| |
| |
To integrate conservation into
local sustainable development. |
|
 |
|
Since two decades, eco-tourism is used as a tool to support sustainable development in areas of outstanding beauty and importance for biodiversity conservation. To support our CLCP activities in the area of Piatra Craiului National Park, we have developed an eco-tourism programme, which has become internationally a model of sustainable development. We have based this programme on the attraction of wolves, bears, and lynx, and have found international partner travel agencies, which market the programme to their clients. Currently, these programmes include summer hiking, winter trips, horse-riding holidays, wildlife watching, rock climbing and bicycle holidays. At the same time we helped to locally develop a tourism infrastructure to secure that most of the revenues remain within the local population. The tourism programme also generates money for a Community Development and Conservation Fund, which assures the long-term financial sustainability of conservation in the area.
|
|
|
|
|
A focus on eco-tourism
Eco or sustainable tourism has to fulfil two criteria: First, revenues of this form of tourism have to support conservation or protected areas. Secondly, the local population should have an economic advantage of the integrity of their region by offering services for visitors.
|
|
