Community-based tourism and networking: Viscri, Romania

Abstract

This paper raises questions concerning the complexity of the term “community” when dealing with community-based tourism initiatives. It highlights the difficulty of translating into practice the paradigm of “community-based tourism”. Through a case study of tourism in the multi-ethnic village of Viscri, Romania, the paper discusses the operational role that a network of both internal and external actors may play in piloting tourism initiatives that produce benefits for communities that are unaccustomed to participatory development processes due to various barriers. The study highlights the key role played by a local leader and an external foundation in building a network that, thanks to the bonding and bridging relations activated, led the community towards a form of sustainable tourism development and a broader amelioration of the social conditions. The network described can be replicated in other geographical contexts, provided there is strong local leadership and also international interests and donors. In the long term, however, the network needs to be strengthened by involving other actors, above all local authorities. They are needed to assure the basis for long-term empowerment, participation in decision-making and progressive diversification of economic activities.

社区为基准的旅游和社交网：罗马尼亚的Viscri

该文章提出了考虑“社区”该词在和社区为基准的旅游目的时的复杂性。它重点提出了将“社区为基准的旅游”范例翻译应用到实践的困难性。通过在罗马尼亚的Viscri，一个多民族村庄里旅游发展的案例，该文章讨论了一个包括内部和外部参与者的社交网可能采取的旅游试点措施来对那些由于各种障碍而不习惯参与发展过程的社区产生效益。该研究强调了由一个当地领导和一个外部组织一起建立一个网络的关键作用。多亏于该网络建立的纽带和桥梁关系，使得社区向着一个可持续旅游发展的形式和更广泛的社会条件的改善而努力。这里讨论的网络可以在其他地理环境下复制，只要有强大的当地领导能力和国际兴趣和赞助。但是，在长期来讲，该网络需要包括所有当地政府和其他参与者的基础上来加强。他们对保证长期赋权的基础，决策的参与和经济活动的逐步多元化都很需要。

Keywords:

• community development
• networking
• local leaders
• participation
• tourism
• Romania

关键词:

• 社区发展
• 网络化
• 当地领导
• 参与
• 旅游
• 罗马尼亚

Acknowledgements

The authors are very grateful to Professor Geoffrey Wall for his precious comments and helpful editing advice. A special thanks to all the interviewees and in particular to Caroline Fernolend.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Monica Iorio

Monica Iorio is a professor of geography at the University of Cagliari, Italy. Her main research interests focus on tourism as a source of development for host communities, especially in marginal areas.

Andrea Corsale

Andrea Corsale is a professor of geography at the University of Cagliari, Italy. His research interests focus on cultural and rural tourism connected with local development.