Place Identity, Urban Tourism and Heritage Interpretation: A Case Study of Craiova, Romania

ABSTRACT

The significance and economic potential of cultural heritage tourism have been acknowledged worldwide, being at the forefront of the development strategies for many cities aiming at enhancing the tourists’ experience. The paper presents a case study of recent heritage interpretation project in Craiova historical centre, one of the largest Romanian towns, followed by the results of an online survey, aimed to assess people’s awareness, understanding and appreciation of the place and the past. The process of urban and cultural regeneration was initiated by the City Hall, in the early 2000, aiming at the creative capitalization of the cultural heritage to increase the attractiveness of the area and life quality for the local community, tourists and potential investors alike, by conveying a sense of place and appreciation of the town which is both historical and cultural.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

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9. Ibid., p. 109.

10. Relph, op.cit., p. 45.

11. Ibid., p. 61.

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13. Ibid., p. 147.

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17. Ibid., p. 272.

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20. Ibid., p. 21.

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22. Gregory J. Ashworth, ‘Heritage, identity and places: For tourists and host communities’ in S. Singh, D.J. Timothy, R.K. Dowling (eds), Tourism in destination communities, CABI, 2003, pp. 79–97.

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33. Luquez-Martinez et al., op.cit., p. 349.

34. Uzzell, Op.cit, p. 223.

35. GEA, Studiu de revitalizare a centrului Craiovei, 2009.

36. Ibid., p. 41.

37. Ibid., p. 51.

38. According to an official declaration of the mayor (released in September 2013), if owners did not have enough money to cover for the costs, the town hall would lend them the money for a period of 19 months. Now, only six buildings in the area are still in ruin. However, in most cases, only the facades were renovated, while few of the courtyards and back of the houses were reconstructed.

39. Peter Howard, Heritage: management, interpretation, identity, A&C Black, 2003.

40. Ibid., p. 161.

41. Addressing the issue of competing for the programme European Capital of Culture, the mayor of the town argued that ‘living in a town that faced one of the highest unemployment rate in the country and a serious out-migration process […], Craiova residents should have the opportunity to claim their place among the European citizens, showing their cultural and economic heritage, to seek new challenges and reinvent their own identity, as an integral part of the European culture. We want to be what we used to and even more than that!’; Play IntenCity, 2013.

42. David Uzzell, ‘Interpreting our heritage: a theoretical interpretation’, D. Uzzell and R. Ballantyne (eds), Contemporary issues in heritage and environmental interpretation. London: The Stationery Office, 1998, pp. 11–25.

43. Remus, Cretan. Who owns the name? Fandom, social inequalities and the contested renaming of a football club in Timisoara, Romania. Urban Geography, 40(6), 2019, pp. 805–825

44. Lucian Vesalon and Remus Cretan,“‘Little Vienna” or “European avant-garde city”?Branding narratives in a Romanian City’. Journal of Urban and Regional Analysis, 11(1), 2019, pp. 17–34

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Liliana Popescu

Liliana Popescu has a PhD degree in Human geography and has focused during the last 15 years on research related to various forms of cultural tourism, as well as population mobility and the impact of demographic changes in developing countries. She took part, either as manager or team member, in various international projects focused mainly on cross-border tourism. She is a founding member and Executive Editor for the journal Forum Geographic, published by the Geography Department of the University of Craiova, where she is currently a lecturer.

Amalia Nita

Amalia Nita is Lecturer PhD at the Faculty of Sciences, Geography Department, University of Craiova. She holds a PhD in Geography and is the author of various articles, books and studies/strategies in the field of tourism, urban/rural development and cross-border natural and cultural heritage. Amalia Niță is a member of the Romanian Society of Geography and of the Romanian Association of Tourism Journalists and Writers (AJIR). Currently she is also a member of the Research-Innovation Centre in Regional Tourism- (CCITR) of the University of Craiova.

Costela Iordache

Costela Iordache is an Assistant Professor in the Geography Department of the University of Craiova, Romania. She has more than 30 years of professional experience in studies regarding human settlements, focusing mainly on the rural habitat in Romania. Her research interests also include topics such as ethnic minorities and their heritage, migration and its impact on developing countries.