year 2011, providing in the first year 179 accommodation places.
The evolu on of accomoda on capacity by comfort level
600
500
400 1* & 2* 300 3*
200 4* & 5*
100
0 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
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Looking at the distribution of the accommodation places by category of comfort in the 2012 year it is clearer that the 1* and 2* units provides most of the accommodation units in the count. While the 1* and 2* accommodation units represent the majority of the accommodation capacity the 4* and 5* units represents only a quarter from the overall places.
Accomoda on places by category of comfort 2012
1* & 2*
3*
4* & 5*
B. Tourism flows
The tourist flows, both residents and foreign has registered in the period of 2008‐2010 a constant decrease of the tourists number. The economic crisis and the absence of a strong attractiveness of the county have conducted to this decreasing trend. Starting from 2011, the tourists’ arrivals, both Bulgarians and foreign tourists have started to grow, succeeding to overcome the values from the year before the crisis.
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Arrivals 30000
25000
20000
15000 Residents Foreigners 10000
5000
0 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
The graphic below, illustrates the evolution of the overnights spent in the accommodation units in the period 2008 – 2012. The graphic indicates a constant growth of the overnights spent in the Silistra County since 2009. A slightly decrease has registered in the 2008 year, but starting with 2009 the number of overnights succeeded to reach annual values increasingly higher.
Overnights spent in accomoda on units 40000 39000 38000 37000 36000 35000 Overnights spent in 34000 accomoda on units 33000 32000 31000 30000 29000 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
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The annual average stay graphic indicates a type of tourism more closely to a business tourism and a transit tourism, with low average stay, specifically to tourists that don’t spent too much time in the county and are visiting it with specific purposes and not with leisure purposes.
Annual average stay 1,65
1,6
1,55
1,5
1,45 Annual average stay 1,4
1,35
1,3
1,25 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
The touristic demand in the Silistra county doesn`t suggest us a regular pattern. An increasing activity in the tourism industry can be recorded since springtime, reaching the maximum activity in the summer months.
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Seasonality 3 000
2 500
2 000
Arrivals of BG‐resident 1 500 tourists
1 000 Arrivals of foreign tourists
500
0
Analysing the seasonality for residents’ tourists we can observe a high growth during the warm periods, especially in June and July. Similar with the seasonality of the residents’ tourists, the foreign tourists arrivals is reaching the highest values in the summer periods.
C. Tourism economy
To have a clearer picture of the tourism industry economy we have to see how much of the touristic infrastructure is exploited, or more specifically how much of the offer is covered by the touristic demand. The accommodation capacity occupancy rate graphic indicates us a maximum value of 25% in the Silistra County. The values recorded in the analysed county suggest that the demand for touristic services, especially accommodation is significantly low. An occupancy rate of 25%, representing the highest value indicates a low attractiveness of the county and low tourism flows, as we have seen in the previous charts. The occupancy rate variation is between 25% in March and 9% in December.
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Accomoda on capacity occupancy rate (%) 30
25
20
15 Accomoda on capacity occupancy rate (%) 10
5
0
A low demand for touristic services is suggested also in the graphic below, which shows the annual average revenue per accommodation place. While the average in the Bulgaria is varies from 6.2 to 7.4, in the Silistra county the average of the revenue is fluctuating between 5.4 to 3.4. The highest value in the Silistra County has been recorded in 2008 and since then has dropped constantly. The economic crisis and the low attractiveness of the county have reduced the demand for accommodation and also the revenues from this economic activity.
Annual average revenue per accomoda on place ‐ EUR
8,00
7,00
6,00
5,00
4,00 Silistra Bulgaria overall 3,00
2,00
1,00
0,00 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
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III. Razgrad
Razgrad is a low‐key and low‐intensity tourist destination, the only Bulgarian district in the ROBG cross‐border area with no direct connection to the Danube. It is also the administrative unit where there are the most ethnic minorities (Turks) in the whole Bulgarian cross‐border area (according to the 2011 census the Turks are the majority of the population). It is an area of hills and plateaus of agricultural land with woodland and small rivers that dig into the chalk and calcareous plateaus found here. The road that connects Ruse to Varna passes through Razgrad. The touristic sector is not well developed here even though the area has some major assets for tourism development: . It is a very accessible area from the major tourist emitting basins of the region (Bucharest, Varna, Constanta). It is a transit area for the Romanian tourists that go to the Bulgarian sea‐side resorts during the summer season . It has a specific asset in the presence of the Turkish minority and its traditions and heritage, as neighbouring districts have no major minority. The main heritage attractions of Razgrad are Islamic and linked to the Turkish communities: Demir Baba Tekke tomb – a place of worship of the Alevi ethnic and Islamic religious group . On the territory of the historical and archaeological reservation of Sboryanovo, the UNESCO World Heritage site of “Sveshtarska Tomb” – a royal Thracian tomb, the Abritus archaeological reserve in Razgrad town . Many specific folklore and cultural events An important effort has to be made to invest into the creation of highly specific tourism products that can draw tourist’s attention to the area. The main forms that should be encouraged are the cultural‐ethnographic culture that should mainly target ethnic traditions reinterpreted in a modern and accessible way and include gastronomic features.
A. Tourism accommodation infrastructure
The tourism accommodation capacity in Razgrad Oblast has a fluctuant evolution. The graphic below indicates a short increase of total accommodation places in 2008 followed by a sharp decrease since 2009.
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Number of yearly average places
900
800
700
600
500 Number of yearly average 400 places 300
200
100
0 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
The distribution by comfort level of the accommodation capacity and its evolution in the 2008‐ 2012 period graphically represented in the charts below offers a clearer picture of the situation. The accommodation capacity is split between 1,2 stars and the 3 stars accommodation units. The appearance of 3 stars accommodation units in 2009‐2010 and also in 2012 had to be taken in the context of decreasing offer on the 1 and 2 stars category. The offer is characterized as a lower comfort accommodation offer.
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The evolu on of accomoda on capacity by comfort level
800
700
600
500 1* & 2* 400 3*
300 4* & 5*
200
100
0 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
As we can see in the graphic below the majority of the accommodation places are provided by the accommodation units that are classified in 1 and 2 starts comfort class.
Accomoda on places by category of comfort 2012
1* & 2*
3*
4* & 5*
B. Tourism flows
Taking into consideration previous information on the evolution of accommodation capacity we need to analyse the tourist’s flows from Razgrad oblast. The arrivals indicate, as the accommodation capacity a very low touristic activity in the area. The touristic flows, both Bulgarian and foreign tourists
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are very low, the highest value recorded was 18300 residents tourists and 3483 foreign tourists in 2012 and on the opposite side the lowest year in terms of touristic flows was 2010 in which only 11900 resident tourists respectively 1680 foreign tourists have visited Razgrad oblast.
25000
20000
15000 Residents
Foreigners 10000
5000
0 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
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Overnights spent in accomoda on units 45000
40000
35000
30000
25000 Overnights spent in 20000 accomoda on units 15000
10000
5000
0 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
The overnights spent in accommodation units in Razgrad oblast records a fluctuant evolution, similar with the touristic flows previously analysed. In 2008 the number of overnights spent in Razgrad oblast has decreased significantly since 2010. The effect generated by the economic crisis and a low flow of tourists has generated this decreasing trend. Starting from 2010 the overall number of overnights spent has started to grow, as same as the touristic flows.
Annual average stay 2,5
2
1,5
Annual average stay 1
0,5
0 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
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The seasonality evolution indicates a fluctuation from month to month. Taking in consideration arrivals of resident tourists a pattern cannot be observed in the graphic below. When we analyse the arrivals of foreign tourists, it is clear that Razgrad oblast is recording a summer seasonality, registering highest values of arrivals in summer months. The low touristic flows and the weak demand for touristic services in the oblast indicates more that foreign tourists are just in transit to other touristic destinations.
Seasonality 2500
2000
1500 Arrivals of BG‐resident tourists 1000 Arrivals of foreign tourists
500
0
C. Tourism economy
The accommodation capacity occupancy rate, registering a maximum value of 25% in summer period, while the minimum value of occupancy rate is recorded in February is relatively a low rate. The accommodation occupancy rate indicate that the accommodation infrastructure of the oblast doesn`t cover the entire demand for accommodation in warm periods of the year when tourists flows and the number of arrivals are reaching maximum values. While in the periods of high tourist flows the accommodation capacity is registering values above 20%, starting from the end of the August and until March the accommodation occupancy rate are starting to drop until 11%.
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Accomoda on capacity occupancy rate (%) 30
25
20
15 Accomoda on capacity occupancy rate (%) 10
5
0
The annual average revenue per accommodation place in Razgrad Vidin compared with the evolution of the Bulgaria annual average revenue has a similar evolution. Starting from 2008 the annual average revenue started to decrease since 2009. The ascendant trend of the annual average revenues started since 2009, as the national annual average revenue too.
Annual average revenue per accomoda on place ‐ EUR
8,00
7,00
6,00
5,00
4,00 Razgrad Bulgaria overall 3,00
2,00
1,00
0,00 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
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IV. Ruse
The importance of the city of Ruse in population and economic terms as well as its role as main frontier gateway between Romania and Bulgaria (through the oldest and main bridge over the Danube between the two nations) Ruse oblast is more defined by the Danube valley than its neighbours. Its hinterland is not reaching the mountains and is defined by rolling hills and plateaus dotted by little villages and towns. Ruse city has a long history and is a very important urban centre in the history of Bulgaria as it was during the 19th century a real rival to Sofia and almost became the first Bulgarian capital. Its designation as the “Vienna of the Balkans” resulted this and from its role as trade, industrial and cultural centre for the first Bulgarian state. With the independence and the development of Sofia as the capital, Ruse declined in relative terms but remained one of the major Bulgarian urban centres. This commercial and cultural success is illustrated in the fact that the famous Nobel‐Prize winner Elias Canetti was born and raised in a Sephardic Jewish family of wealthy merchants in the city of Ruse. This also highlights the multi‐ethnic and cosmopolitan character of the town. Three major forms dominate Ruse’s tourism: . The tourism that is connected with Ruse city and its assets: this is mainly a business/professional tourism but it includes also an important urban/cultural tourism part . The cultural‐religious tourism generated by the existence of the UNESCO World Heritage site of the Ivanovo Rock Churches1 and the Rock Monastery “St. Dimitrius Basarbovski”, village of Basarbovo . The natural‐eco‐tourism around the Rusenski Lom Nature Park and the greenway (bicycle path) along the Danube shores on the track of the 6th Euroveloroute The MICE component in the city of ruse’s tourism is a major one and probably accounts for more than half of the visitors to the area. Ruse was in recent times a major shopping area not only for
1 The rock monastery “St. Archangel Michael” is situated 22 km from Ruse, in close proximity to the village of Ivanovo, within the borders of Natural Park “Rusenski Lom”. A stair system in the rocks provides access for visitors to the various churches and chapels in the region. The monastery was founded in the 1220s by the monk Yoakim, who later became a Bulgarian patriarch. The Bulgarian tsars Yoan Asen ІІ (1218‐1241), Yoan Alexander (1331‐1371) and other representatives of the royal court, were among the monastery donators, and their donor’s portrait are preserved to the present day. The monastery joins a number of complexes of rock premises. Wall‐paintings which show the specifics of Bulgarian church art in the 13th – 14th century are preserved in six of the temples. During the Second Bulgarian Empire (12th – 14th century) the monastery was established as a great spiritual and educational center. Wall inscriptions in the cells provide information about important historical events. The wall paintings in the church “St. Mary” are world famous. They are among the most representative models of Paleologus Art on the Balkan Peninsula. Their exceptional artistic qualities are the reason for their inclusion by UNESCO in the list of the global cultural inheritance. In the 14th century the monastery become a center of hesychasm – a mystic trend in Orthodox Christianity. The Ivanovo Rock Complex had also existed during the early ages of the Ottoman Dominion, but it had gradually declined. In 1978 it was declared a National Archaeological Reservation. Nowadays the monastery is not active. (source: bulgariatravel.org
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Bulgarians from the region but also for neighbouring Romanians in search of better deals than in Bucharest. Besides Bucharest’s proximity and its character of big emitting basin is an important factor in Ruse’s tourism. Another important factor is the importance of Ruse city as a Danube port and industrial base. Danube River cruises call sometimes in Ruse for a short hop. Ruse is also a University town, an important factor for the urban dynamics (major rock stars have been concerting here) and for the accommodation sector. Additional attractions that we can mention: the speleological highlights (Orlova Chuka Cave), the Kolyu Ficheto Bridge over the Yantra River (a 19th century bridge), the medieval fortified town of Cherven (one of the largest military and administrative, economic and cleric cultural centres of the Second Bulgarian Empire). Even though a bigger tourist destination than other counties in the ROBG cross‐border area, Ruse is a short‐stop tourism destination (transit) and is unable to retain tourists and take advantage of its proximity of such a big emitting basin like the Romanian capital (60 km to the north). Given its tourism attractions Ruse should invest in the creation of accommodation capacities and tourism products that build on them: . Nature and active tourism: in the natural parks but also in the Danube natural area (islands) can be the backbone of additional offers for biking, trekking, climbing, raiding, canoeing. An additional access and information infrastructure has to be created in order for new local accommodation units to appear and cater to the tourists in these areas . Ruse city can increase its attractiveness and invest in MICE tourism, especially for its proximity to Bucharest . Culinary and agro‐tourism with a representation of the whole Bulgarian Danube‐riparian area
A. Tourism accommodation infrastructure
The touristic accommodation capacity of the Ruse oblast registered since 2008, as an effect of the investment made before the economic crisis, a significant growth. During the crisis period the number of investment in the accommodation facilities has been reduced and as we can see in the graphic below, after 2010 the average number of places has started to decrease constantly.
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Number of yearly average places 1950
1900
1850
1800
1750 Number of yearly average 1700 places 1650
1600
1550
1500 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
The evolution of accommodation capacity distributed by comfort level indicates that the infrastructure for accommodation in Ruse area is dominated by units classified in the 1 and 2 stars category of comfort, followed by the 3 stars comfort units.
The evolu on of accomoda on capacity by comfort level
1200
1000
800 1* & 2* 600 3*
400 4* & 5*
200
0 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
The opening of a 4‐5 stars accommodation capacity in 2011 had led to a more diverse offer, but in the same time the total accommodation capacity in the other categories has reduced. In the below
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graphic it is more clear that the distribution of accommodation places by category of comfort in 2012 is dominated by 1, 2 stars accommodation units.
Accomoda on places by category of comfort 2012
1* & 2*
3*
4* & 5*
B. Tourism flows
Tourism arrivals in Ruse oblast are registering values that are higher than previously analysed oblasts. Tourism flows are recording fluctuation from year to year, especially in the case of residents’ tourists’ arrivals. Being also a cross border city and a Danube port the number of foreign arrivals has a different evolution from resident’s arrivals evolution, growing each year, contrary with the fluctuation of the Bulgarian tourists flows.
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100000
90000
80000
70000
60000
50000 Residents Foreigners 40000
30000
20000
10000
0 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
The number of overnights spent in the accommodation units has recorded in the crisis years a constant decrease, more exactly from 2008 until 2010; the number of overnight spent in the Ruse area has reached the lowest value from the analysed period. The ascendant trend that can be recorded since 2010 succeeded to overcome the number of arrivals from 2008, suggesting that the geographical position of the oblast and the attractiveness for tourism and for transit are attracting more and more tourists.
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Overnights spent in accomoda on units 160000
140000
120000
100000
80000 Overnights spent in accomoda on units 60000
40000
20000
0 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
The annual average stay has an evolution in which a significant drop can be observed, especially in the years of the economic crisis. Starting from a value of 1.55 and reaching the lowest value from the analysed period, 1.4 in 2010 the average stay has started to grow significantly until the value of 1.68. While in the years of the recession the average stay has decreased, specifically to transit tourism, after the crisis years the average stay started to grow as a sign of the economic environment in which new investment was made and the business tourism has started to be present in the area.
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Annual average stay 1,75
1,7
1,65
1,6
1,55
1,5 Annual average stay
1,45
1,4
1,35
1,3 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
The seasonality recorded in the Ruse oblast has an interesting distribution. The fluctuation of resident arrivals is recording high values starting from springtime and until autumn months, with a short increase of the arrivals in October and November followed by a sharp decrease in December. As regarding arrivals of foreign tourists it is clear that it suggest a summer seasonality, as the tourists are transiting the oblast, especially Romanian tourists that are spending their summer holidays in Bulgaria.
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Seasonality 7000
6000
5000
4000 Arrivals of BG‐resident tourists 3000 Arrivals of foreign tourists 2000
1000
0
C. Tourism economy
The occupancy rate recorded in the Ruse oblast is over the average of the previously analysed counties. The lowest values are recorded in winter periods when the business tourism and the transit tourism is very low and the highest values are recorded in warm periods of the year, with a little decrease registered in July, when the occupancy rate dropped from 30% to 23%. The high values recorded by the Ruse Oblast, correlated with the capacity of tourism accommodation can indicate a reduced capacity of the oblast to retain the demand for accommodation services and to convince more tourists to visit the area.
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Accomoda on capacity occupancy rate (%) 35
30
25
20
15 Accomoda on capacity occupancy rate (%) 10
5
0
The annual average revenue per accommodation place, as in the previous analysed oblasts has a similar evolution as the Bulgaria overall revenue. This can indicate that the overall tourism industry of the Ruse oblast is directly influenced by the same factors as the Bulgaria tourism industry and being a cross border city doesn`t assure a constant flow of foreign tourists regardless of the economic situation of the oblast or Bulgaria.
Annual average revenue per accomoda on place ‐ EUR
8,00
7,00
6,00
5,00
4,00 Ruse Bulgaria overall 3,00
2,00
1,00
0,00 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
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V. Veliko Tarnovo
Veliko Turnovo is one of the main touristic destinations of the ROBG cross‐border both in terms of tourist flows and in terms of attractions and less exploited resources. As other Bulgarian districts of the ROBG cross‐border area Veliko Turnovo’s territory relief and topography makes the transition from the Balkan Mountains range and the valley of the Danube with an intermediary level of rolling hills and plateaus in between. As such it is crossed by rivers and streams tributary to the Danube that have their sources in the Balkans (Stara Planina) and flow to the Danube. The district capital, Veliko Turnovo, is built around and inside a meander of the Yantra River, a very sinuous and picturesque river with many defiles that flows into the Danube in Ruse oblast. As the district that goes further to the south than any other Bulgarian cross‐border district, Veliko Turnovo covers a bigger mountainous area with extensive forests but with low altitude (around 700‐800 m), reaching 1000 m only at its southern frontier with Stara Zagora oblast. In the north, on the Danube frontier with Romania, Veliko Turnovo includes Svishtov an important river port (across from Zimnicea in Romania) with an industrial base and with a ferryboat terminal for the Danube River crossing to Romania. From the accessibility point of view, the city of Veliko Turnovo and its nearby neighbouring (8 km to the east) city of Gorna Oryahovitsa are an important road and railway junctions at national and even international level, with the railroad coming from Bucharest (Romania) through Ruse (on the Danube) splitting here towards Varna (Black Sea), Sofia (and then the Greek border) and to the south to Stara Zagora and then the Turkish border and Istanbul. Gorna Oryahovitsa has also an international airport, which even though is no longer used for passenger transport, can become a central Bulgarian air‐hub. The Sofia‐Varna (west‐east) and the Bucharest‐Ruse‐ Turkish border roads also intersect here. The present day tourism in Veliko Turnovo is mainly based on the historical eponymous city and capital. The former capital of the Second Bulgarian Empire (Tsardom) and a political and cultural centre that rivalled in the 14th century Byzantium itself, Veliko Turnovo has preserved its medieval citadel, impressively built inside a meander of the Yantra River. The medieval walls, churches and houses that were partially rebuilt in the 20th century are an open‐air museum that often hosts light and sound shows in a re‐enactment effort for the tourists. The rest of the old city of Veliko Turnovo retains a strong Balkan and Bulgarian‐revival urban and architectural feel, with many mansions being transformed into little boutique hotels and restaurants (traditional mehanas). Veliko Turnovo is also a university centre, a factor that draws visitors to the city and creates the basis for its early development of hostels and attraction of the international early adopter tourists that are international students. Veliko Turnovo city is also a cultural event destination as an International Folklore event is held here. Veliko Turnovo is also a historical centre for the Bulgarian liberation and then revival movements and hosts the Museum of the Bulgarian Revival and Constituent Assembly2. Benefiting from the attraction and international notoriety of the city of Veliko Turnovo, nearby alternative tourist products developed: agro‐tourism in Arbanasi, Ledenik and Malki Chiflik villages, cultural tourism with monasteries (Kilifarevo, Plakovo, Kapinovo, Patriarchal Monastery of the Holy Trinity and Transfiguration of God, Holy Forty Martyrs Church in Veliko Turnovo) and museums, nature and adventure tourism in the Emen Canyon.
2
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Further from Veliko Turnovo city, in the Balkan Mountains setting, the town of Elena an important historical town that has preserved his 18th and 19th (Bulgarian revival) architecture and urban setting and has been an important cultural centre for the Bulgarian people during their struggle for independence. There are near 200 monuments of culture, and seven of them are of national significance. The “golden age” of Elena was during the 18th and the beginning of the 19th century, when the following crafts were blooming in the town and the region – weaving of rugs (thick woollen cover with long fibbers), painting, making of rugs (manufacturing of goods from the hairs of house‐bred animals)3. Several important archaeological sites are found here (mainly Roman, Byzantine and then Medieval Bulgarian), especially on the road from Ruse to Veliko Turnovo (Nicopolis ad Istrum – where Wulfila the Bishop of the Goths invented the Gothic alphabet in the 4th century) and on the Danube (former frontier of the Romanian Empire near Svishtov Camp Nove). Nevertheless the tourism in Veliko Turnovo need to further build on the notoriety of the city and its connection to both Sofia and Bucharest (to which is nearer) to develop by diversifying its offer and attracting additional clienteles. Tourism connected to the local folk traditions and to the culinary features of the area has a lot of unused potential especially in the areas between the Danube and the city of Veliko Turnovo. The nature tourism and associated forms (eco‐tourism, adventure tourism, sports) can be further developed and promoted as the district has many resources in the area: spectacular river gorges, islands and natural reserves on the Danube, the extensive and largely untouched mountainous area with lakes and forests. Some forms of health‐tourism can be envisaged in the area given the already existing facilities in Voneshta Voda, a naturally preserved area. Both nature, culinary and health tourism are highly competitive products for the Bucharest clientele that is lacking accessible products in these sub‐sectors.
A. Tourism accommodation infrastructure
In Veliko Turnovo the tourism accommodation infrastructure’s capacity and its evolution illustrates the district relative high importance as tourism destination compared to other districts/counties in the ROBG cross‐border area. The crisis had only a limited effect on the increase of accommodation capacity: it saw a slowing down of during the 2009‐2011 period only to increase its rhythm again in 2012. The overall figures indicate also that it is one of the main tourism destinations of the ROBG cross‐border area.
3 www.bulgariatravel.org
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Number of yearly average places 7000
6000
5000
4000 Number of yearly average 3000 places
2000
1000
0 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
The distribution of this accommodation capacity between comfort levels is also indicative of the stability and evolution of Veliko Turnovo as one of the main tourism destinations: the capacity increases were mainly done on the back of the lowest comfort level facilities until 2012, when the 3* increased while the 1* & 2* decreased. Contrary to other BG cross‐border districts, Veliko Turnovo has a 4* & 5 * offer for many years now and it is constant, proving its sustainability in the tourism economy of the area. The fact that the 3* take the place of the 1* & 2* in the recent years, needs to be confirmed, but might indicate an upgrade of the local tourism infrastructure in a drive to respond to increased tourist demand for better accommodation facilities. In this respect Veliko Turnovo is gradually changing its profile (distribution by comfort levels) from that of the average Bulgarian district in the ROBG cross‐ border area to fit its status as an important tourism destination.
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The evolu on of accomoda on capacity by comfort level
4500 4000 3500 3000 1* & 2* 2500 2000 3* 1500 4* & 5* 1000 500 0 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Accomoda on places by category of comfort 2012
1* & 2*
3*
4* & 5*
B. Tourism flows
In terms of tourism flows, Veliko Turnovo is seeing also important increases. Even though the crisis years induced a temporary decrease (2009 and 2010) in 2011 and 2012 there were registered
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important increases that overcame even the 2008 level, the foreigners’ arrivals being the main cause of this evolution, contrary to other districts/counties in the cross‐border area (the foreigners part in overall arrivals is also important compared to other areas). This is illustrating the vitality of Veliko Turnovo as a tourism destination and its international visibility. The overall values are also much bigger than those of neighbouring districts/counties.
Tourist arrivals 200000 180000 160000 140000 120000 100000 Residents 80000 Foreigners 60000 40000 20000 0 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
The overnights has a similar evolution to the arrivals, with 2011 and 2012 seeing strong increases and leading to higher levels than in 2008.
Overnights spent in accomoda on units 300000
250000
200000
150000 Overnights spent in accomoda on units 100000
50000
0 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
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On the other hand the average stay has decreased even though the arrivals and overnights increased. The tendency was again for the increase in 2012, but it never reached the levels of 2008‐ 2009. On a general term the average stay is very low, even in ROB cross‐border terms, indicating a dominance of short‐break tourism which is an indication of an important part of business (MICE) tourism. This means that the local retention of economic benefits generated by the tourist flows is limited and new, more complex/innovative tourism products need to be created in order to retain for longer period tourists in the area.
Annual average stay 1,7
1,65
1,6
Annual average stay 1,55
1,5
1,45 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
The seasonality is rather balanced, with highs during the warm seasons (end of spring, summer and the autumn) and a lower season during the winter. An important exception if the month of December that is much higher in terms of BG residents arrivals than the rest of the winter because of the association between an UNESCO World Heritage site and urban/university centre (the town of Veliko Turnovo) and the Balkan mountains nearby. An additional important MICE offer can explain the December frequentation. The differences between the seasonality of foreigners and of Bulgarians: while the foreigners visit more during the summer, the Bulgarians visit more during the end of spring and the first months of summer. The winter is a clear low season for foreigners and an intermediary season for Bulgarians. Given the relative weight of foreigners in overall tourism flows, this factor is very important in order to adopt appropriate measures to attract foreigners during the winter.
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Seasonality 18000 16000 14000 12000
10000 Arrivals of BG‐resident 8000 tourists 6000 Arrivals of foreign tourists 4000 2000 0
C. Tourism economy
The accommodation capacity occupancy rate is low, illustrating probably the low average stay. Nevertheless the occupancy rate is relatively higher than in other districts/counties of the ROB cross‐ border area. It reflects well the seasonality of arrivals (another indicator that the average stay has an important impact on the occupancy rate) with the summer months seeing rates of 18%‐20%, while the winter only half of that figures.
Accomoda on capacity occupancy rate (%) 25
20
15
Accomoda on capacity 10 occupancy rate (%)
5
0
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The annual average revenue per accommodation place is constantly lower than the national one (half of it), a strong worrying indication of the need to increase the revenue generated by tourists through new strategically product creation to attract new tourists and retain them for longer periods. The average revenue decreased during the crisis and managed to regain the same values as in 2008 only in 2012. Given the increase of the accommodation capacity (see above), the slow increase of the average revenue per accommodation place indicates the limited space for additional development of the tourism economy on the basis of the same products and attractiveness elements. The destination obviously needs to reinvent itself and create a framework for additional and more diverse clienteles (including higher‐revenue ones) and the more coherent and specific targeting of emitting basins (like the Romanian capital that is closer than Sofia).
Annual average revenue per accomoda on place ‐ EUR
8,00
7,00
6,00
5,00
4,00 Veliko Tarnovo Bulgaria overall 3,00
2,00
1,00
0,00 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
VI. Pleven
Pleven is an important agricultural Bulgarian district that has a relief dominated by rolling hills without the high mountainous area of neighbouring districts. It is crossed by 3 major rivers (Osam, Iskar and Vit) that all flow into the Danube. It is also one the Bulgarian districts that includes the biggest stretch of the Danube as its frontier that is also the national frontier with Romania. The historical Danube port of Nikopol and the Belene city (famous for the new nuclear plant that was built nearby) are also in the Pleven district. The tourism sector of the district is dominated by the city of Pleven and its accommodation infrastructure, catering in majority to business and transit tourists. The urban tourism is thus the main form of tourism that is present in Pleven, with the Pleven Medical University, the local industry and the
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agriculture being the main reasons for the visitors to travel to Pleven. Pleven is also an important destination for historical and commemoration tourism, with a major museum dedicated to the 1877 Russo‐Turkish War (Pleven Epopee 1877 Panorama), a war that was a major step towards both Romania’s and Bulgaria’s independence from Ottoman suzerainty and in which both nations fought side by side. Nevertheless, given also the ferry crossing point between Romania (Turnu Magurele and Nikopol) and Bulgaria that is located here, Pleven boasts many resources for the development of active nature‐ eco‐tourism (bird watching, biking, trekking, riding, canoeing, etc.) and of the agro‐tourism (wine and wineries, gastronomy etc.). Some of the attractions that can support such a development are listed below: . The wineries in the territory, the Wine Museum and the Aleksandar Stamboliyski Professional High School of Vine Growing and Wine Making (est.1890) and the National Institute of Viticulture and Oenology (est. 1902) in the city of Pleven . The Persina Natural Park on the Danube including many big and unexplored islands on the Danube . Ruins of ancient Roman towns and military outposts on the Danube (e.g. Ulpia Oescus) . The Euroveloroute no.6 passes all along the Danube . Reselets Dolls ‐ unique natural formations, multiple caves. This is one of the few places in Bulgaria where scorpions can be seen. The natural landmark “Reseleshki Kukli” consists of unique and impressive rock figures – stacks, dolls, and obelisks.
A. Tourism accommodation infrastructure
Tourism accommodation capacity of the Pleven County is recording a fluctuation in terms of the yearly average places. In the analysed period, starting from 2008 to 2012, the overall accommodation places doesn`t record a stabile evolution. In 2008 a growth of total average places was recorded, while in the 2010 has started de decrease almost to the value recorded in the 2008. In 2012, the last year it seems that the number of average places has increased again. The fluctuation of the touristic accommodation capacity of the county is a consequence of the variation of the demand for the accommodation services recorded in the area.
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Number of yearly average places 1400
1200
1000
800 Number of yearly average 600 places
400
200
0 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
The evolution of accommodation capacity by comfort level offers a picture about the accommodation units from the county by comfort level. The predominant units that are providing the most of accommodation places are represented by units classified in the 3* comfort level, followed by the units rated with 1* and 2*. The evolution of places provided by 3* units is negative, at least in the last 3 years, recording significant decreases each ear since 2010. Contrary, the 1* and 2* accommodation units and also 4* and 5* units are recording a sharp growth starting from 2011.
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The evolu on of accomoda on capacity by comfort level
700
600
500
400 1* & 2* 3* 300 4* & 5* 200
100
0 1 2 3 4 5
The distribution of accommodation places by category of comfort can be seen more clearly in the graphic below. In the 2012 the number of places by category of comfort is provided in approximately equal parts by all accommodation units groups.
Accomoda on places by category of comfort 2012
1* & 2*
3*
4* & 5*
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B. Tourism flows
The number of tourists who visited the Pleven County in the 2008‐2012 period has registered since the first year of the period a descendant trend, and only in the last year has succeeded to record positive evolution in terms of number of arrivals. Both Bulgarian and foreign tourists flows have the similar evolution. The number of foreign tourists if very low, registering in analysed period values from 6790 to 5336 arrivals of foreign tourists.
Arrivals of tourists 60000
50000
40000
30000 Residents Foreigners 20000
10000
0 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
The overall number of overnights spent in the accommodation units from Pleven County has recorded a negative evolution, especially in the first year of the economic crisis. Starting from 2009, the overall number of overnights spent in the Pleven area has slowly started to grow, but failed to reach the values recorded in the 2008 year.
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Overnights spent in accomoda on units 120000
100000
80000
60000 Overnights spent in accomoda on units 40000
20000
0 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
The average stay recorded in the Pleven area has recorded in 2008 a sharp decrease, from 1.7 to 1.5. The crisis impact on the demand for accommodation services can also be seen in the graphic below. After a significant decrease of the average stay in 2008 year, in the next years has recorded a constant growth of the average stay. The values recorded in the county suggest more a business and transit tourism, practiced by tourists who are visiting the area with specific purposes or are just in transit.
Annual average stay 1,85
1,8
1,75
1,7
1,65
1,6 Annual average stay
1,55
1,5
1,45
1,4 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
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The seasonality of touristic activity in the Pleven area doesn’t show a specific pattern. The touristic activity varies from month to month, even so we can observe in the below graphic that in the warm months and also in October and November the touristic activity of the region is relatively high compared with other month of the year. When we look at the foreign tourist’s seasonality of arrivals we don’t see high resemblance compared with the overall seasonality. As we can see in the seasonality graphic the foreign tourists are visiting Pleven in the summer season and are almost absent in the winter period.
Seasonality 4500 4000 3500 3000 2500 2000 Arrivals of BG‐resident tourists 1500 Arrivals of foreign tourists 1000 500 0
C. Tourism economy
The occupancy rate of the monthly available places in 2012 shows a fluctuation around value of 20%. Recording lowest rates in the winter months the occupancy rate are recording fluctuations month by month, succeeding to reach in May the value of 26%. The evolution of the occupancy rate throughout the year corroborated with the seasonality of tourist arrivals indicates low cash flows in the winter periods of the year when the touristic demand for accommodation is very low.
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Accomoda on capacity occupancy rate (%) 30
25
20
15 Accomoda on capacity occupancy rate (%) 10
5
0
The annual average revenue per accommodation place must be seen in the context of the necessary functioning expenses and investments made in the accommodation units in order to obtain a clearer picture of the economic health of the companies from the tourism industry. The comparison between the national average revenues and the Pleven revenues is helping us to understand the specificities of the county in term of tourism revenues brought by each place that is available. The evolution of the annual average revenue is similar to the overall revenue per accommodation place of the Bulgaria. The descending periods and the recovery periods recorded in the analysed period of time similar with the overall revenue from the entire country.
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Annual average revenue per accomoda on place ‐ EUR
8,00
7,00
6,00
5,00
4,00 Pleven Bulgaria overall 3,00
2,00
1,00
0,00 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
VII. Vratsa
Vratsa is nestled, as Montana and Vidin, between the Balkan Mountains and the Danube valley and displays all the relief forms from the mountains to the hills and the Danube plain. It is crossed, as the other two districts, by tributaries of the Danube, in this case the river Ogosta that takes its source in the Balkan range in Montana. The district is the site of the Vratsa Balkan Nature Reserve, a national park and a nature reserve that covers extensive territory in northeastern Bulgaria, including almost the entirety of the Vratsa region of the Balkan Mountain Range (the Stara Planina). Fairly close to the Bulgarian capital, Vratsa is a major destination for mountain/trekking and nature‐eco‐tourism. The Vratsa Balkan Nature Reserve, with its picturesque and impressive karst formations and rocks is also an adventure tourism attraction (climbing and caving). Vratsa town is also an urban destination, especially for MICE tourism as it has a well‐developed accommodation infrastructure. Because of its hotels and its proximity to ski facilities (Parshevitsa ski area) in the mountains around, Vratsa is also a base for ski tourists during the winter. A major business tourism focus point in the Vratsa district is the Kozloduy area and its nuclear power plant. Vratsa has nevertheless many attractions that can be the basis for the development of innovative and highly attractive nature/eco‐tourism and agro/ethnographic but also culture tourism products: . Vrachanski Balkan Nature Park: 57 endangered higher plant species, 16 specific habitat areas within the park, 78 wood and bush species, 36 grass species, 1231 invertebrates, 58 endangered invertebrates, 11 amphibians, 15 reptiles, 20 endangered reptiles and
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amphibians, 180 bird species, endangered bird species 157, 20 endangered mammals, 20 endangered bat species. . Well known folk festival and traditional orchestras . The scenic Iskar Gorge (the valley of the Iskar that then flows into Pleven district where it spills into the Danube) near Cherepish Monastery (a 14th century Orthodox Monastery) . Vratsa city is associated closely with the Bulgarian National Liberation movement and with Hristo Botev national hero and poet that heroically died fighting the Ottomans in the Vratsa mountains . Ancient monasteries in the mountain area The Oryahovo‐Bechet border crossing point with Romania can represent an opportunity for Vratsa to target and attract additional Romanian clienteles from emitting basins like Craiova and even Bucharest, especially as an alternative to the crowded Romanian ski areas.
A. Tourism accommodation infrastructure
The evolution of the accommodation infrastructure in Vratsa is worrying as it indicates big difficulties encountered by accommodation facilities in securing revenues for their capacities. The number of places available on a yearly basis has registered a sharp increase in 2009 and then a sharp decrease in 2010 (surely on the back of one or several openings of accommodation facilities) and then a slight decreasing trend.
Number of yearly average places 2000 1800 1600 1400 1200 1000 Number of yearly average places 800 600 400 200 0 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
The distribution of places between the different comfort levels of accommodation is also illustrating a rather low‐intensity tourist destination that experienced difficult times during the
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economic crisis, with accommodation capacities being opened and then immediately closed down in the lower comfort level class. There are also no 4* or 5* accommodation capacities in Vratsa, even though other similar Bulgarian districts have acquired such capacities in the recent years.
Accomoda on capacity ‐ evolu on according to the comfort level
1800
1600
1400
1200
1000 1* & 2*
800 3* 4* & 5* 600
400
200
0 2008 2009 2010 2011
The strong domination of 1* and 2* capacities is indicative of the type of tourists the area attracts (a lower income tourist) based probably on its relative proximity to Sofia and its mountain‐based tourism offer.
Accomoda on places by category of comfort 2012
1* & 2*
3*
4* & 5*
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B. Tourism flows
Tourism flows are also limited, reflecting the development of the tourism infrastructure. The residents dominate and are the base of the increase that is registered from 2010 onwards, with little foreign visitors coming to the region.
Tourist Arrivals in Vratsa 35000
30000
25000
20000 Residents
15000 Foreigners
10000
5000
0 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Overnights registered the same evolution as the arrivals, with increases from 2010 onwards, in a recuperation trend after the decrease of 2010.
Overnights spent in accomoda on units 80000
70000
60000
50000
40000 Overnights spent in accomoda on units 30000
20000
10000
0 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
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The average stay follows the same general tendency of the previous indicators, increasing naturally with the arrivals. The equal increase of arrivals, overnights and the average stay over a period of 2 consecutive years is a very good sign for Vratsa tourism sector as it shows the constant increase of flow to the area justifying and making easier investments in developing the sector (new products and infrastructures, etc.)
Annual average stay 2,4
2,3
2,2
2,1 Annual average stay 2
1,9
1,8
1,7 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
The seasonality behind this evolution is also better than that in other districts or counties of the ROBG cross‐border area. Even though the winter months see lower numbers of arrivals, the overall picture is that of a balanced seasonality with highs in spring and summer that are not much bigger than autumn and even winter (February and November 2012 saw the same tourist arrivals as September). If we look at the foreigners’ arrivals seasonality, we can see that the high season is the end of spring, the opposite of the Bulgarian residents seasonality. This relatively good seasonality is a good premise for the development of the tourism economy (as tourism‐based businesses or connected sectors benefit from constant tourism generated revenue).
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Seasonality of arrivals
3500
3000
2500
2000 Arrivals of BG‐resident tourists 1500 Arrivals of foreign tourists 1000
500
0
C. Tourism economy
The occupancy rate of the accommodation capacity is also better balanced than that of other districts/counties in the ROBG area with values fluctuating around 20% during year (2012). There are some interesting differences from the arrivals pattern as the lowest month of arrivals is also the month with the highest occupancy. This indicates the importance of studying in more detail the attractiveness factors of each district/county in order to be able to draft a tailored tourism strategy that could be rapidly effective. For example an event or series of local events that made people stay longer might be the source of this difference. This even should be identified in order to understand what attracts people to Vratsa and should be one of the factors steering the choice between intensive tourism development (many tourists with shorter stays) or higher‐quality tourism offerings for a higher income clientele (fewer tourists that stay for longer and spend higher budgets locally).
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Accomoda on capacity occupancy rate (%) 30 25 20 15 Accomoda on capacity 10 occupancy rate (%) 5 0
The need of locally relevant strategic planning is illustrated below by the figures of annual average revenue per accommodation place generated by the tourist flows to Vratsa. The increases in arrivals, overnights, average stay and the relatively good seasonality are not reflected completely in the evolution of the tourism revenues of accommodation capacities: a slower increase, with a slight slowing down in 2012. The revenue practically regained the value registered in 2008 (as the number of available places was almost the same in 2012 and 2008 – see above). On the background of a lower level than the national one, the tourism revenue of accommodation units per place offered increased slower than the national one over the 2010‐2012 period. This indicates that while tourism accommodation businesses benefit from a better occupancy rate, they nevertheless secure lower levels of revenues. While this is not per se worrying, it suggests that the space for creating new accommodation units is smaller than in other districts/counties as the offer answers already to the demand. New products need to be created in order to attract additional demand (but also different).
Annual average revenue per accomoda on place ‐ EUR
8,00 7,00 6,00 5,00 4,00 Vratsa 3,00 Bulgaria overall 2,00 1,00 0,00 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
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VIII. Montana
Montana is similarly to Vidin, a county that’s nestled between the Balkan Mountains range and the Danube River’s valley, with a hilly area in between. Its main urban centres are the city of Montana (in the hilly area near the mountains) and the town of Lom, a Danube port. Not far from Sofia and with some ski facilities in the mountains, Montana is primarily an urban and mountain ski tourism destination, with an important business tourism component. With its mineral waters and spa facilities Varshets is the only spa town in the North‐West of Bulgaria and adds to the districts a diversification of its offer. The districts have nevertheless many other tourism resources for developing the cultural, natural/adventure but also agro‐tourism. Some examples: . The Montana Reservoir – a dam lake on the Ogosta river, popular for swimming and fishing, that can easily support water sports . Berkovitsa – a municipality set at the heart of the Balkan Mountains, 20 kilometres on the road from Sofia to Montana, and 20 km to the east of the Kom mountain peak and little ski resort. The town is emphasizing the mountain and winter‐ski tourism as a strategic economic sector for its development and intends to invest heavily in new facilities and infrastructures. . Klisurski Monastery of St. Cyril and St. Methodius – Varshets . Traditional cultural or ethnographic events . Ancient Roman forts and ruins (Kaleto ruins) . Chiprovtsi: an ancient town near the mountainous Bulgarian‐Serbian border with a complex history of multicultural, multireligious and multi‐ethnic background (with the 17th century German and Ragusan communities alongside a Roman‐Catholic Bulgarian community that created a well‐known Balkan centre of metal and textile crafts and trading) and with a well‐known tradition of craftsmanship (especially in the carpet industry).
A. Tourism accommodation infrastructure
The tourism accommodation infrastructure is limited in Montana oblast, even though it is bigger than that of its neighbours Vidin and Vratsa. Nevertheless it displayed almost constant increases during these last years, in spite of the economic crisis that begun in 2008.
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Number of annual average available place 1800
1600
1400
1200
1000 Number of annual average 800 place 600
400
200
0 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
The distribution of the accommodation capacity by comfort is also interesting: if the general dominance of the lower comfort level of the Bulgarian cross‐border area is also present here, 2012 saw the apparition of a higher comfort level accommodation capacity.
Number of accomoda on places by comfort category ‐ evolu on 2008‐2012
1200
1000
800 1* 2* 600 3*
400 4* 5*
200
0 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
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2012 accomoda on places split by category of comfort
1* & 2*
3*
4* & 5*
B. Tourism flows
The tourist flows evolution show a decrease from 2008 to 2010 followed by a sharp increase in 2011 (+ one third versus 2008) and then a renewed decrease in 2012, even though to a superior level of the previous high of 2008. The foreigner tourist flows are very limited.
Tourist arrivals evolu on
40000
35000
30000
25000 BG residents2 20000 Foreigners 15000
10000
5000
0 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
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The interesting evolution of 2011 is also reflected in the evolution of the number of overnights spent. Contrary to the arrivals, the number of overnights was the same in 2012 as in 2011.
Overnights spent 80000
70000
60000
50000
40000 Overnights spent 30000
20000
10000
0 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
The average stay indicates how steep was the increase of arrivals in 2011 versus 2010 and how steeper was this evolution compared to the one of overnights. This led to a decrease of the indicator of overall stay, even though all tourist flow indicators increased. Nevertheless, the average stay is low in absolute terms. This is an important factor for the stable revenue of accommodation units and for other activities that usually benefit from tourism activity (distribution, transport, etc.). A low average stay means low local retention of tourism‐generated economic benefits.
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Average stay 3
2,5
2
1,5 Average stay
1
0,5
0 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
The tourism seasonality shows the tourism forms that function in the given territory. The seasonality is also an important factor for the sustainability of any tourism‐related business in a given territory. An unbalanced seasonality with only one high‐season (a shorter one also) means big revenue difficulties for the accommodation units during the low season. The seasonality of Montana displays highs during the end of spring and during the summer (+ December) and a lows during January‐April and an intermediary season during the autumn. This indicates the importance of mountain and nature tourism (as December is as high as August) in the district and its proximity to the emitting basin of Sofia. The difference between the seasonality of locals and foreigners indicates the incapacity of the territory to attract foreigners during the classical high season (height of summer and during the ski season in winter). Given its seasonality profile in 2012 (as illustrated by the chart below), Montana has a better seasonality than other districts or counties in the ROB cross‐border area. Nevertheless it needs to substantially improve its attractiveness during the spring and second part of winter, by identifying its potential marketing couples of offers‐clienteles and draft strategies for tourism product development and effective promoting.
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Tourism seasonality ‐ arrivals 2012 4000
3500
3000
2500 Arrivals of BG‐resident 2000 tourists 1500 Arrivals of foreign tourists 1000
500
0
C. Tourism economy
The accommodation capacity occupancy rate shows that seasonality is not completely reflected into the occupancy of the available places, a phenomenon that is especially present during the winter high season. This can be due to shorter trips during winter (that many time do not include spending the night at destination) but also to a short‐term bigger offer of accommodation capacity. This means that apart from the accommodation capacities flexible behaviour in order to adapt to the tourist behaviour, the creation of additional tourism products is key for increasing attractiveness of the territory and retains tourists for longer periods. This is even more important given the low overall values of occupancy rates.
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Accomoda on capacity monthly occupancy rate
25
20
15
10 Occupancy rate
5
0
The annual revenue per available accommodation place is also very low, even though it registered an important increase in 2011. Its renewed decrease in 2012, due to the decrease of arrivals, is worrying as it shows a high fluctuation of available revenue for tourism operators from one year to another.
Annual revenue/available place 3
2,5
2
1,5 Annual revenue/available place 1
0,5
0 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
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IX. Vidin
Vidin district is placed between the Danube River (its capital being an ancient Danube city and port) and the hilly and mountainous area of the Balkans. It is the first Bulgarian county that the Danube encounters after exiting the Iron Gates gorges. This strategic position influenced and is at the heart of the history and the development of the Vidin district. Its touristic resources and attractiveness potential result also from this geographic positioning and structure. Vidin displays for the moment very low intensity tourism, with the main focus being the city of Vidin and its cultural and urban attractions (Baba Vida fortress) and the Belogradchik village with its rock formations and old forts (Belogradchishki skali (Rocks of Belogradchik; Montana region) has a lot of endemic flora species and more than nine protected animal species. A couple of eco‐paths start from the city of Belogradchik and go around the Belogradchik rocks. (Belogradchik tour guide, 2011). The Vidin city tourism is also in a large part business tourism linked to the economy of the area. With the opening of the new bridge over the Danube between Vidin and the Romanian part (Calafat) the increased accessibility of other emitting basins represent a big opportunity for the districts to develop its leisure tourism. Vidin city is also a short‐hop stopping point for Danube River cruises. The potential of Vidin is nevertheless an important one, especially on the: . nature/adventure tourism part, with attractions like the Danube River and associated attractions (sand beaches, cycling and riding, fishing and hunting, bird watching, etc.), the mountains with their associates activities (mountain climbing, trekking, visiting caves), . cultural and thematic tourism (local traditions, handicrafts and artisan works, events, culinary and wine) – mainly in the rural area
A. Tourism accommodation infrastructure
The tourism accommodation capacity in Vidin oblast is rather limited with an evolution that is not directly linked to the overall economic situation. The chart below indicates a rather robust increase in the 2008‐2011 period and then a drop in overall accommodation capacity in 2012.
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Number of yearly average places 1200
1000
800
600 Number of yearly average places 400
200
0 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
The split by comfort level of the accommodation capacity and its evolution in the 2008‐2012 period – graphically represented in the charts below – further characterizes the situation. The accommodation capacity is almost evenly split between the 1, 2 stars and the 3 stars (it is thus a rather lower comfort accommodation offer). The opening of a 4‐5 stars accommodation capacity in 2012 added to the diversification of the offer, but on the background of decreasing offers on the other categories.
Number of accomoda on places by comfort category ‐ evolu on 2008‐2012
600
500
400 1* 2* 300 3*
200 4* 5*
100
0 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
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2012 accomoda on places split by category of comfort
1* 2*
3*
4* 5 *
B. Tourist flows
On the background of the above information on the evolution of accommodation capacity, we need to see what the tourist flows were in Vidin oblast. The arrivals indicate, as the accommodation capacity, a low touristic intensity of the territory. The flows are fluctuating from year to year without a clear trend. Given both the low tourist flows in absolute terms, tourism is not perfectly “in tune” with the overall economic situation of the country and fluctuates according to causes that are difficult to identify. This indicates the basic need to increase first of all the overall tourism flows to the area by measures to increase visibility, accessibility and overall attractiveness. 2011 remains the best year in the last 5 in terms of both arrivals and overnights spent in Vidin.
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Tourist arrivals' evolu on 40000
35000
30000
25000
20000 Residents Foreigners 15000
10000
5000
0 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Overnights spent in accomoda on units 60000
50000
40000
30000 Overnights spent in accomoda on units 20000
10000
0 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
The average stay of tourists nevertheless has a positive evolution, with an overall trend of relative increase, and a divergent evolution from arrivals in 2012. This means that overnights decreased slower than the arrivals. Nevertheless the average stay is low in absolute terms (under 2 overnights), this indicating a domination of transit tourism. This incapacity of client retention is important from the point of view of the impact of tourism on local economy and the sustainability of the economic model of the tourism‐connected activities.
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Annual average stay 1,75 1,7 1,65 1,6 1,55 1,5 Annual average stay 1,45 1,4 1,35 1,3 1,25 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
The seasonality is concentrated around 2 high‐season periods that are: . End of spring . Autumn While the summer period displays lower frequentation than the spring and autumn, the winter is the low season. This touristic seasonality indicates a destination for short‐breaks outside the main national high seasons (summer for the seaside and winter for ski holidays) that: . Is nearer (to Sofia) and has some attractions for rapid visits outside the city, during the national off‐season, but not during the winter season . Is a transit destination.
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Tourism seasonality ‐ the arrival of tourists 2012
3000
2500
2000 Arrivals of BG‐resident 1500 tourists
1000 Arrivals of foreign tourists
500
0
If we look at the foreign tourists seasonality of arrivals, we see a small difference compared to the overall seasonality, as the foreigners are visiting Vidin in a summer‐high‐season pattern and are almost absent during the winter. This is corroborating the previous conclusions, with a further indication that foreign flows are mainly transit‐oriented (during the summer, en route to other destinations), with the Bulgarian residents being interested in Vidin as a leisure destination (but not during the high seasons for seaside and ski).
C. Tourism economy
The tourism economy involves many stakeholders and economic sub‐sectors, as tourism is a high horizontal externalities generator. Nevertheless the sustainability of the economic model of accommodation structures and companies is essential and their economic situation is a good indicator of the “economic health” of the overall tourism‐sector. In the absence of statistical data at oblast level on the turnover in the tourism sector (hotels, restaurants, etc.) we will look at the occupancy rate and the revenue per available accommodation place in order to understand the situation of tourism accommodation companies. The occupancy rate of the monthly available places during 2012 shows a worryingly low rate. Even taking in consideration the eventual impact of informal economical practices, the fluctuation around 15% is indicative of accommodation structures that are struggling to ensure cash flow and need a very flexible and scalable functioning pattern in order to cope with low occupancy and the differences in flows according to seasonality. During the winter the tourist occupancy drops below the 15% mark, while the high season barely touches values of 20%. Keeping in mind that 2012 was a relatively good year in terms of tourist flows (arrivals and average stay); this is adding new concerns on the economic sustainability of the companies in this sector.
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Accomoda on capacity monthly occupancy rate (%)
25
20
15
Accomoda on capacity 10 occupancy rate (%)
5
0
The annual revenue per accommodation place needs to be viewed in the context of the necessary functioning expenses and investments of the accommodation capacities in order to understand the companies “economic health”. Nevertheless the comparison to the national average is helping us understand the specificities of Vidin in terms of tourism revenues brought by each place that is available. The fact that while the national average revenue per accommodation place is increasing, the Vidin one is stagnating is indicative of the fact that tourism is a marginal economic sector in Vidin (not following the national evolution, seemingly investments in accommodation capacity are not building on increased tourism‐generated financial flows but function in a “zero‐sum game” economic logic: additional higher comfort accommodation capacities do not lead to a perceptible increase in average revenue). A detail worth noting is the divergent evolution of the revenue per available place between the country and Vidin in 2008‐2009, while the economic crisis was unfolding. Vidin registered the only increase in recent years on this topic in this period, while Bulgaria registered decreases. This indicates the de‐connection of Vidin’s tourism sector from macro‐economic conditions and thus its low relative weight in the district’s economy.
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Annual revenue/available accomoda on place ‐ EUR
8
7
6
5
4 Vidin Bulgaria overall 3
2
1
0 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
The situation in Vidin indicates a stringent need for new initiatives for developing the tourism attractiveness of the territory.
X. Constanta
Constanta County is placed in the Southeastern part of Romania, in the historical Region Dobrogea, an old region alongside the western coast of Black Sea. Constanta County is limited in the western side by the Black Sea (linking the Mediterranean Sea by Bosporus and Dardanelle Straits and to west by the Danube river) and it also comprises Romania`s largest and most important port city on the Black Sea. The predominant relief forms of the territory are the low altitude tableland structures as well as the natural lakes and marine lagoons (Oltina, Sinoe, Tasaul, Techirghiol). Constanta represents one of the most important touristic areas from Romania, mainly due to Black Sea Coast. The main form of tourism that is practiced in the county is leisure tourism, which concentrates the major part of Romania tourism potential among 13 seaside resorts. The highest touristic activity of the county is focused on the summer period when the seaside resorts are full of tourists, but in the rest of the year the main tourism form in the county is the business type of tourism due the economic activity produced by the largest Romanian port to the Black Sea and the Black Sea – Danube Chanel. Besides the most significant pole of attraction, which is the Black Sea Coastline and its resorts, Constanta County is offering also numerous historical and cultural attractions. Being a very old region,
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originating from Greek ancient times and also a confluence knot of civilizations as it was the main communication point, at the crossroads between the East and the West, numerous evidences of the long history can be today admired and visited: . Callatis Fortress from Mangalia, founded by Greek colonists who came from Pontic Heraclea, in the IV B.C century. . Byzantine fortress Vicina, build between 969 – 976, during the Byzantine emperor Ion Tzimiskes . Capidava Fortress, built during Emperor Trajan, around II AD century; . Adamclisi Fortress, dating from II‐VII centuries, from the roman age and roman‐byzantine age, considered the biggest roman settlement from the territory of Dobrogea; In Constanta County can also be admired several natural attractions which are very impressive and unique in Romania: . Dobrogea Gorges, which are coming out from the specific landscape of the area by limestone cliffs that have heights between 60‐80 meters. The valley is bordered by cylindrical rocks, with a hard shell and filled with loose rocks, making up a unique landscape in Romania. It also shelters 14 caves, of which the most important is “Gura Dobrogei” or “ Bats Cave”. . Canaralele of Harsova, monument of nature with rocks covered with rich flora and that presence of Danube makes an extremely rich birds fauna. It is also important historically and culturally because in this area is the “Carsium” Fortress, a roman‐byzantine fortress, built by romans in II BC century.
A. Tourism Accommodation infrastructure
Constanta is a seaside county and the most developed (with Dobrich) county in terms of tourism infrastructure from the whole cross‐border region. Its accommodation capacity is largely inherited from Communist times when the county was the main mass seaside destination for the Romanian population. This inherited mass‐tourism facilities were complemented in the last 20 years by generally smaller private facilities offering different comfort levels. The evolution of the accommodation capacity suffered in the last years from the economic crisis and the trend towards very short weekend breaks to the seaside even during the summer period (mainly due to the easier mobility of tourists from Bucharest and the surrounding area who used the newly built highway in order to make short‐day trips to the seaside). This led to a strong decrease of the accommodation capacity in 2011. The major part of this accommodation capacity being in the seaside resorts, the seasonality is very pronounced with major impact on the sustainability and adaptation capacity of the tourism accommodation units. The grey economy attraction on the background of economic hardships, can also explain the sudden decrease of the accommodation capacity. Nevertheless the decrease of almost one third of the accommodation capacity is highly worrying.
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Exis ng touris c accommoda on capacity ‐ total places
140000
120000
100000
80000
60000
40000
20000
0 Year 2008 Year 2009 Year 2010 Year 2011 Year 2012
Because of the mass‐tourism structure of the seaside resorts, inherited from Communist times, the accommodation capacity is mainly concentrated in hotels (both numbers of units and places), with the villas and bungalows representing the main post‐1990 addition to this structure. The latter are mainly smaller structures (obvious from the charts below – the difference between the unit numbers and their capacity is very illustrative) and don’t manage to be real alternatives in terms of accommodation volume to the hotels. The year 2010 was a very difficult year for all the accommodation structures, apart from the hostels, a form of accommodation that seems to experience constant increases (even though is still at a very low level). The 2010 impact of the economic crisis was worse felt by the smaller accommodation structures like the villas compared to the larger ones (hotels).
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Establishments of touris c recep on with func ons of tourists accommoda on
400 Hotels 350 Hotels four youth
300 Hostels Apartament hotels 250 Motels
200 Touris c villas Touris c chalets 150 Bungalows
Campings 100 Touris c hal ng places
50 Houselet type unit
School and pre‐school camps 0 Anul 2008 Anul 2009 Anul 2010 Anul 2011 Anul 2012
The diversification of the accommodation offer is very limited and worryingly the trend is towards increased concentration in the hotels, a clear sign of the fact that the seaside tourism is the only sector that really functions in Constanta, with other area being completely unable to become tourist destinations (little or no agro touristic, motels or boarding‐houses accommodation capacity). Even at the level of seaside tourism, camping, school camps and bungalows are decreasing.
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Exis ng touris c accommoda on capacity by type of establishment
90000 Hotels 80000 Hotels four youth
70000 Hostels Apartament hotels 60000 Motels
50000 Touris c villas
Touris c chalets 40000 Bungalows
30000 Campings
Touris c hal ng places 20000 Houselet type unit 10000 School and pre‐school camps
0 Touris c boarding houses Year 2008 Year 2009 Year 2010 Year 2011 Year 2012
B. Tourist flows
The tourist flows are overall important, but the flows suffered from the economic crisis. While managing to see renewed increases in 2011 and 2012, the flows didn’t manage to be again at the level of 2008. The foreign tourists are constantly only a very small part of the overall tourist flow, an indication of the low attractiveness of the Romanian seaside resorts. We might speculate that this indicates, at least partially, a “captive clientele” functioning model, with this clientele decreasing. This is highly worrying as it is corroborated by the even steeper decrease of the accommodation capacity.
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Tourists arrivals
1200000
1000000
800000
600000 Romanian Foreign 400000
200000
0 Year 2008 Year 2009 Year 2010 Year 2011 Year 2012
The evolution of the overnights is similar to that of the arrivals, with strong decreases in 2009 and 2010, and then a slower recovery.
Overnights spent
5000000
4500000
4000000
3500000
3000000
2500000
2000000
1500000
1000000
500000
0 Year 2008 Year 2009 Year 2010 Year 2011 Year 2012
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Given the importance of summer mass seaside tourism, it is important to understand in detail the tourist flows. In order to do so we can look at the average stay in order to see whether the arrivals and overnights retain the tourists for a reasonable period.
The average stay
4,6 4,5 4,4 4,3 4,2 4,1 4 3,9 3,8 3,7 3,6 Year 2008 Year 2009 Year 2010 Year 2011 Year 2012
The average stay is thus superior to the other ROBG cross‐border counties and districts (with the relative exception of Dobrich), but has decreased sharply in 2009 and 2010 and contrary to the arrivals managed only marginally to recover. The precarious stability of the average stay is an important worrying factor for the stability of tourism economy. The seasonality is, as we mentioned above, very pronounced, with strong highs during the sole summer months and strong lows during the late autumn and spring and the whole winter (figures plummet to almost zero). This is mainly due to the lack of tourism products for the seasons outside of summer (products are based only on the sea‐side attraction and little less, with sole accommodation and food being offered) and to the habit of hotels of closing down outside the summer season (the “official season” runs from May to September). The inexistence of other tourism forms apart from seaside tourism is the main factor behind this seasonality.
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Seasonality
350000 300000 250000 200000 150000 100000 50000 0 juil.‐11 juil.‐12 mai‐11 mai‐12 juin‐11 juin‐12 avr.‐11 avr.‐12 oct.‐11 oct.‐12 déc.‐11 déc.‐12 nov.‐11 nov.‐12 févr.‐11 août‐11 févr.‐12 août‐12 janv.‐11 janv.‐12 sept.‐11 sept.‐12 mars‐11 mars‐12
Coupled with the other indicators above, the seasonality shows the need for Constanta to create alternative tourism products, especially based on its hinterland (possibly in conjunction with other ROBG cross‐border areas’ counties and districts), in order to increase tourist flows outside the summer season and better capitalize on its tourism resources.
C. Tourism economy
The tourism economy of Constanta is obviously dominated also by the seaside tourism and the associated resorts. The occupancy rate, as other indicators for Constanta tourism, is higher than in other counties or districts on the ROBG cross‐border area. Nevertheless as the closing down of accommodation capacities (especially the big hotels) outside summer is a general practice here and the hotels represent such a big part of the accommodation capacity, the occupancy rate presented in the chart below illustrates mainly the summer occupancy rate. As such it is an overall low occupancy rate, presenting the high economic risk that exists for the seaside resorts that depend heavily on the summer Romanian captive clientele. The evolution is another worrying aspect: the decreases of arrivals and overnights spent during the economic crisis impacted heavily the average stay, a relative recovery being registered in 2012.
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Occupancy Rate
50 45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 Year 2008 Year 2009 Year 2010 Year 2011 Year 2012
The sole indicator that we have to assess directly the health of the tourism sector is the number of accommodation units and its evolution during the last years. The chart below illustrates this indicator. We can see than the robust economic growth of the period before 2008 generated new investments in the touristic accommodation field that had the obvious impact of strong increases of the number of units. This effect lagged‐on in 2009, despite the worsening of the overall economic situation, as the previous‐years investments continued to yield new capacities. However the following years saw sharp drops of the number of units that were opened for business, as the economic crisis impacted the sector. The strong decreases mean that not only the increase of the number of units stopped but also some of the older units closed down.
Hotels and Restaurants ‐ units number evolu on
1850 1800 1750 1700 1650 1600 Hotels and Restaurants 1550 1500 1450 1400 2008 2009 2010 2011
This high volatility of the number of accommodation units corroborates the high tourism economy vulnerability conclusion that was substantiated by the statistics above. The very short‐season seaside tourism domination coupled with the tourism products and facilities that are offered puts a lot of stress
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on the local tourism operators’ business model. Positive cash‐flow and necessary investments are difficult to maintain and increase in the context of a very short season, with a high dependency on clienteles made of locals that have a captive and low‐income profile (meaning that the returning factor is very fragile and depends solely on external factors like the financial capacity).
XI. Calarasi
Calarasi County is located in the South‐East of Romania, on the lower terrace of the Danube River. The entire county lays the south part of the Baragan Plain and is crossed by many small rivers with deep valleys. On the south and the east side of the county there is the valley of Danube, which, on the eastern side splits into a number of branches forming islands, now drained. Landscape of the Calarasi is represented by plains, meadows and ponds, being crossed by Danube and Arges River. Tourism industry in Calarasi is characterized by a relatively low intensity, the transit tourism being the main form of tourism that is present in the area. In the last years the agro tourism has started to be introduced in the area and has recorded a positive evolution. The environmental richness of the county is attracting tourists that visit the county especially for fishing and for natural unique landscapes: . Natural Reservation Ostrovul Soimu – framed in the bio geographical region of steppe, in floodplain Eco region of Danube, covering over 20 ha. . Natural Reservation Ciornuleasca Forest, a forest reservation which covers an area of 73 hectares and protect secular trees, older than 130 years Nevertheless the county is offering also cultural and historical architectural objectives: . Monastery Plataresti, an historical and architectural religious monument. The monastery was founded in 1642 by Matei Basarab and his wife Elina. . Gumeltnita Civilization Museum in which are exposed materials of the Neolithic culture Gumelnita and also contains objects ranked in the national cultural heritage treasure.
A. Tourism accommodation infrastructure
The overall tourist accommodation capacity in Calarasi is low, with around 600 places available in 2012. Nevertheless the overall evolution is positive from this point of view, with the growth after the initial decrease generated by the crisis in 2008‐2009, being constant and levels overcoming the highest ones registered in 2008 before the crisis. The table below indicates this evolution.
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Exis ng touris c accommoda on capacity ‐ total places
700
600
500
400
300
200
100
0 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
When we look at the distribution of this capacity by type of accommodation unit, the picture becomes clearer. The touristic capacity of the county is dominated by motels together with a single hotel, a rather particular situation compared with the situation of other counties. This is largely due to the low touristic intensity of Calarasi County and the small number of overall accommodation places. This way a small number of big accommodation units can regroup most of the accommodation capacity of the county.
Establishments of touris c recep on with func ons of tourists accommoda on
6 Hotels 5 Hostels 4 Motels 3 Bungalows 2 Touris c hal ng places 1 Houselet type unit
0 Touris c boarding houses 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
The fact the agro tourism, hostels and motels are the main backbone of the increase of the tourism capacity and hotels suffer is an indication of the adaptation of the local tourism structure to the
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real tourism demand and the leisure attractiveness of the county. The low tourism demand, seemingly (a better image will be obtained looking at the tourism flows) for short breaks away from Bucharest is structured around nature and the agricultural landscape, rather than any specific attraction point and landmark, this leading to a demand for smaller and rural accommodation capacities.
Exis ng touris c accommoda on capacity by type of establishment
300
250 Hotels Hostels 200 Motels
150 Bungalows
Axis Title Touris c hal ng places
100 Houselet type unit
Touris c boarding houses 50 Agroturis c boarding houses 0 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
The evolution in recent years of this capacity is again an important aspect, with very limited increases for hostels, motels and agro tourism type unit, while the one of the 2 hotels closed down. This is due to many factors, but on the background of low leisure tourism attractiveness the main factors seem to be: . the economic crisis of 2008‐2009 . the proximity of Bucharest that, with low leisure attractiveness does not permit the local retention of important business tourism flows.
B. Tourist flows
The tourist flows are very low in absolute terms and were strongly affected by the economic crisis in 2008‐2009 (an almost 40% decrease). The tourist arrivals managed to grow again, yet never regaining the same levels as the ones before 2008. The foreign tourists are almost non‐existent (an indication of the incapacity to profit from the proximity of Bucharest or the Danube with its cruises), their flows even decreasing again from 2010 onwards (after 2010 saw the same flow of foreigners as 2008).
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Tourists arrivals
18000 16000 14000 12000
10000 Romanian 8000 Foreign 6000 4000 2000 0 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
The overnights spent evolution is even worse, with an obvious difficulty to regain momentum after the sharp drop in 2009 compared to 2008. In 2012 the overnights registered renewed decreases after marginal increases in 2010 and 2011, in contrast with the arrivals.
Overnights spent
60000
50000
40000
30000
20000
10000
0 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
In accordance with the statistics for overnights, the average stay dropped again in 2012 to a similar level as the one registered in the 2009 (the crisis year). Nevertheless the average stay is in the national average, an indication of the fact that those small numbers that visit Calarasi have a clear local reason for doing so and are not in transit.
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The average stay
4 3,5 3 2,5 2 1,5 1 0,5 0 Year 2008 Year 2009 Year 2010 Year 2011 Year 2012
Looking at seasonality, one can understand better the low tourism intensity of Calarasi, as it is one of the counties with seemingly no clear seasonality pattern apart from the obvious higher season during the summer. If in 2011 winter was the lowest season, in 2012 spring and even the first part of the summer were the low season.
Seasonality 1400
1200
1000
800
600
400
200
0 juil.‐11 juil.‐12 mai‐11 juin‐11 avr.‐11 oct.‐11 mai‐12 juin‐12 avr.‐12 oct.‐12 déc.‐11 déc.‐12 nov.‐11 nov.‐12 févr.‐11 févr.‐12 août‐11 août‐12 janv.‐11 janv.‐12 sept.‐11 sept.‐12 mars‐11 mars‐12 The overall tourism flows indicate a low attractiveness of the territory; with a tourism offer that is limited that has a mainly Romanian clientele. Nevertheless this clientele is rather interested in the area
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and has a clear local objective for visiting and this in any season, according to their specific needs and reasons (be them business or leisure).
C. Tourism economy
The tourism economy is very limited in scope given the overall flows and the accommodation capacity. The tables below illustrate tow indicators that are key to the development of the tourism economy: the occupancy rate of accommodation capacity (illustrating the demand versus the supply) and the evolution of the number of units active in the hotels and restaurants sector – the main tourism economy sector). The occupancy rate has dropped sharply during the economic crisis and still suffers, with overall annual values that are around the 15% mark. This requires a strong adaptive capacity from accommodation structures in order to cope with low cash flow generated by the low‐income levels. This explains in part the tendency of the accommodation structure to migrate towards smaller and more scalable types like boarding houses.
Occupancy rate
30
25
20
15
10
5
0 Year 2008 Year 2009 Year 2010 Year 2011 Year 2012
The evolution of the hotels and restaurants units’ numbers is very worrying with a constant decrease from 2009 onwards. Even though we do not have the 2012 figures it seems obvious that the investments in opening new units that were initiated in the economic growth period before 2008 were finalized during the 2008‐2009 period and were strongly affected by the decreasing trend of the demand, many of them closing up in the following years. This lag of the tourism sector compared to the economic cycle is a feature that can be useful for future policies in the tourism development field in Calarasi. Interventions need to take into consideration and avoid the local tendency of tourism private
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stakeholders to overlook the real demand potential and better orient towards tourism forms that have a real potential in the area.
Hotels and Restaurants ‐ units number evolu on 250
200
150
Hotels and Restaurants 100
50
0 2008 2009 2010 2011
XII. Giurgiu
Giurgiu County is located in the southern part of the Romania, in the historical region Muntenia on the middle course of the Danube River, as a part of the Romanian Plain. The landscape of the county is flat, crossed by small rivers and dominated by the valley of Danube, which forms the border with Bulgaria. The tourism sector of the county is dominated by the Giurgiu city and its accommodation infrastructure, which is recording demands especially from business and transit tourists. The business tourism, characterized by short visits in the urban area is the main form of tourism in county. Giurgiu is also an important destination for transit tourists, who are crossing the county to or from Bulgaria and also to the capital of Romania, which is relatively close (65 km). Regarding the relatively short distance to Bucharest, Giurgiu has become, at least in the last years an important destination for the habitants of the Romanian capital who are attracted by the natural resources of the region and wants to escape from the urban environment of Bucharest. Some of attractions that are the main motif for natural and cultural tourism developed relatively recent in the county are: . Comana Natural Park considered on the second place in terms of biodiversity, after Danube Delta, it covers 25.000 ha and comprises a characteristic ecosystem of delta in
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which over 141 species of birds, 19 species of fishes and 31 species of mammals can be admired. . Giurgiu Fortress, built around 1388 against the Turks expansion on south of Danube . Comana monastery, built by Vlad “The Impaler” during 1461. This monastery was meant to serve as a fortified monastery placed in front of the Turkish armies coming from the south of the Danube and heading to Bucharest and Targoviste. . Clock Tower from Giurgiu, dating from XVIII century, built by the ottomans as a watchtower and modified after the ottomans were removed.
A. Tourism accommodation infrastructure
Counting around 800 available places for accommodation in 2008 and recording a slightly decrease in 2009 as an effect of the economic crisis, the Giurgiu county is recording a growth in number of accommodation places after 2010, where the economic environment is starting to stimulate the demand for accommodation.
Exis ng touris c accommoda on capacity ‐ places
880
860
840
820
800
780
760 Year 2008 Year 2009 Year 2010 Year 2011 Year 2012
The increasing number of accommodation places recorded after 2010 is also seen in the graphic below. Even if the number of motels had decreased in 2010, the rising number of the accommodation places results from the increased number of hotels.
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Establishments of touris c recep on with func ons of tourists accommoda on
8
7
6
5 Hotels
4 Hostels Motels 3 Ships accommoda on spaces 2
1
0 Anul 2008 Anul 2009 Anul 2010 Anul 2011 Anul 2012
Taking into consideration the accommodation capacity distribution by type of establishment, it is clear that the tourism industry of the county is based on the establishments that offer low price accommodation and are also able to adjust their offer depending on the situation of the demand. The higher number of the ships accommodation spaces indicates that tourism industry has evolved exploiting the advantages offered by the river Danube.
Exis ng touris c accommoda on capacity by type of establishment
400
350
300
250 Hotels
200 Hostels
150 Motels Ships accommoda on spaces 100
50
0 Year 2008 Year 2009 Year 2010 Year 2011 Year 2012
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B. Tourist flows
In contradiction with the increasing trend of tourism accommodation places, the tourist flows seems to record a constant decrease. While the number of the Romanian tourists arrivals recorded a slightly increase in 2009, the foreign tourists arrivals almost maintains his value, excepting 2011 and 2012 where the foreign tourists has decrease. The foreign tourists flow has a value that is above the average from other counties, this being a consequence of the fact that the county is a border crossing point, connecting the Bulgarian city of Ruse. Having a cross‐border point, as Giurgiu city is, the county should increase attractiveness, facilities and the infrastructure, in order to exploit his geographical position and retain more foreign travellers.
Tourists arrivals
35000
30000
25000
20000 Romanian
15000 Foreign
10000
5000
0 Year 2008 Year 2009 Year 2010 Year 2011 Year 2012
When we look at the overnights spent value from the county we can observe that in the crisis year, 2009, has recorder an significant drop, and in the next years has recorder an constant grow due the end of the crisis.
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Overnights spent
96000 94000 92000 90000 88000 86000 84000 82000 80000 Year 2008 Year 2009 Year 2010 Year 2011 Year 2012
While the arrivals, both domestic and foreign remains on the descending trend, the number of overnights spent is growing and also the average stay, which records an upward trend since the economic crisis. This indicates that those who are visiting Giurgiu County are coming with a precise purpose, and they are not just in transit.
Average stay
3,6 3,5 3,4 3,3 3,2 3,1 3 2,9 2,8 2,7 Year 2008 Year 2009 Year 2010 Year 2011 Year 2012
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Seasonality
4000 3500 3000 2500 2000 1500 1000 500 0 juil.‐11 juil.‐12 mai‐11 mai‐12 juin‐11 avr.‐11 oct.‐11 juin‐12 avr.‐12 oct.‐12 déc.‐11 déc.‐12 nov.‐11 nov.‐12 févr.‐11 févr.‐12 août‐11 août‐12 janv.‐11 janv.‐12 sept.‐11 sept.‐12 mars‐11 mars‐12
If we look at the seasonality values we can admit that in the winter period the tourists are not interested in Giurgiu County, but starting from the spring and until the end of the summer the tourists flow are growing. It is important to increase the overall attractiveness of the county not only in the warm periods of the year, because this situation has impact in the overall economy of the county and in the labour market too.
C. Tourism economy
Tourism economy reacts under the influence on many stakeholders and economy subsectors, as the tourism is a high generator of economic activities adjacent of the tourism industry. The tourism economy is limited regarding the overall flow of the tourists and total accommodation capacity. The annual occupancy rate in the Giurgiu County has suffered a drop under the effects of the crisis, effect prolonged until the end of the 2009. In 2010 there was a slightly grow of the occupancy rate but corroborated with the increased capacity of accommodation that occurred in 2011, the ascendant trend of the occupancy rate doesn`t succeed to maintain the same trend in the next year too.
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Accomoda on capacity annual occupancy rate (%)
50 45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 Year 2008 Year 2009 Year 2010 Year 2011 Year 2012
Observing the evolution of the hotels and restaurants units number we can conclude that in the field of tourism industry, after the investment that was made in the years before economic recession there were not any other investments. This has a significant impact on the local economy, because the attractiveness of the county is gained only with massive investments in infrastructure, facilities and in all economic activities connected direct or indirect with the tourism industry.
100 90 80
70 Hotels
60 Hostels 50 Motels 40 Touris c boarding houses 30 Ships accommoda on spaces 20 10 0 Year 2008 Year 2009 Year 2010 Year 2011 Year 2012
It is obvious that the ship accommodation spaces are registering the highest value of occupancy rate. The demand for this type of accommodation has the higher rate in the county, as we can see from the above graphic. The maximum value has registered in 2011, when the occupancy rate has reached 90%.
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Hotels and Restaurants ‐ units number evolu on
200 180 160 140 120 100 Hotels and Restaurants 80 60 40 20 0 2008 2009 2010 2011
Concluding, the tourism economy in the Giurgiu County is in a recovery phase after the economic crisis but also in a state of transition generated by the changing of tourist’s behaviour. Having a favourable geographical position, more specifically being a county that has on the south the river Danube, and the border with the Bulgarian state, the investment can be concentrated in those sectors that can attract and retain more tourists. In additional, being in the proximity of the Romania`s capital, Bucharest, with approximately 2 mil. Inhabitants, Giurgiu County should also focus on attracting tourists from urban area of Bucharest.
XIII. Teleorman
Teleorman County lies on the south of Romania, in the historical region Muntenia, in the Romanian Plain. In the south of the county is the Danube valley, which is very wide with ponds and small channels and also represents the county southern limit. The landscape of the county is characterized by two major form of relief: the plain and the Danube river meadow, the whole territory sloping slightly to southeast. The transit tourism is predominant in the Teleorman due the relatively short distance between the county’s residence Alexandria and the capital of Romania, Bucharest. The transit tourism is also very intense in the area of Zimnicea city that is a transit area for travellers that are crossing the county to the cross‐border point through Bulgaria. Another form of tourism that is practiced in the county is the cultural historical and religious tourism even if the intensity is not so high. Principles attractions for these touristic forms are:
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. Medieval Fortress Turnul, built in the late XIV‐century, during the reign of Mircea cel Batran; it was part of the defensive system build by the reign on the course of Danube River, in context of the conflicts with the Ottoman Empire. . Zimnicea Archaeological Site – cultural complex from the Bronze Age to medieval age. . History Museum of Teleorman County which preserve collections of archaeology, numismatics, history, art, ethnography and palaeontology; . Rare religious books from XVIII‐century can be found in : Dormition of the mother of god Church, Church “Sfanta Vineri si cuvioasa Paraschiva”. By its geographical configuration as a plain crossed by several rivers, the main point of interest for leisure tourism is the Danube River and its meadow, providing natural habitats in which hunting and fishing are main touristic attractions.
A. Tourism accommodation infrastructure
The accommodation capacity of Teleorman County has not a significant value, but after having an obvious drop in 2008, which is the year when the economic environment was under the pressure of the economic crisis, the accommodation capacity started to grow, and maintain the growing trend in the next years too.
Total exis ng touris c accommoda on capacity ‐ places
740
720
700
680
660
640
620 Year 2008 Year 2009 Year 2010 Year 2011 Year 2012
The constant growing of accommodation capacity of the county is reflected in the graphic below too, which represent the evolution of the establishments of touristic reception.
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Establishments of touris c recep on with func ons of tourists accommoda on
7
6 Hotels Hostels 5 Motels 4 Inns
3 Touris c villas
2 School and pre‐school camps Touris c boarding houses 1 Agroturis c boarding houses 0 Anul 2008 Anul 2009 Anul 2010 Anul 2011 Anul 2012
The touristic capacity of the county is dominated by the hotels. The number of hotels has varied from the 2008, more specifically two new hotels appeared on the market, but under the influence of the foster economic environment and showing incapacity to adapt to the continuous change of the touristic demand they had to close their economic activity. Starting with 2010, we can observe that the agroturism is starting to appear and the overall capacity of the county has been increased by accommodation units that are specific to this type of tourism.
Exis ng touris c accommoda on capacity by type of establishment
600
500 Hotels Hostels 400 Motels
300 Inns Touris c villas
200 School and pre‐school camps
Touris c boarding houses 100 Agroturis c boarding houses 0 Year 2008 Year 2009 Year 2010 Year 2011 Year 2012
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Analysing the touristic accommodation capacity by type of establishment it is clearer that hotels represent the main type of establishment in the county. Counting only one motel during the analysed period of time, and a constant decrease of total places generated by the county`s accommodation units we can support the fact that this is generated by a lack of demand. While the accommodation capacity generated by the hotels is still in a descending trend, the agro touristic establishments are starting to provide a very low number of accommodation places.
B. Tourism flows
The tourists’ flows are recording very low values, and as we can see the effect generated by the economic recession in the 2008 had a significant impact and it was prolonged until the 2010 . From the next year a slightly growth of the tourists arrivals has been recorded and also in the 2012 as well but didn`t succeed to regain the same levels as the ones before 2008.
Tourists arrivals
25000
20000
15000 Romanian
Foreign 10000
5000
0 Year 2008 Year 2009 Year 2010 Year 2011 Year 2012
The foreign tourists are almost inexistent, even if it is recorded a slightly ascendant trend. This can be interpreted as incapacity of attracting leisure tourists or tourist from cruiser along the river Danube. Recording a shy growth starting from the 2009 and reaching a value of 1320 foreign tourist in 2012, the contribution of the foreign tourists on the overall touristic flow in the Teleorman County is very reduced.
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Overnights spent
45000 40000 35000 30000 25000 20000 15000 10000 5000 0 Year 2008 Year 2009 Year 2010 Year 2011 Year 2012
The overnights spent graphic express a particular evolution, in contradiction with the tourist’s arrivals from 2009 year. After a top positioning in 2009 the graphic shows a sharp decrease in the next year, with a constant slope until the 2012, where a growth has been recorded, but not at the same level as was in 2008. The ascendant trend of overnights spent recorded in 2012 is generated and supported by the same growing trend of the tourists’ arrivals.
Average stay
3,5
3
2,5
2
1,5
1
0,5
0 Year 2008 Year 2009 Year 2010 Year 2011 Year 2012
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Similar to the statistics for overnights, the average stay followed more or less the similar trend. Starting from an average stay more specific to transit tourism, it seems to be clear that this type of tourism is not practiced in the Teleorman County, but rather the tourists who are visiting the county having a specific purpose. (e.g. business).
Seasonality
2000 1800 1600 1400 1200 1000 800 600 400 200 0 juil.‐11 juil.‐12 mai‐11 mai‐12 juin‐11 avr.‐11 oct.‐11 juin‐12 avr.‐12 oct.‐12 déc.‐11 déc.‐12 nov.‐11 nov.‐12 févr.‐11 févr.‐12 août‐11 août‐12 janv.‐11 janv.‐12 sept.‐11 sept.‐12 mars‐11 mars‐12
Analysing seasonality, we can admit that the tourism in Teleorman has a low intensity, and it has an unclear seasonality pattern. While in the summer months June and July 2011, the tourism flow was increased, in the same months, but on the next year was recorded a significant drop. The overall tourism flows indicates a low attractiveness of the territory, with tourist clientele composed mostly of Romanian tourists which they visit the county only with clear local objectives , according to their needs and reasons, be them business or leisure.
C. Tourism economy
The development of tourism economy is directly influenced first by the occupancy rate of the accommodation capacity, which illustrates the demand versus the supply, and second the evolution of the number of units active in the hotels and restaurants sector, the main tourism economy sector.
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Occupancy rate
20
18
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0 Year 2008 Year 2009 Year 2010 Year 2011 Year 2012
The occupancy rate is very low in the Teleorman County, registering values around 15% in 2008 and after a growth in 2009 at the 19%, the annual occupancy rate is starting to fall until 2011. It seems that the occupancy rate has a similar trend as the average stay and the touristic flow. The growth of the annual occupancy rate that starts from the beginning of the 2012 is a consequence of the increased tourists flow from the same year.
Hotels and Restaurants ‐ units number evolu on
300
250
200
150 Hotels and Restaurants 100
50
0 2008 2009 2010 2011
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The evolution of hotels and restaurants units’ number is counting a constant decrease from 2009. The investments made in the opening of new units that was initiated in the economic growth period before 2008 has generated economic effects only until 2009. It can be said that they were strongly affected by the decreasing slope of the demand, many of them closing up in the next years.
XIV. Olt
Olt County is situated in the south west of Romania, in the historical regions of Oltenia and Muntenia. The county lies on a flat area on the Western part of the Romanian Plain, which is crossed by the Olt River, giving the county its name. The Olt County it is part of the category of counties that have opening to the Danube river and therefore to the Black Sea through the Danubian Port Corabia. Tourism industry of the Olt County is largely represented by the business tourism characterized by tourists that comes to the county with precise purposes but also who are visiting city`s main attractions and surrounding areas of the cities, rich in cultural and historical attractions. Besides the economical attractiveness of the county for new investments and therefore for a business and an urban tourism, cruise tourism and pleasure tourism are also specific to Olt County, even if the activity in this type of tourism is not so intense. The premises for developing more types of tourism in the county are not missing because of the numerous historical, cultural or natural touristic objectives that can be found in the area and may produce significant interest: . Museum of archaeology and ethnography Corabia that presents exhibitions with a mix profile: history, ethnography and science of nature. In the museum can be admired collection with archaeological pieces, guns, tools, ceramic, numismatic jewels and others historical objects recovered from historical sites of the territory. . Sucidava Fortress dating from century II – III B.C, after the conquest of Dacia by the romans here was built a Castrum. The ruins are covering an area of 22 ha, in which can be admired remaining’s of the fortress even it was devastated many times. . The ruins of royal court from Caracal, old lord’s residence during the time of the lords Mihai Viteazul (XVI century), Matei Basarab si Constantin Brâncoveanu. . The Brancoveanu Monastery built in XVI century, has the first documentary mention between years 1582‐1583. It was renovated by Matei Basarab in 1640 and rebuilt by Constantin Brancoveanu in 1699. The interior painting was realized in 1702.
A. Tourism accommodation infrastructure
The overall existing touristic accommodation capacity provided by the Olt County is characterized, almost in last years (excepting 2009), by a significant ascending trend, with a growth approximately of 40% starting from 2008. The new investments made by the foreign companies or the interest showed by other companies for investing in the county led to an increase in the level of accommodation capacity.
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Total exis ng touris c accommoda on capacity ‐ places
1000
800
600
400
200
0 Year 2008 Year 2009 Year 2010 Year 2011 Year 2012
Establishments of touris c recep on with func ons of tourists accommoda on
12
10 Hotels 8 Hostels 6 Bungalows
4 Touris c boarding houses
Agroturis c boarding houses 2
0 Anul 2008 Anul 2009 Anul 2010 Anul 2011 Anul 2012
In the distribution of the accommodation capacity by type of accommodation unit, it is clear that hotels and touristic boarding houses are dominant. The overall evolution of these units of establishment is generated by the increased demand for accommodation. The growing touristic demand is structured mainly around the hotels and second on touristic boarding houses. In 2011 was recorded a growth of accommodation units specific to agroturism, but the level of supply increased by those units wasn`t well synchronized with the demand on this type of tourism.
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Exis ng touris c accommoda on capacity by type of establishment
700
600
500 Hotels
400 Hostels Bungalows 300 Touris c boarding houses 200 Agroturis c boarding houses
100
0 Year 2008 Year 2009 Year 2010 Year 2011 Year 2012
The evolution of the accommodation capacity in the last years has registered significant increases only for hotels, excepting 2010 year, where the growth achieved in the 2009 hasn`t registered a continuity. The growth of accommodation places from hotels is an effect of the increased demand that occurred in the Olt County under the influence of the several factors: . attractiveness of the county for the foreign companies . international companies that activates in the county favouring business tourism
B. Tourism flows
The tourists arrivals has recorded a significant upward trend after a slightly drop in 2009‐2010 period. In 2011 and 2012 tourists arrivals, both Romanian and foreign tourists have growth significantly, at least doubling his value in the last year.
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Tourists arrivals
40000
35000
30000
25000
20000 Romanian Foreign 15000
10000
5000
0 Year 2008 Year 2009 Year 2010 Year 2011 Year 2012
When we look at the overnights spent, the picture become clearer. The ascending trend of the tourist’s demand is not based only on the overall number of tourist’s arrivals but also on the overnights spent. Having almost same growth as the tourists arrivals, starting from 2010 the number of overnights spent by tourist has recorded a sharp increase, from 22.000 in 2010 to 79.000 in 2012.
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Overnights spent
80000
70000
60000
50000
40000
30000
20000
10000
0 Year 2008 Year 2009 Year 2010 Year 2011 Year 2012
The average stay dropped starting from the crisis year, with a slightly increase in 2011, but hasn`t maintained the ascending direction. The average stay, oscillating in the last years between 2.5 and 1.5, shows indications more to business tourism. As seen on the tourist’s flow chart, the increased amount of domestic and foreign tourists, corroborated with the average stay reinforces the above affirmation regarding the type of tourist, mainly practiced in the Olt County.
Average stay
3
2,5
2
1,5
1
0,5
0 Year 2008 Year 2009 Year 2010 Year 2011 Year 2012
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Seasonality
5000 4500 4000 3500 3000 2500 2000 1500 1000 500 0 juil.‐11 juil.‐12 mai‐11 mai‐12 juin‐11 juin‐12 avr.‐11 avr.‐12 oct.‐11 oct.‐12 déc.‐11 déc.‐12 nov.‐11 nov.‐12 févr.‐11 févr.‐12 août‐11 août‐12 janv.‐11 janv.‐12 sept.‐11 mars‐11 sept.‐12 mars‐12
The seasonality chart suggests highest tourism intensity in the summer months of the 2011‐year as well in the wormer months of the 2012 too. The values recorded doesn`t show a well‐defined pattern even if an increased touristic activity can be observed in summer months, because as can be seen the tourism intensity has growth in all period of the year, excepting winter period.
C. Tourism economy
The occupancy rate recorded a massive decrease in the crisis years, reaching a value of 11.6% in 2010. Even if it succeed to grow once the recession has end, the occupation rate doesn`t reach the same values from before de crisis. When we analyse the occupancy rate we must take into consideration the evolution of the accommodation capacity too as the same as the occupancy rate, the accommodation capacity has started to grow too once the 2010.
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Occupancy rate
30
25
20
15
10
5
0 Year 2008 Year 2009 Year 2010 Year 2011 Year 2012
Contrary with the overall evolution of touristic demand generated by the increased number of tourists, new investments doesn`t seem to be made in the facilities that contribute and have a key role in the tourism industry. The evolution of hotels and restaurants units is very negative, having a constant decrease from 2009 after a significant growth of the units number has recorded. Even if we don’t have data about year 2012, we can observe that the restaurant number is almost as it was in the year 2008, in conditions of a level of demand that has a constant growth trend. We can conclude that the sector of hotel and restaurants units was not well adapted to the ascending direction that the demand and the tourists flow has recorded starting from the 2010 year.
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Hotels and Restaurants ‐ units number evolu on
400 350 300 250 200 Hotels and Restaurants 150 100 50 0 2008 2009 2010 2011
XV. Dolj
Dolj County is located in the Oltenia Region, in south of Romania. The geographical environment of the county is characterized by hilly areas, low land, rivers and lakes. The type of tourism that is the main tourism form in the Dolj County is the business tourism that can be classified very well as MICE tourism (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions). Many of the tourists that visit the county are visiting the urban area of Craiova with business purposes. The leisure tourism is in minority; it is practiced on a low intensity and is focused both around Craiova and around Danube River and its surrounding areas. The attractiveness of the area consists of: . the natural environment : from the south of the county through the north the landscape appears like a flat stage that rises as a pyramid from the Danube meadow through Amaradiei hills, from 30 to 350 meters above the sea level . The cultural heritage: religious and civil, historical. Some of the key touristic attractions of the county that illustrate its present attractiveness: . Ornithological Reservation Ciuperceni – is declared a natural reservation since 1971 and on his territory over 140 bird’s species can be admired, some of them very rare: Black Stork, Little Egret, Gadwall, Coot, White Wagtail, Purple Heron. . Calafat art and ethnography Museum, which was built between 1906 and 1908, in French Neo‐Baroque style with rococo accents. The Museum presents universal and Romanian collections of paintings, ethnography collections, and handicraft objects. Here can be admired the work of contemporaneous Romanian artists, paintings and the graphic works
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of artists from Dolj County: Nicoale Grigorescu, Henri Catargi, Theodor Pallady paintings, sculptures by Ion Irimescu, Nicu Enea. The museum it has also a collection of popular Romanian art : braids, tools, household items, popular port items. . Art Museum from Craiova is located in the sumptuous palace of the family Jean Michael, built between 1900‐1907 by the French architect Paul Gottereau projects. Museum works in this building since 1954 and has a valuable heritage of over 4,000 works of art collected and preserved over the years. . Metropolitan Church of Oltenia is the first Mitropoly in the Oltenia area, which dates from 1370. It was founded during the prince Vladislav I (1364 ‐ 1377).
A. Tourism accommodation infrastructure
The accommodation capacity of the Dolj County has recorded a constant growth since the 2008. It seems that the crisis hasn`t influenced in a significant manner the tourism industry from the county. The total accommodation capacity is relatively high compared with the total capacity of the counties above analysed (excepting Constanta).
Total exis ng touris c accommoda on capacity ‐ places
2500
2000
1500
1000
500
0 Year 2008 Year 2009 Year 2010 Year 2011 Year 2012
Similar with the evolution of the accommodation capacity, the number of tourists’ accommodation establishments has recorded a constant increasing of the units’ number. The number of hotels has recorded the highest growth from all type of accommodation units, doubling the number of units in the period 2010 to 2012. Besides the hotels, the number of agroturistic boarding houses and touristic boarding houses has increased too starting from 2010.
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Establishments of touris c recep on with func ons of tourists accommoda on
25
Hotels 20 Hotels four youth
Hostels 15 Motels
10 Touris c villas Touris c chalets
5 Touris c boarding houses
Agroturis c boarding houses 0 Anul 2008 Anul 2009 Anul 2010 Anul 2011 Anul 2012
The existing touristic accommodation capacity in the Dolj County is mainly provided by the hotels. The number of hotel places has growth constantly since 2008, due the growing demand for touristic accommodation services. While the number of hotels had grown the rest of the accommodation units hasn’t recorded significant evolutions.
Exis ng touris c accommoda on capacity by type of establishment
1800
1600 Hotels
1400 Hotels four youth
1200 Hostels 1000 Motels 800 Touris c villas 600 Touris c chalets 400 Touris c boarding houses 200 Agroturis c boarding houses 0 Year 2008 Year 2009 Year 2010 Year 2011 Year 2012
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B. Tourism flows
As regarding touristic flows, the situation is a little bit different from the evolution of accommodation capacity. The touristic arrivals have recorded a decrease in the crisis period, more precisely from 2008 to 2010. After the crisis ended a clear evolution can be see as the number of tourists, both Romanian and foreign are start to grow and in the first year from the post‐crisis period , succeeding to overcome the number of tourist arrivals from 2008.
Tourists arrival
90000 80000 70000 60000 50000 Romanian 40000 Foreign 30000 20000 10000 0 Year 2008 Year 2009 Year 2010 Year 2011 Year 2012
The overnights spent by the tourists in the Dolj County have been influenced also by the crisis effects. As we can observe in the graphic below, the value recorded in the 2008 was exceeded only in 2012, after 2 years of constant growth since 2010.
Overnights spent
160000 140000 120000 100000 80000 60000 40000 20000 0 Year 2008 Year 2009 Year 2010 Year 2011 Year 2012
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While the previous indicators of the tourism industry from the Dolj county succeeded to recover after the crisis period it seems that the average stay is on a descending trend since 2008. Starting from 2.4 in 2008 the average stay is dropping yearly until it reaches the value of 1.7 in 2012. This value indicates more a business and transit tourism rather than a leisure type of tourism.
The average stay
3
2,5
2
1,5
1
0,5
0 Year 2008 Year 2009 Year 2010 Year 2011 Year 2012
The seasonality in the Dolj County is recording highest value in the month summer with a sharp drop starting from November‐October. While in the summer the touristic activity is relatively high in the winter months is very low.
Seasonality
9000 8000 7000 6000 5000 4000 3000 2000 1000 0 juil.‐11 juil.‐12 mai‐11 mai‐12 juin‐11 juin‐12 avr.‐11 avr.‐12 oct.‐11 oct.‐12 déc.‐11 déc.‐12 nov.‐11 nov.‐12 févr.‐11 août‐11 févr.‐12 août‐12 janv.‐11 janv.‐12 sept.‐11 sept.‐12 mars‐11 mars‐12
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C. Tourism Economy
The occupancy rate of the accommodation units in the Dolj County has also been affected by the recession period, recording from 2008 a significant drop until 2010 when the occupancy rate started to record a slightly growth but didn`t succeed to reach the same level as the one recorded in 2008. Having an occupancy rate of 17.5 % in 2012, we can assume that in the Dolj County the demand for accommodation services is relatively low compared with the capacity of the county.
Occupancy Rate
30
25
20
15
10
5
0 Year 2008 Year 2009 Year 2010 Year 2011 Year 2012
The number of hotels and restaurant has dropped significant since 2009. The effect of new investments made in the tourism industry before the crisis can be observed until 2009. The lack of demand for tourists’ services and an economic environment more and more unstable has lead to a significant drop of the number restaurants, reaching in 2011 the value of 561 units.
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Hotels and Restaurants
680 660 640 620 600 580 560 540 520 500 2008 2009 2010 2011
XVI. Mehedinti
Mehedinti County is situated in the Historic region Oltenia, Banat, in the southwest of Romania. The landscape of Mehedinti County comprises approximately in equal proportions all three types of landform characteristically to Romania: mountains, plateaus and plains. The tourism activity of the Mehedinti County includes different types of tourism: mountain tourism, hunting and fishing tourism, health tourism or cruise tourism over the Danube. In last years the agro tourism has developed in the county and it seems that more tourists are attracted to. From above mentioned tourism types the main tourism form that attracts visitors is the business tourism characterized by short accommodation periods in the urban areas of the County and also short visits to the main attractions of the county. Drobeta‐Turnu Severin and Orsova represent an attraction pole for the business tourism and also for cultural tourism due the important cultural and historical heritage from the cities and their surrounding areas. Mehedinti Mountains and Danube River are offering most of the counties natural attractions: . Natural Park “Iron Gates” which is the largest natural park in Romania and also is the area where Danube forms one of the most beautiful and biggest gorges from Europe. Numerous species of plants and animals, many of them very rare or endangered can be admired. . Ponoare Cave, part of the geomorphological Reservation Karst Complex Ponoare measuring 734 meters in length and housing at least 3 species of bats. Page 113 of 129
The cultural and historical heritage of the county includes attractions like: . Ruins of Traian Bridge, constructed in 105 AD by Apollodorus of Damascus, the first bridge built over the lower Danube; for more than 1000 years it was the longest arch bridge in both total and span length. . Medieval Fortress of Severin, built in 1233 over the ruins of Drobeta Fortress, placed in a military strategic place, considered in the Middle Ages the most important fortress from the region;
A. Tourism accommodation infrastructure
Tourism accommodation capacity of Mehedinti County has recorded a positive evolution since 2008, with a noticeable growth in 2008‐2009 period and after showing a slow, but constant growth.
Touris c accommoda on capacity ‐ places
2000 1800 1600 1400 1200 1000 800 600 400 200 0 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
In the county the most establishments of touristic receptions are represented by agroturistic boarding houses, which recorded an significant growth, from 1 unit in 2008 to 15 units in 2012. This sharp growth can be a consequence of a demand growth for agro touristic tourism that has developed in the county in the last years. Along with the sharp growth of the agro tourist’s accommodation units the number of hotels and motels has evolved too, as well as the number of touristic boarding houses. This increase manifested on all mainly accommodation units in the county can reflect a touristic industry that is constantly developing and is adapting to the touristic demand`s new dimensions.
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Establishments of touris c recep on with func ons of tourists accommoda on
16
14 Hotels 12 Hotels four youth
10 Hostels
8 Motels Touris c villas 6 Touris c chalets
4 Touris c boarding houses
2 Agroturis c boarding houses
0 Year 2008 Year 2009 Year 2010 Year 2011 Year 2012
The touristic accommodation capacity, distributed by type of establishment, is certainly provided by the hotels. Counting almost 670 places in 2008 and recording a constant growth, the accommodation capacity of hotels achieve in 2012 the value of 928 places. The next type of accommodation unit regarding accommodation places is represented by motels and agro touristic boarding houses.
Exis ng touris c accommoda on capacity by type of establishment
1000 900 Hotels 800 Hotels four youth 700 Hostels 600 500 Motels 400 Touris c villas 300 Touris c chalets 200 100 Touris c boarding houses 0 Agroturis c boarding houses Year 2008 Year 2009 Year 2010 Year 2011 Year 2012
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B. Tourism flows
The touristic arrivals, contrary with the evolution of accommodation capacity has recorded similar values, excepting 2009, where the overall tourists arrivals, both Romanian and foreign has registered a higher drop compared with the rest of the years. The overall value of tourist’s arrivals is higher than the most of the analysed counties. The tourism demand from Mehedinti County is generated mainly by domestic tourists, and in a part quite low by foreign tourists.
Tourists arrivals
70000 60000 50000 40000 30000 20000 10000 0 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Foreign Romanian
When we look at the overnight spent graphic, we can observe a descending trend, starting from 2008, with a slightly growth in 2010, but with no continuity in the next years. Compared with the previous analysed counties it seems that in the Mehedinti County, the demand for touristic accommodation was not so strongly influenced by the crisis.
Overnights spent
160000 140000 120000 100000 80000 60000 40000 20000 0 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
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The statistics for average stay indicated a significant drop in the 2008‐2012 periods. Recording a slightly increase in 2009 and 2011 the overall value of the average stay has a descendant evolution, recording in 2012 a value of 2.23, the lowest from the analysed period. Downward trend of the average stay evolution can suggest a tourism industry that is in a period of change, or where the overall tourists that come and visit the county have precise purposes, behaviour nonspecific to leisure tourism but more to business tourism.
The average stay
2,7
2,6
2,5
2,4
2,3
2,2
2,1
2 Year 2008 Year 2009 Year 2010 Year 2011 Year 2012
Seasonality
8000 7000 6000 5000 4000 3000 2000 1000 0 juil.‐11 mai‐11 juil.‐12 juin‐11 mai‐12 avr.‐11 juin‐12 oct.‐11 avr.‐12 oct.‐12 déc.‐11 déc.‐12 nov.‐11 nov.‐12 févr.‐11 févr.‐12 août‐11 août‐12 janv.‐11 janv.‐12 sept.‐11 sept.‐12 mars‐11 mars‐12
The seasonality of the tourism activity in the Mehedinti County is recording a consistently growth in the first half of the year, reaching the maximum seasonality in the summer months, especially July
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and August. In the second half of the year is recording a constant drop, reaching the minimum value in December‐January months.
C. Tourism economy
Having an important impact on the overall income generated by all touristic units (accommodation and restaurants ) the occupancy rate is recording a constant decrease, contrary with the investments made in accommodation units. In that situation, when the occupancy rate is constantly decreasing and tourists flow together with the average stay of the tourists have the same descending trend, we can conclude that the drop of the occupancy rate was generated by the new accommodation units that had appeared in the industry. This represents a weak synchronization between the demand and offer.
Occupancy Rate
35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 Year 2008 Year 2009 Year 2010 Year 2011 Year 2012
Hotels and Restaurants ‐ units number evolu on
300
250
200
150 Hotels and Restaurants
100
50
0 2008 2009 2010 2011
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As regarding the number of hotels and restaurants units the situation is very negative, recording in the 2008‐2011 period (even if we don`t have data for the 2012) a sharp drop of the units number. This can reflect a poor demand for the services and products they provide. In the context of a constant decrease of tourist’s flows and a low demand for adjacent touristic services, many restaurants had to close they economic activity.
XVII. Touristic SWOT Analysis of the ROBG Cross‐border area
Internal factors ‐ REAL
Strengths Weaknesses • Excellent tourism resources for tourism • Unbalanced seasonality in many development: traditional agriculture, counties/districts: high summers and very low landscapes, natural landmarks and interesting winters relief, urban centres, sea‐side areas, • Districts/counties that have limited touristic archaeological remains, famous historical sites accommodation infrastructure th th (antiquity, medieval, 17 to 18 century, etc.), • Low tourism‐generated revenues compared to the health tourism resources (mineral water, the national averages clean natural environment, etc.), etc. • Low average stay: incapacity to retain tourists • University centres with tourism‐related • Leisure tourism is not well developed, MICE curricula tourism is developing without a strategy • New initiatives and investments in the tourism • Big unbalance between the sea‐side offer and infrastructure and products that capitalize on the rest the local resources and specificities • Low local retention of tourism‐generated • High tourism flows to the sea‐side economic benefits • Resilience of the tourism sector in the • Still under‐developed agro‐tourism, eco‐ economic crisis period(especially in Bulgaria) tourism and leisure urban tourism products and infrastructure (accommodation, leisure facilities) • Very limited spa and health tourism products External factors ‐ POTENTIAL Opportunities Threats • Identification of tourism as a high potential • Low connectivity over the Danube and strategic sector to be developed • National based economic development that • National and European Territorial Cooperation ignores the cross‐border area per se, resulting EU funds can be used for tourism development in tourists (especially MICE ones) being projects attracted away from the border urban centres • Better training or requalification of inactive • Negative economic outlook and/or continuing working‐age labour force in the tourism fields economic difficulties • Connectivity to the Danube, a major European • Low local and county/district administrative capacity to draft and implement
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East‐West transport corridor local/district/county tourism development • Proximity and accessibility of many parts of strategies that are coherent at cross‐border the area to the main tourism emitting basins: level Bucharest and Sofia. Their international • Unavailability of well‐trained personnel for the airports are important entry points for the tourism industry international tourists • The existing binomial Danube ports on the two sides of the river that can become cross‐ border anchor points for tourism accessibility and attractiveness • PPP in for the development of low‐cost, highly effective (in terms of increased tourism demand and tourist flows) tourism infrastructures (e.g. greenways along the Danube,
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A. Tourism competitiveness in the ROBG cross‐border area – tourism development strategy
1. The vision Even though the ROBG cross‐border region is geographically and topographically coherent with the Romanian and Bulgarian shores being complimentary, its recent history (20th century) created a rigid barrier on the Danube driving each cross‐border area to be and perceive itself as an area of “Finis Terrae” and to understand its development only in strict domestic terms. This is a paradoxical situation for a region defined by such a major transport and connectivity corridor as the Danube.
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We saw above that, in touristic terms, the area is generally poorly developed, even though its proximity to the most important tourist emitting basins of the two countries (the capitals Bucharest and Sofia). Apart from the seaside area and few tourist attractions points inside the territory, the area has limited tourism infrastructure and attracts limited numbers of tourists (the figure below indicates this low touristic intensity of the territory).
Tourism intensity of the cross‐border area districts/counties (the illustrated index : overnights/pop.*100), 2011 figures, source: INS Romania, NSI Bulgaria, Détente Consultants calculation
A tourism development vision has to take into account: . the last 50 years tradition of cross‐border cooperation . present‐day socio‐economic and environmental situation . the present tourism structure and profile in order to propose a common tourism development vision, capable of unleashing local tourism potential and strategically directing efforts towards the coherent utilization of local tourism resources. The vision needs to be realistic and mobilize people around the objective of tourism development. It has to take into account the demographic and poverty issues that strongly affect the area on both sides of the Danube and, in strict touristic terms, the high imbalance created by the seaside offer. The vision that seems to be indicated by the SWOT analysis above is predicated around two main factors:
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. the Danube as a geographical, human, cultural and economic defining an unifying factor that also represents a major transport corridor . the proximity of big potential demand basins (Bucharest, Sofia) It must thus target not to foster competition of the local tourism offer with other established ones, but to foster demand from present‐day needs of target clienteles. This means the creation of new tourism products and infrastructures that build on local resources (human included) to respond to the untapped needs of the nearby urban clientele. The vision must thus be a Danube‐based and client‐ oriented one. The vision that we propose is that of an area that preserves its natural environment and builds on it a tourism sector that is strongly contributing to the social and economic development of the area (through investments, local retention of tourism‐generated revenues, the training of local human resource for the services industry) while answering to the needs of urban populations for healthy and culturally enriching leisure, new and versatile MICE infrastructure and fosters the polycentric territorial development (through the connection of smaller urban centres to both the national capitals and the Danube and its ports). An important aspect of the vision is the reintegration of the Danubian ports in the regional economy through their smart reinsertion into the national and international tourist flows in a cross‐border perspective.
B. Strategic and operational objectives
The strategic objectives for an overall tourism development strategy are obviously the ones that answer the territorial needs and correspond to the development vision in the same time. As such three strategic objectives can be identified: 1. The development of tourism infrastructure and tourism product offer diversification 2. The sensible increase of the tourism flows in the area 3. The emergence of a territorial‐touristic brand identity
These strategic objectives can be then further developed into several operational objectives that better adapt the strategic ones to the on the ground realities. SO Strategic objectives Operational objectives no. Urban renewal projects for the main urban tourism attractions (heritage sites, urban centres, etc.) in ROBG coherent cross‐border destinations Development of accommodation infrastructure in the medium and small urban centres in the hinterland Development of tourism Development of new MICE infrastructure (meeting 1 infrastructure and tourism product centres) in the big urban centres of the area and the diversification Danube ports Development of agro‐tourism products, with a special emphasis for the hinterland of the Dobrich‐Constanta‐ Silistra‐Razgrad area Development of green infrastructure for the eco‐ tourism and active tourism (Danube valley, river valleys,
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the Balkan mountains) that connects the two sides of the Danube Development of new health‐tourism infrastructure and clustering with medical infrastructure
Promotion and advertorial campaigns targeting the Increase of the tourism flows in the main emitting basins in the area (Bucharest, Sofia, etc.) 2 area New tourism products for the spring, autumn and winter seasons Promotion of coherent touristic products by product‐ markets (clienteles) couples The creation of common agro‐tourism and eco‐tourism products: greenway infrastructure around the Danube, the common development of natural parks on the Emergence of a touristic brand of the 3 Danube, traditions & agricultural practices in the ROBG cross‐border area Danube valley Complementarity of nearby public accessibility infrastructure (crossing the border, interpretative and informative infrastructure, museums, tourism ports, etc.)
C. Touristic markets and touristic potential
We already mentioned that the ROBG cross‐border territory is a low‐intensity tourism area (statistics are obviously indicating it and the previous figure illustrates it). The presence of big emitting basins near the area is thus one of the biggest factors that can be rapidly addressed in order to create additional flows to the area, increasing thus the tourism revenues, a first step in creating the incentive for further developments. The tourism product analysis of each districts/county above has then indicated that some cross‐ border territorial similarities are present and can be the basis for a ROBG cross‐border tourism zoning.
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As illustrated in the figure above, the zoning is necessary in order to operationalize the main hard facts that structure the tourism sector in the area: its low tourism intensity, its incapacity to capitalize on the proximity of big urban area (Bucharest is practically immersed in the area) and the split between the sea‐side (in both offer and flows terms) and the rest of the territory. A zoning will enable the identification of much more effective and efficient activities and projects for tourism development of the area. This is why we identified the following zones that include also cross‐border potential axis of development (illustrated in the figure below): 1. The sea‐side area (Constanta, Dobrich) – East zone 2. The Bucharest area (Calarasi, Giurgiu, Teleorman, Veliko Turnovo, Ruse, Razgrad, Silistra) – Central zone 3. The Sofia and Craiova area (Olt, Dolj, Mehedinti, Vidin, Montana, Vratsa, Pleven) – West zone
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The tourism zoning of the ROBG cross‐border area (circles indicate the main emitting basins and the halos indicate their respective target territory of predilection, arrows indicate integrative transport axis of the zones), source: Détente Consultants
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Because of the factors that are taken into consideration in order to propose these zoning, the above structure illustrates also a choice informed by a product‐clientele couple approach. Indeed all the big urban centres (within or in proximity of the ROBG cross‐border area) are potential emitting poles, while the big urban centres inside the area can be both attracting centres and secondary emitting centres. The urban centres in the area that have an international airport, as well as the port areas (Constanta, Dobrich seaside area, Varna and the Danube ports) can represent entry points for international tourists incoming to the area. The tables below present the emitting basins for each of the zones and the potential of cross‐ border tourism products to address these basins of clientele.
Market strategy – WEST ZONE Emitting basins
Danube Foreign Sofia Craiova Bucharest ports tourists City Breaks ❹ ❷ ❷ ❹ ❷ MICE ❹ ❸ ❸ ❶ ❹ Touring/trekking ❹ ❸ ❷ ❷ ❷
Cruises ❹ ❷ ❸ ❶ ❶ Nautical/Greenway ❹ ❸ ❸ ❸ ❸
strategy Tourism Gastronomy and Wine ❸ ❸ ❹ ❹ ❹ Nature Tourism ❹ ❸ ❸ ❷ ❷ Product Religious Tourism ❸ ❸ ❷ ❷ ❶ Residential Tourism ❹ ❶ ❶ ❶ ❶ Health and Well‐being ❹ ❸ ❸ ❶ ❷ < 18 years ❷ ❷ ❶ ❶ ❶
18‐25 years ❷ ❷ ❶ ❶ ❶ 26‐35 years ❷ ❷ ❶ ❶ ❶
36‐45 years ❹ ❹ ❸ ❹ ❹
Age group 46‐65 years ❹ ❸ ❸ ❹ ❹ > 65 years ❷ ❶ ❶ ❹ ❷ Individual ❷ ❶ ❶ ❸ ❸
Segment strategy With partner ❹ ❸ ❷ ❹ ❸ Households with children ❹ ❸ ❸ ❸ ❸ Type With friends ❹ ❸ ❷ ❹ ❸ Work colleagues ❹ ❹ ❷ ❹ ❸
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Market strategy – CENTRAL Emitting basins ZONE Veliko Danube Foreign Constanta Sofia Bucharest Turnovo ports tourists /Varna City Breaks ❸ ❷ ❹ ❹ ❸ ❷ MICE ❸ ❸ ❹ ❶ ❷ ❷ Touring/trekking ❸ ❹ ❸ ❸ ❷
Cruises ❷ ❷ ❸ ❶ ❶ ❶ Nautical/Greenway ❷ ❸ ❹ ❹ ❸ ❷ Tourism Gastronomy and ❸ ❹ ❹ ❸ ❹ ❷ Wine Nature Tourism ❹ ❹ ❹ ❹ ❷ ❷ Product strategy Religious Tourism ❹ ❹ ❹ ❸ ❷ ❷ Residential Tourism ❸ ❷ ❹ ❶ ❶ ❶ Health and Well‐ ❹ ❹ ❹ ❷ ❹ ❶ being < 18 years ❷ ❶ ❷ ❶ ❶ ❶
18‐25 years ❸ ❷ ❸ ❶ ❶ ❶ 26‐35 years ❸ ❷ ❹ ❷ ❷ ❷ 36‐45 years ❸ ❸ ❹ ❸ ❸ ❷
Age group 46‐65 years ❷ ❷ ❸ ❹ ❷ ❶ > 65 years ❶ ❶ ❷ ❹ ❶ ❶ Individual ❷ ❶ ❶ ❷ ❸ ❶ With partner ❸ ❹ ❹ ❸ ❸ ❷
Segment strategy Households ❹ ❹ ❹ ❹ ❸ ❷
Type without children With friends ❸ ❹ ❹ ❹ ❷ ❸ Work colleagues ❷ ❸ ❹ ❹ ❷ ❶
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Market strategy – EAST ZONE
Foreign Sea Sofia Varna Bucharest Constanta tourists ports City Breaks ❷ ❹ ❹ ❸ ❸ ❹ MICE ❸ ❹ ❹ ❹ ❹ ❷ Touring/trekking ❶ ❷ ❸ ❷ ❶ ❶
Cruises ❸ ❷ ❹ ❸ ❷ ❶ Nautical/Greenway ❷ ❸ ❷ ❷ ❸ ❶ Tourism Gastronomy and Wine ❷ ❷ ❸ ❶ ❸ ❸ Sun and Sea ❸ ❸ ❹ ❸ ❸ ❸
Product strategy Nature Tourism ❷ ❷ ❸ ❷ ❶ ❶ Religious Tourism ❷ ❷ ❷ ❸ ❶ ❸ Residential Tourism ❷ ❶ ❷ ❶ ❶ ❶ Health and Well‐being ❹ ❸ ❹ ❸ ❹ ❷ < 18 years ❸ ❸ ❹ ❸ ❸ ❸
18‐25 years ❸ ❸ ❹ ❸ ❸ ❹ 26‐35 years ❸ ❸ ❹ ❸ ❸ ❸
36‐45 years ❸ ❷ ❹ ❷ ❸ ❸
Age group 46‐65 years ❷ ❶ ❹ ❶ ❷ ❸ > 65 years ❶ ❶ ❷ ❶ ❶ ❷ Individual ❷ ❸ ❷ ❸ ❸ ❶
Segment strategy With partner ❸ ❸ ❹ ❸ ❷ ❷ Households with children ❸ ❸ ❹ ❸ ❶ ❶ Type With friends ❸ ❹ ❹ ❸ ❷ ❷ Work colleagues ❸ ❹ ❹ ❸ ❶ ❶
Legend of the tables The indicator The potential level of clientele to be interested in a tourism product/destination ❶ Very low potential ❷ Low potential ❸ High potential ❹ Very high potential
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