The sustainable quality tourism as a key sector of Centurio program me in Harghita county

1. The sustainable quality tourism as a key sector of Centurio programme in Harghita county Centurio Dissemination Seminar Szolnok, 21-24. September 2005 MÁTÉFFY Mária- Harghita County Council

2. It is obvious that we cannot say today anymore that tourism is “the smokeless industry“, because beside the short term economic benefits, damaging effects are appearing which influence our surroundings, environment, culture and society. Therefore when the actors of the society (including also those who are directly dealing with tourism) develop tourism and implement investments, the aim has to be the minimization of the negative effects, in order to protect our environmental, cultural and other treasures from the short term profit hunger of the tourism sector. We must have in view the principle of sustainability during the process of planning, implementing and final controlling in tourism – the most complex economic sector.

3. The facts of the sustainable quality tourism • Reaching sustainability also in tourism is very important, because catering industry is one of the main “industries“ of the economic sector. • All over the world level there are 1 billion tourists, and the tourism incomes are over 700 billion dollars. • The eco-agro-tourism started to develop only in the middle of the eighties, but nowadays this is the most dynamically developed sector of the tourism.

4. The sustainability versus hard tourism(with urbanization effects) • That society corresponds to the ideal of the sustainability, which “satisfies its demands without affecting the fulfillment of the future generations’ demands“ ( Report about our joint future,1987)

5. Strategy objectives in Harghita county To perform tourism developments that would increase employment rates and living standards while maintaining the condition of the environment and tourist attractions. Developments should mainly utilize local resources with active local participation and be embedded into a comprehensive and integrated rural development programme. Besides the identification of general development objectives, a major objective is community building. Among other solutions, this could be achieved by supporting tourism development of local attractions and cultural heritage sites that are unique to the region. Important factors include the analysis of the offer presented by the region, the training of locals and businesses for receiving and managing tourism, and tourism’s social and environmental effects

6. What entitles us to think that we will be able to realize the sustainable quality tourism in Harghita county? • Natural rarities

7. What entitles us to think that we will be able to realize the sustainable quality tourism in Harghita county? • Natural rarities

8. What entitles us to think that we will be able to realize the sustainable quality tourism in Harghita county? • Natural rarities

10. Architectural heritage

12. The numerous initiatives • Thematic routes Mineral water trail

13. The first mineral water museum

14. Thank you for your kind attention ! Mátéffy Mária mmaria@cchr.ro