Advances in Environmental Science and Energy Planning Jiu Valley Microregion – an area of economic, tourist-carboniferous- industrial interest BĂDĂU ADRIAN-BOGDAN Technological Department “Retezat” Technologic High School of Uricani 16 Republicii St., Uricani, Hunedoara ROMANIA [email protected] Abstract: -Petroşani coal field represents an area that benefits of two great values: the coal fields and the relief, formed by the mountains that surround the depression. In the event the coal fields will get exhausted, the other natural wealth – the relief – available in the micro region, is inexhaustible, being needed to be exploited at its true potential. A way of exploiting the natural area is by developing the industrial tourism closely related to the classical-conventional one, therefore by developing these tourism forms, the Jiu Valley Coal Field can become an area of economic, tourist-carboniferous-industrial interest. Key-Words: technological tourism, reconstruction, tourist sector, the tower of the skip shaft, museum storage of explosive, remaining mining buildings 1 Introduction and also as tourist endowment is Straja, followed by The area and the geography of Petrosani Coal Field Parâng and Pasul Vulcan. fostered during the time and also nowadays many 6) Sport tourism is practiced throughout the coal complementary forms of tourism. The forms belong field, because of the rich hunting and fishing. to the classical-conventional tourism. Another form of the extreme sport tourism, rock Depending on the tourist motivation and destination, climbing, is practiced in the western part of the in Jiu Valley micro region, the following forms of region, especially in the area of Uricani town, in tourism can be practiced: Retezatmountains. 1) Ecological tourism. It is practiced in the eastern 7) Business tourism starts to be practiced more and part of the depression in the Parangmountains along more in Jiu Valley, especially in Petroşani area, the Jiet Gorges, and in the western part, in Retezat because of the interest showed by hotels people, mountains; who do their best to increase the occupancy degree 2) Week-end tourism. It is practiced in percentage of their hotels. of over 90% by the population that resides here Therefore, Jiu Valley Coal Field is a tourist micro during the summer, and during the cold season, this region where all classical forms of tourism are percentage decreases because of the flow of tourists practiced. Each of these has a more or less that come from other regions. significant degree of being practiced. 3) The agritourism. It has an insignificant Following the development of some new forms of percentage in the tourist activity from Jiu Valley. tourism in the area, by accomplishing some Only in a few establishments from Petrila, Taia and technological lines to foster the practicing of the Cimpa areas, and in CâmpulluiNeag locality, which industrial tourism, a more intense tourist activity belongs, in terms of administration, to Uricani town; could be ensured, so that the area to become a pole 4) Transitory tourism. It is insignificant at present. of attraction during the whole year. In perspective, when the road that connectsJiu Valley with Herculane resort, through Retezat 2 Problem Formulation National Park, this form of tourism will be one of After 1990 an intensive development of the tourist the economic generators of the area. resorts took place, so that at present, it can be said 5) Season tourism. It is practiced specially in the that some of them, for example Staja and Parâng mountain resorts and it is based on winter sports. resorts have become real towns. To this The most developed resort in terms of infrastructure, development a great contribution had the construction of modern cable cars, chairlifts and ski ISBN: 978-1-61804-280-4 271 Advances in Environmental Science and Energy Planning lift. In order to ensure the durable development of this tourist branch in Jiu Valley, it is needed to implement the information technology and to use the modern methods of tourist management. We consider that the adjustment to the new informational technologies represents the modality of tourism development in Petroşani Coal Field Being an isolated area, Jiu Valley must be permanently connected to the new information, new trends and changes that appear in the field of tourism. The main advantages generated by the implementation of tourist technologies, especially in the mountain regions, are: - processing the information and more efficient internal administration; - increasing the efficiency in communicating with Fig.1. Symbolic development model of Petroşani other branches of economic activity; Coal Field based on the implementation of the - the supply could be made on-line, so that the costs technologic tourist lines would be significantly reduced; - attracting new client segments (for example the The development model of the technologic tourist on-line generation). lines along with the classic-conventional tourism The implementing of the informational technology will attract infrastructural changes at tourism level at the level of the tourist units from Jiu Valley in the micro region. would significantly change the way of promoting the offer and services, by increasing the speed of 2.1 Tourist potential of development in the transmitting the useful, practical information. natural frame of Jiu Valley A problem of the tourist units from this area is that An important landscape wealth of the area, which over 75% function only seasonally, especially determined the tourism emergence and practice of during winter. winter sports in Jiu Valley, is represented by the One of the solutions of increasing the interest for grandeur of the peaks fromParâng, Vâlcan, Şureanu, this area during the entire year could be the Godeanu and Retezat mountains. development of agritourism and the development of Parâng and Retezat mountains have the richest the technologic tourism. glacial relief from the country, being crossed by The development of some tourist technological lines valleys, circuses, moraines and a necklace of glacial on the structure of the old mining units of coal lakes, among which Zănoaga Lake, the deepest from exploitation, that at present ceased their activity, the country (29 m) and Bucura Lake, the largest could represent the modality of economic recovery from the country (8,90 hectares), stand out. of the mono-industrial area, which, starting with the The caves and grottoes are other elements of the mines closure, entered a downward social-economic natural tourist potential from Jiu Valley tourist microregion, which can represent key points of way. attractiveness. As similarities in the field, Spain, Germany, Austria, From these, we mention Bolii Cave, in the eastern France or Great Britain are listed, member countries part, one of the biggest caves from Transylvania, of the European Union, which transformed old situated in the northern part of Petroşani, mines in real tourist attractions. respectively Buta Cave in the west part. Once the industrial tourist landmarks are developed, Noteworthy is that transparent stalagmites, brightly a new infrastructure, economic and technologic coloured stalactites and cave pearls were discovered development of this area would be ensured. in Buta cave. Achievement of a tourist-technologic park in the The natural tourist potential of Jiu Valley area assumes the use of the newest tourist Depression is delimited in 3 tourist sectors: technologies, and in the same time, would provide a 1) The western sector: In the west part of Petroşani continuous flow of tourist throughout the year Coal Field, Retezat National Park is remarked, (fig.1). having been declared natural monument. ISBN: 978-1-61804-280-4 272 Advances in Environmental Science and Energy Planning 2) The central sector: In the central part of the Field tourism from the economic region, the natural tourist potential is represented by potential of the area Straja Peak, the access being made through April- November- Strajaresort, and/or through Vâlcan mountain pass. October March The landscapes from the area are of an outstanding Uricani 7,4% 2,5% beauty, and the position and tilt of the slopes Lupeni 4% 18% ensures skiing and winter sports to be practiced in Vulcan 2,8% 12% the best conditions. Aninoasa 2,6% 0,7% 3) The eastern sector: Jiu Valley Coal Field bears Petroşani 9,8% 15% the name of the main town from this region, Petrila 3,6% 1,9% Petroşani, which is situated at the foot of Parâng mountain and Şureanu mountains. It is noticed that the classic-conventional tourism From tourism development point of view, the has the highest percentage in the area of Lupeni synthetic situation presents itself as follows: (fig.2): municipality during the cold season, when the - in terms of transit and business tourism, Petroşani infrastructure of Straja resort is used, which has the municipality is the only town from Petroşani Coal highest number of tourists, and during summer Field on which territory this form of tourism is Petroşani municipality, which registered almost practiced (γ). 10% in the year of 2014, because of the other forms - from natural tourist potential point of view, the of tourism proliferation. town of Uricani and the western part of the coal The localities of Petrila and Aninoasa have the field is the most developed area (α); lowest percentage because the tourist infrastructure - from the perspective of the anthropic tourist is weak. potential, of the tourist infrastructure and the The tourism problem