Strategic approach for developing specific eco-tourist products in the Danube Region

1. Transnational Strategy for the Sustainable Territorial Development of the Danube Area with special regard to TourismDATOURWAYBig River Conference Strategic approach for developing specific eco-tourist products in the Danube Region

2. The consortium • Détente Consultants SRL - lead • website: http://www.detente.fr/ • Tourism development audits and strategies, local development strategies, feasibility studies, • References: • Masterplan for the spa-tourism of Romania • Marketing plan for Bucharest tourism for 2010-2015 • Calypso Program – Study on social tourism in Europe • Eco-tourism zoning of the Danube Delta • HDI CONSULTING KFT - partner  • website: http://hdi-consulting.hu/hdi/ • A member of Hungaricum Group, created in 2007 • Deals with local development strategies, consultancy on EU funded programs. • Clients: National Development Agency, the Hungarian Economic Development Corp., the Ministry of Education and Culture, Municipality of Kiskunfélegyháza, North Transdanubian Water Authority, Regional Development Holding • Association of Ecotourism in Romania (AER) - partner • Website: http://www.eco-romania.ro/ • Creators of the Romanian Eco-tourism certification system • Management plans of natural parks in Romania • Development of tourist products such as theme paths, trails, interpretation and visitor centers.

3. Development of ecotourism products in the Datourway countries

4. Ecotourism: an opportunity Accepting the IUCN definition, we can determineecotourism as “an environmentally responsible travel and visitation to relatively undisturbednatural areas, in order to enjoy and appreciate nature (and any accompanying culturalfeatures – both past and present) that promotes conservation, has low negative visitorimpact and provides for beneficially active socio-economic involvement of localpopulations”. The emphasis on the educational component of the trip is verypronounced. The attributes of ecotourism make it a valuable tool for conservation.Its implementation can: With the growing public awareness of the environment and the need to protect it,ecotourism is expected to continue growing in popularity. The constant concern must be to balance the need to generate income through the positive economic and educational impacts with its potential negative impacts.

5. Natura 2000 areas along the Danube Main motives of travelare to experience and appreciate the natural environment.

6. Protected areas along the Danube Protected areas are themain reason for selecting an ecotourism travel destination

7. Product success factors: Responsible travelers Green Travel Mobile Application

8. Ecotourism: a meaningful experience

9. Development priorities:

10. Some examples of camping

11. Some examples of camping

12. Some key points on a zoning strategy • The main objectives of a Zoning Plan • To provide protection for critical or representative habitats, ecosystem and ecological processes • To separate conflicting human activities • To protect the natural and cultural qualities of the protected area while allowing a spectrum of reasonable human uses as tourism • To preserve some areas in their natural state undisturbed by humans except for the purposes of scientific research or education • To reserve suitable areas for tourism uses, while minimizing the effects of those uses Components of the zoning format To involve as much as possible the local community and the local stakeholders in the decisional process

13. The need of local and regional tourism zoning strategy The zoning process has covered three different steps:

14. The need of local and regional tourism zoning strategy

15. Proposal of a cross border greenway along the Danube

16. Jamil BENABDALLAH Director General Détente Consultants Str. Corneliu Botez, nr 1, sect. 2, Bucuresti, Romania Tel : +40 (0) 727 938 178 Tel/Fax : +40 (0) 21 312 1339 E-mail : jamil@detente.ro ; admin@detente.ro Site Internet : www.detente.fr