Paradigms and Paradoxes in the Metamorphosis of Ecotourism

– Retezat National Park – the largest nature reserve in Romania;

– on the territory of Retezat National Park there is the deepest glacial lake in Romania, Zănoaga Lake and the largest glacial lake, Bucura Lake;

– Retezat National Park – the first park in the country accepted as a member of PAN Parks (European foundation that aims to promote national parks as ecotourism destinations);

– areas on the territory of this destination have been included in the UNESCO list;

– Dinosaurs Geopark Ţara Haţegului – UNESCO International Geopark, unique and remarkable land in Romania;

– richness, uniqueness and diversity of the relief and the landscapes;

– originality of the existing cultural heritage on the territory of the destination;

– tourist routes that combine nature with geology, history, tradition and legends in the area;

– development of tourism in the region by recognising Ţara Haţegului – Retezat as a tourist area, mountains, 38 diversified tourist routes, cultural and historical monuments, accommodation capacity.

– the third largest protected nature reserve in Bulgaria;

– unique nature and culture of local, regional, national and global importance;

– favourable climate, relief and geographical location, which offers accessibility to natural and human resources;

– comprehensive state policy for environmental management (Business concept for destination management for the Ecotourism Association in the city of Kalofer, Law for environmental protection, Strategy for cultural tourism, etc.);

– Central Balkans National Park – became a member of PAN Parks and is also a PAN Parks certificate holder;

– the national park and eight of the nine nature reserves are on the UN list of protected representative areas and four of the nature reserves are included in the World Network of Biosphere Reserves under the UNESCO Human and Biosphere Programme;

– in 2006, the park was certified as a member of the Federation of European Wildlife and National Parks (EUROPARC);

– in 2009, the National Park received the European Diploma in Protected Areas – the first and only in Bulgaria to receive the prestigious international award from the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on protected areas of special European importance for the conservation of biological, geological and landscape diversity – award that evaluates the quality of the natural heritage and the effectiveness of the protection and management system.

– poorly developed infrastructure: roads, water and sewerage networks, insufficient tourist routes, no natural gas supply network;

– lack of public transport to allow tourists to travel to various tourist attractions;

– surface and groundwater pollution;

– insufficient promotion or lack of promotion of rural areas and specific products;

– lack of centres of traditions and customs;

– absence of regular cultural events;

– absence of leisure infrastructure (leisure areas for all ages, children's playgrounds both outdoors and indoors, but also clubs, discos).

– lack of experience in ministries for ecotourism development;

– weaknesses in the mechanisms for imposing restrictions on negative impacts;

– the existing infrastructure is not fully adequate;

– insufficient services for visitors (small number of internet operators in rural areas, lack of road signs and signs in a foreign language, etc.);

– poor quality of services in small villages due to lack of necessary qualifications and adequate education;

– insufficient promotion of the region and the country as a tourist destination;

– underdeveloped ecotourism products (underdeveloped market niches, insufficient loans of experience and foreign ideas).

– the special and well individualized natural environment allows the development of tourism throughout a year;

– destination development programme co-financed by a grant from Switzerland;

– existence of the National Strategic Plan for Rural Development;

– promoting local initiatives in tourism;

– increasing financial support through European funds from the European Union for financing general and tourist infrastructure projects and environmental projects;

– arousing an interest of other organisations for the exchange of good practices and experiences in the area;

– promoting the culinary art specific to the area.

– a means of stimulating the development of local communities;

– possibility to comment on the lack of economic potential and economic activities in settlements where there are no basic production resources;

– opportunity to improve sectoral employment of the population (balanced employment of male and female workers);

– opportunity to multiply real jobs;

– opportunity through ecotourism to create a complete national identity of the country in the marketing and advertising of Bulgarian destinations. Ecotourism is an opportunity to highlight Bulgaria's uniqueness for the development of new markets nationally and globally.

– climate change;

– inevitable natural hazards (danger of floods, falls of slopes, etc.);

– water pollution due to uncontrolled discharge, but also lack of sewerage infrastructure in some communes;

– irrational exploitation of resources and attitude of indifference to environmental protection;

– migration of the labour force abroad, but also of tourists to better promoted areas.

– competitive domestic state policy objectives (In Bulgaria there are competing reciprocal needs for state support and financing of social security systems and education, development and improvement of rural infrastructure. The need to prioritise objectives may hinder the development of ecotourism);

– natural disasters;

– terrorism;

– investment risk.