Political implications of preserving traditional rural industries in Eastern Europe: evidence from the Romanian wine sector.
Pavel, Silvia-Mihaela
1. Introduction
Globalization, an inevitable development process (Frank and
Hershner, 2003), having as objective to integrate the world economies
and build bridges over large territories for the sake of prosperity, has
shaken the foundations of many industries and nations in the
irreversible process of change. Europe, in its rich heritage and
diversity (Lowenthal, 2000) is changing forever--changes that include
transforming the rural landscape in many geographic regions. It is
worthy of note the impact that urbanization has on rural areas of
Western Europe, manifested as severe changes in traditional countryside,
as a crisis of the traditional functions such as agriculture, declined
as a consequence of globalization and the associated business processes:
the landscape does not suffer less from degradation in terms of
fragmentation, standardization and progress of pests (Buijs, Pedrola,
and Luginbuhl, 2006).
Romania, a former communist country, illustrates the struggles of
European rural regions due to the lack of economic and trade
opportunities. Depopulation and alarmingly low birth rate, coupled with
an aging population and the implicit decline of generational renewal,
i.e. the insufficient number of new entrants to compensate for the gap
that those retired from farming, are issues that present serious
challenges for many rural regions of the country (Pinilla, Ayuda, and
Saez, 2008). The demographic and economic decline of agriculture can
also be exacerbated by land ownership inventory. After almost half of
century, land ownership reconstitution can be depicted as a slow motion,
syncopal episode, most often grounding on unfair and incorrect premises.
The decline of the agricultural sector may result in the sale of
rustic or arable land, leaving room for speculators to take advantage of
the unfavorable economic climate, buying devalued land and fragmentizing
it in order to raise domestic constructions. Thinking ahead, this
process leads to the extinction of culture and traditions in rural
areas. The reality of rural abandonment in the Romanian mountain areas
occurs when the land "ceases to generate an income flow for
businesses or households and the opportunities for resource adjustment
through changes in farming practices and farm structure are
exhausted" (MacDonald et al., 2000).
In this analysis we try to focus on the changes taking place in the
Romanian rural areas, in terms of vine-growing and wine-making business
operators. The challenges that Romanian rural areas are facing are
supplied by the complexity of the backwardness as compared to urban
areas, these too ruined by the political and governmental actions which
led to the construction of post-revolutionary democracy that depleted
the industry landscape competitive in an era already bygone, which
limits the potential and resources necessary for the rising of new
industries. On small wine businesses in rural and semirural areas it was
less discussed at academic level, with a tendency towards issues as
generational renewal or decline of the industry in which they operate.
On the other hand, in this paper we analyze the hypothesis according to
which businesses of small producers in the traditional wine industry
face severe challenges related to their viability and continuity. In
order to know the background and to approach the hypothesis, we will
discuss the following questions:
(1) What are the main reasons for operators to get involved in the
wine industry?
(2) What are the main challenges they are facing?
(3) If the winegrowing farms are located in a popular tourist
destination, to what extent are they related to tourism?
2. Problem Formulation
2.1. Culture and Tradition under the Sign of Change
Although Europe's economy has become, in the last 20 years,
disintegrated and global, in a faster pace than expected one can also
notice the negative parts of the individualization of nations: large
scale denationalization and de-institutionalization of culture.
Mazzarella (2004) explains that "world after globalization is one
in which culture is everywhere", while Shields (1999) notes that
"rather than mutually exclusive categories, culture and economy in
general, represent sets of overlapping and interdependent actions".
Coincident with the effects of globalization, in recent decades, the
role of agriculture in much of the advanced world as a pillar of
economic and social life is redefined (Marsden, 1995). One of the
implications resulting is that the preservation of local cultures, and
the potential impact of losing them, is alarming to government and
non-government agencies.
Despite the continuing effects of globalization, some regions have
found ways to counter them. Several countries in southern Europe, for
example, opposed what they perceive as an excessive influence or impact
of globalization, which has its roots in the processes of
standardization and mechanization of food production. These developments
were seen as a threat to agricultural and culinary traditions
(Mulholland, 2000; Miele, 2001, as cited in Parrot, Wilson, and Murdoch,
2002).
Rural communities fighting against globalization in order to
preserve their ancient identity and unspoiled traditions, appear as
opposed to rural communities united in the goal of innovation in order
to increase economic prosperity, designed as a final showdown of local
traditional products for the world "beyond". Wine production
in Romanian regions has ancient roots, the notoriety of such
territories, obtained through the wine quality steadfastness, promotion
and marketing as part of concerted efforts to propel this valuable
resource of the domestic economy, is currently a mix of tradition and
innovation.
A more comprehensive and radical demonstration of the progress that
small communities have faced is the evolution of forms of tourism in
rural destinations by exploiting the local specific and traditional
products, in some cases resulting in the creation of the major tourist
resorts, reflecting especially in the developed countries, where over
two thirds of the occupied population is hired in services sector, a
transition from pure agricultural activities towards services
(Georgescu, 2012). The tourism sector must therefore be alert, following
every step of their development, adapting and reacting in order to
optimize its resources and add more value to its organizations and to
the experience of 21st-century travellers (Nistorescu and
Constantinescu, 2011). Kneafsey (2000), explains the implementation of
tourism related activities as alternative development strategies in some
rural areas of Europe.
However, at the opposite end of the spectrum, the reality also
confirms European rural regions where, despite a steady decline, farmers
were not receptive to such changes, showing resistance by adopting
pluriactivity, which resulted in poor performance levels in the
activities implemented (Maestro, Gallego, and Requejo, 2007).
The creation of accommodation units inside the wine holdings
(enoturism) is a phenomenon that has been gaining ground (Albadalejo-Up,
Diaz-Delfa, 2009) in Romania too, suggesting both the involvement of
farmers in using these opportunities as a source of additional income,
and tourists' interest and demand for this concept of tourism. The
concept of ecocultural tourism has also been suggested as a tool that
could help support marginalized cultural regions and landscapes
(Wallace, Russell, 2004). Combining cultural aspects with tourism is
also seen as a valid strategy. Herrero, Sanz, Devesa, Bedat and del
Barrio (2006) emphasize the importance of cultural economy, as well as
the cultural events impacting social, cultural and economic life.
Merciu et al. (2011) also consider that the Romanian rural area is
a space that, in the context of the transition from centralized economy
to market economy, has accumulated multiple dysfunctions, whose
resolution requires the identification of viable solutions, matching
local potential and at the same time preserving traditional specificity.
Taking into consideration the cultural, historical, natural and economic
values of the Romanian village, it has proved to be and can be
capitalized as a highly original tourism product.
Thus, while some studies claim that tourism development could lead
to negative effects in the form of social change and social exclusion in
some rural societies, there is evidence that tourism could act as an
economic force in many European regions, considering the influence
between the evolution of tourism product and services market and the
evolution of other sectors of activity and the national economy
(Georgescu, 2011).
Hereinafter, it is important to discuss the impacts of rural
tourism, seen as both rewards and risks of rural tourism in an effort to
paint a picture of the potential issues that may be experienced by
Romanian rural areas experiencing an influx of tourists. Due to the
unique nature of wine tourism, both in terms of product and visitor,
there are some benefits are particular to this type of tourism. We
present these below (Table 1).
Tourism research also points to several possible drawbacks or
issues that may be experienced by host communities. Table 2 presents
these issues and the causes of their occurrence:
Risks Explanation
Many rural villages, especially in isolated areas,
are ill equipped for a sudden influx of population,
Traffic causing an increase in traffic. Just like traffic
congestion in urban areas, congestion in rural
areas is frustrating, especially because it
interrupts the isolated character of the place.
When an isolated rural area experiences an influx
of new people, it is possible for the existing
Loss of Cultural people to experience a shift in culture and values.
or Rural "Wine tourism leads to a shift from a mind-set
Identity associated with agricultural production to one in
which rural residents view themselves and their
countryside as being <<consumed>> by visitors within
a service economy".
Beyond a shift in culture, visitors to rural areas
can have other adverse effects. In areas
experiencing wine tourism it is often the case that
Social Exclusion the new visitors are more affluent than the
existing populations. The lifestyles of the
tourists can be different than the one enjoyed by
the current residents of a rural area which can
lead to a feeling of "social exclusion".
Because wine tourists are more affluent than
general tourists, they generally have the financial
force to purchase properties in the visited areas.
This increased interest in the existing real estate
drives up the value of land in the host community
and can increase property taxes and make homes
Increase in Real unaffordable for people who have lived there for
Estate Costs generations. In addition, this would turn
construction very expensive, rendering difficult
homeownership and tourism estate development. Young
people who grew up in the area may find it
difficult to purchase property and choose to move
elsewhere, resulting in an outflow of the original
population and further affecting the shift in
cultural values.
There are two ways the increase in tourism can
decrease agricultural lands. (1a) loss of land as a
result of development to service the tourism
industry (housing new grocery stores and
restaurants).
(1b) many visitors to places may later decide to
move there, so as rural towns are often surrounded
Loss of by agricultural land, the only place for new
agricultural development to accommodate new residents is onto
lands those lands.
(2) as tourism is related to recreation, the
agricultural lands will be developed as trails or
green-ways, in the case of wine tourism it may be
lost to the development of vineyards or tasting
rooms; it can be argued that vineyards are still
agricultural lands and thus do not count as a loss
of agricultural lands, but this overlooks the loss
of crop diversification.
As wine tourism becomes an even larger part of the
landscape, it is possible that bigger wineries will
opt to do business in rural villages, creating a
dichotomy between the small independent wine
producers and the larger corporate wineries. With
Influx of large the increase in number of large wineries, the
wineries character of the village will once again shift, as
these larger wineries may gain more influence in
local politics, but may not have to experience the
outcomes of their decisions as keenly as the
smaller artisan wineries.
Source: Adaptation after Roberts and Hall, 2001
Successful economic development in Romanian rural areas should
follow some best practices encountered in other rural communities
experiencing rapid tourism growth, and at the same time striving to
maintain the productivity of existing agriculture important in an area:
* Safeguardation of rural character by maintaining clear boundaries
between urban and rural
* Preservation of historic assets
* Creation value and lasting beauty
* Enhancement of the economic vitality of small towns through a
series of reinvestment in the core town
* Anticipation and strengthening of domestic needs of all community
residents
* Preservation and presentation of the natural assets of
communities
* Maintenance of the economic productivity of agricultural lands
and forests of a region
* Maintenance of the health of natural systems that sustain life in
the region
* Expansion of local and regional transportation options to reduce
traffic congestion
The conditions to maximize the benefits of economic development
through enological tourism include:
* Maximizing the length of stay;
* Ownership of cellars and other businesses remains local;
* Most products, including wine and food, are produced locally and
include local ingredients;
* Employees in the wine industry are mostly locals.
These aspects remain important for our contry to consider as it
continues to encourage wine tourism to develop in its rural areas.
Political strategies should maintain a strong emphasis on
'local' throughout recommendations, which is important for
several reasons. Firstly, keeping ownership of wineries and other
businesses local allows a larger amount of capital to remain in the
community; secondly, limiting the outflow of capital helps to build the
economic base within the community more quickly than the case when
capital is being redistributed to large national or international
interests.
2.2. Romania's Rural Regions
Most studies from the Accession Agreement to the EU and from the
National Program for Agricultural and Rural Development (NPARD) underlie
Romania's needs for a multifunctional, competitive agriculture, at
the same time complementary to the agriculture of the other EU Member
States, and simultaneously our country's decision making in respect
of the support given to different competing farming systems, such as
food production vs. biofuel production, conventional agriculture vs.
biotechnological agriculture, conventional farming vs. organic farming,
modern agriculture vs. traditional agriculture, family farm agriculture
vs. large farm agriculture, semi-subsistence agriculture versus
commercial agriculture.
Sustainable rural development, considered the newest and most
impacting philosophy on development in rural areas, implies the balanced
intermingling of the rural economy's agricultural and
non-agricultural components, standing on principles such as
economy--ecology equilibrium, medium and long term sustainable
development programs, preservation of rural natural environment,
preservation of a natural-like anthropized environment, the use of
domestic renewable resources, diversification of the agricultural
economy structure through pluriactivity, by supporting the development
of agri-food economy, non-agricultural economy and services (Otiman,
2008).
The European Charter describes the rural area in Europe as a
precious landscape, having a long historical background, and a
perspective under the society's concern. The relationship between
the rural area and society is conditioned by the safe-keeping of an
attractive and original living space that could guarantee under these
conditions the supply, recreation and equilibrium functions, through a
well-adjusted infrastructure, a healthy agricultural and forestry
sector, nonagricultural economic activities whipped up by favorable
local conditions, and un unspoiled environment with a green landscape.
By analyzing the present agricultural structures and their
underperformances, the rural economy with predominantly primary
character and the rural population's resource consumption, any rude
observer can reckon the high poverty rate of the Romanian countryside,
determining a shift towards the natural, subsistence economy and getting
isolated from the market economy.
Agritourism, alternative form of tourism strongly developed in the
last decade in many European regions, is able to capitalize on existing
accommodation surplus existing in peasant households by involving
tourists in farm life and supplying them with services and activities
(meals, accommodation, interaction with the socio-natural environment)
specific to a rural household, without disturb its specificity. Rural
tourism embraces all tourist activities carried out in rural areas,
aiming at making the most of the natural and human potential of villages
(Nistoreanu, Gheres, 2010), by involving farm families usually, whose
customs and traditions are preserved.
"Vinitourism" seems to be incomplete without the
"eno" component. And the latter is limited without the
"viti" part. From the point of view of those who work in the
wine industry, the benefit that the public gets to know the wineries, to
see the plantations, to hear the words of winemakers, is undeniable.
(http://catalinpaduraru.ro/2011/12/turism-oenoturism-turism-viticol/)
Distrust, false myths disappear and are replaced with
understanding, empathy towards effort, emotion associated with great
life stories. Thus, we believe that we will increase responsible and
endorsed consumption of wine, as a sign of a maturing market within a
country, once important component of the viticulture world, a position
to regain by this beautiful way.
We find it imperatively necessary to redefine the meaning of
horticulture product. A proper understanding of the phenomenon brings
under one umbrella grape, wine, enotourism, pharmacosmetic essences, but
also wellness resorts dedicated to "wine" or traditional
caterers. The immediate result would be the improvement of many economic
and social parameters, the reactivation of deprived areas, and turning
hitherto unseen veins of the cultural layer, contributing to the
preservation of the architectural and cultural heritage.
Fixing the domestic capital or attracting the foreign one, the
total capitalization of products, by-products, derivatives and even
waste, the "on spot" export, the import-export balance
equilibration, the absorption of an important category of educated young
people, the creation of new jobs in interrelated industries, new
possibilities for recovery of emigration or, equally important, setting
in the home area for young people, in one meaning--the former bohemia,
the effervescence of creative writing--can be considered
"restorations" in the new world of wine.
The development of a rural area can and should mean ecological
conducting, material contribution towards the construction of
waste-to-energy powered microplants, water purification plants, and at
human level--cohesion and identity of the local community.
The presentation of wine routes, lodging, entertainment, sports
opportunities, and cultural and historical objectives becomes advocate
for wine tourism.
3. Problem Solution
3.1. The Implications of Generational Renewal
To the decline of rural areas a pervasive problem was added, that
of generational renewal decrease. Ruiz (2006, 2007) argues that market
liberalization has caused a strong foreign competition, whose
consequences were the increase in rural areas abandonment, the emergence
of so-called rustic soil, and the discouragement of young people from
following their parents' occupation and engaging in agriculture,
and once with these, the loss of traditional industries. This analysis
addresses these dimensions by exploring the context of small family
businesses in the wine industry.
The review of the literature on family business stresses the fact
that succession and economic viability are the biggest challenges that
small wine producers in the Romanian area are facing. The founders of
many wineries have indicated a high probability that their business
operations cease once they reach retirement age, thus confirming the
hypothesis that the viability and continuity of small businesses in
traditional industries in rural areas is threatened. The disappearance
of traditional entertainment, the preference of not being self employed,
business sustainability implications, impediments to succession and
generational transfer, make it difficult even for people with personal
motivation by family tradition to take the decision of becoming
successors in family businesses.
As for the Romanian wine farms, the lack of young people entering
the industry is the result of aging of farmers, but also of the high
financial investment which involves the establishment and development of
a winegrowing domain. Grape growers (associates or partners) are getting
old, while the younger generation is running from agriculture. In some
cases, the generational problem is not triggered only by costs, but also
by the operators' young age. A solution for attracting revenues to
finance the winegrowing holdings' activity is to include them in
tourist itineraries marketed by tour operators.
3.2. Wealth in Perspective: Passion, Tradition and Performance
The motivations and reasons for entering the wine industry have
always been maintaining tradition, the existence of a passion for wine
making technology, following a hobby, and the primary source of income
it represents. This industry flourished in the seventeenth and
eighteenth centuries, currently maintaining the significance of keeping
a national tradition. Generally speaking, an important tool for the
preservation of this and any other industry are government subsidies.
Agriculture is neglected in discussions on strategy and the future of
the European Union, the danger of food security and many farmers and
rural areas extinction being obvious (www.ziare.com). In recent years,
the financial assistance offered by the European Union and local
government agencies aimed at encouraging young people to engage in
agriculture, reducing rural abandonment and preventing the loss of
traditional industries.
Tradition and commercial benefits are the main motivations of
operators activating in the wine industry. Generally, these family wine
farms are inherited, on generational line, the last generation being
that put in a position to decide to sell or urbanize the land which they
inherited, or remain rooted in family tradition and exploit the vineyard
as sole proprietor or together with a couple partner or with children.
Many winegrowers describe innovation and modernization as important
steps to progress beyond the purely artisan winemaking process towards a
more professional wine production, while firmly remaining a family
exploitation. However, despite the obvious strengths that suggest the
positive progress and the potential of grapes growing in the famous
Romanian areas, there are several clues that the industry is also faced
with threats such as saturation of Romanian wine market with imported
wines, the pressures on the development of the wine industry and
difficulties related to the generational transfer, a complicated process
primarily because the old winegrowing farmers' descendants have
other careers or are not prepared to spend money in an investment that
would eventually not bring profits, which determines them to closely
monitor the legislative changes in order to sell their land to
developers.
Observations from the winemakers suggest that the number of persons
employed in agricultural activities declined dramatically in recent
years, which hampers the smooth conduct of certain vine-growing
processes due to the lack of human labor, knowing that small,
traditional producers are not followers of mechanization. It is
important to story the dramatic changes that have taken place in terms
of land availability, indicating the existence of a plethora of
vineyards in some parts of Europe, making it virtually impossible to
purchase land in some regions as a result of fierce competition, while
producers today would give their product for free but not to abandon the
land.
Today, from the point of view of policy makers, winegrowers are
endangered animals.... Therefore, the current situation is critical,
despite the extraordinary efforts of wine local operators and other
stakeholders, including regulatory measures of local councils, made to
boost the wine industry, many winemakers are very apprehensive about
what the future reserves them.
3.3. Creating Industry Viability through Traditional Product--A
Wine to Remember
The winery, retail stores, wine fairs, hospitality chains and the
retail free service are distribution channels for the wine industry
products. But not incidentally, engaging in tourism to show visitors how
old ways of working are kept and how an ancient industry is transmitted
is a major source of attracting visitors and promoting winery direct
sales, bringing on the one hand profits from accommodation, on the other
hand encouraging wine selling by allowing lower prices. For any
passionate of wine and travelling, wine tasting at the winery has a
special flavor--that of the story of the place and people, wine
whispering its secrets among nicely appointed barrels and smell of
fermenting, inviting us to explore its lands (Nistorescu, Pavel and
Constantinescu, 2012).
Thus, the cost factors both from production and the finished
product, global competition and the lack of understanding and
appreciation for authentic local products, all hamper the efforts to
make traditional industries financially viable. The family business
status, without a need for external labor force, appears to be an
important factor in the financial viability of these small traditional
businesses in the wine industry.
In some cases, the abandonment of rural areas may benefit the
family businesses. At European level, only 7% of farmers are younger
than 35, so the intervention of Romanian Europarlamentarians manifested
in the application for the provision of specific measures to encourage
young farmers. The document calls on the European Commission to also
support, through special programs and EU funds, the traditional
agriculture, family estates, small farms and green agriculture.
Although Romania is the sixth-largest wine producer in the European
Union, making 4 million hectoliters a year, its viticultural heritage
was trampled during more than four decades of communist dictatorship.
The communists collectivized landholdings and focused on the quantity
produced regardless of the quality, consequently the image of Romanian
wines deteriorated. At almost 24 years after communism fall in Romania,
the country's wine producers are proclaiming their revitalized
industry as the next big thing in Europe, hoping to re-establish the
ancient tradition of making the type of high-quality wines that were
praised by the poet Ovid (43 B.C.-A.D. 18). Winemakers and grape growers
have rediscovered Romania's best sites and embarked on a long-term
project to restore the country's reputation, by bringing vineyards
back to life, with millions of Euros investments, by planting scores of
hectares of vines, by rebuilding modern and welcoming cellars, along
with tasting rooms looking out over the hills, and creating jobs. The
country has been given a boost by European funding following its
accession to the European Union in 2007, stimulating local and foreign
investment.
Many advantages are capitalized: Romanian wine regions'
location, on the same latitude as the vineyards of Bordeaux and Tuscany,
is facilitating the culture of white, red and rose grapes, gaining a
reputation for making high-quality cabernet sauvignon, merlot or
feteasca neagra. Foreign investors in Romanian wine regions, such as
Dealu Mare, Samburesti, Dragasani, consider Romania and Bulgaria the
European Union's Australia and Chile. While some quality wines have
started to win over international markets, producers agree that a major
national marketing effort is required to overcome negative stereotypes
and achieve prices commensurate with the product's quality. The
answer could lie in a portfolio of international varieties such as
merlot, cabernet sauvignon and pinot noir, together with indigenous
grape varieties which contribute to the wines' unique
character--such as feteasca neagra, with its hints of dried plum, or
feteasca alba and tamaiosa, giving the country a unique selling point.
4. Discussion and Conclusions
Succession and financial viability, the two concerns raised in this
paper, are closely related. Domestic and international product
competition of the greatest producers using modern technologies can not
be beaten on price. Except family farms, high labor costs make it
extremely difficult to keep the business financially viable. Younger
generations may not be prepared to manage the risk of entering a family
business, mainly characterized by strong competition intensified by
market liberalization. Pressure of globalization, added to the economic,
environmental and demographic pressures, negatively affect the social
component of many rural communities worldwide. Depopulation problems and
difficulties of generational renewal and succession process are not
unique to Romania, but have been reported in the rest of Europe too.
In an effort to improve commercial opportunities for wine
producers, the introduction of designations of origin for quality
control, coupled with the winegrowers' efforts and the focus on
quality, contributes to the development of the wine industry, helps
winemakers to gain international reputation, to rehabilitate after a
time in the shadow of anonymity due to agricultural pests and other
factors of decline. France has several classification systems based on
production site; Spain, Greece and Italy have classifications based on a
dual system of quality and origin of the grapes. Outside Europe, the
wines tend to be classified by grape variety rather than by place of
production or region of origin, and there are some informal attempts of
classification by quality. In Romania, ONDOV (National Office of
Appellations of Origin for Wines), a public institution with legal
personality established in 2002 and subordinated to the Ministry of
Agriculture and Rural Development, develops the technical standards to
produce wines with designation of origin (DOC) and wines with a
geographical indication (GI), in consultation with the National Office
of Vine and Wine (ONVV) and wine producers' organizations in the
area concerned and issues the authorization for producer of grapes to
obtain wines with protected designation of origin, and the certificates
attesting the right to market wines with a protected designation of
origin. The regulation of these aspects related to product has as
ultimate purpose the progressive and successful development of the
national wine industry that can ensure the future preservation of this
traditional sector.
Vineyards have been part of the Romanian rural landscape ever since
our ancestors. Geto-Dacians, ancient inhabitants of the land from the
Danube, the Black Sea and Carpathians, particularly valued wine, and
vine was one of the most prominent of their riches. However, the lack of
incentives for younger generations for vine cultivation, the lack of
labor force in agriculture--an aspect that hinders all stages from the
work in the vineyard until the must is put to ferment in barrels in
cellars -, the temptation to sell owned land for other uses, for some
ridiculous prices because of the lack of generational continuity at the
helm of small family farms, the growing pressure on owners to sell the
land they inherited to get cash on the expense of the real estate boom,
may seal the fate of this local industry; unique landscapes may be lost
forever in this destructive process.
In recent years, the financial assistance offered by the European
Union and local government agencies aimed at slowing down the process of
urbanization, reducing rural abandonment and preventing the loss of
traditional industries. However, lifestyle and demographic changes seem
to contribute to the rapid decline of traditional industries. The local
authorities' dilemma is whether to support local industries and the
conservation of rustic soil, while providing trade opportunities and
incentives for entrepreneurs to stay on the land or in cellars, helping
to keep alive the traditions. Preserving and encouraging passion and
traditions are not enough. It becomes really necessary to differentiate
quality local products to cheaper imported products. Opportunity lies
not in unnecessary competition by price, but in emphasis on uniqueness,
local tradition, and being truly authentic and manufactured. In
addition, addressing many forms of tourism, such as enological tourism,
can meet changes in tourists' expectations over time. This process
involves providing a wider range of attractiveness and accommodation
services, including those facilities that meet the high demands of
comfort, to satisfy demand.
Construction sector crisis was a rude awakening of local
authorities and population about the dangers of short-term, damaging,
unsustainable strategies, wanted to promote economic development. The
illusion of high salaries obtained easily in nontraditional industries
quickly vanishes, appearing in contrast to more modest rewards in
commercial terms, assuming a higher volume of work.
In addition, abandonment and loss of generational renewal in rural
areas will undoubtedly affect the social structure of rural communities,
leading to loss of traditions and local gastronomic culture. In turn,
these events can have complex consequences for the local population,
such as negative social ramifications, already noticed. Future research
should focus on exploring the challenges, opportunities and stages of
Romanian traditional industries. A longitudinal perspective is
recommended to identify and monitor potential changes and facilitate
government and nongovernment agencies to support development and assist
preservation of local traditions and lifestyles.
5. Acknowledgement
This work was supported by the strategic grant
POSDRU/CPP107/DMI1.5/S/78421, Project ID 78421 (2010), co-financed by
the European Social Fund--Investing in People, within the Sectoral
Operational Programme Human Resources Development 2007-2013.
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Table 1: Benefits of wine tourism
Benefits Explanation
Tourism usually manages to bring a large amount of
Job Creation job creation because new facilities and amenities
are built to attract visitors to the area.
Economic development usually brings redevelopment
with it, especially true in historically rich
Redevelopment areas. Old buildings are rehabilitated to
accommodate new uses, vacant lots are cleared of
weeds and new structures are built.
Small rural villages often have limited options in
terms of retail and living choice, increasing
tourism can change both of these things. With an
New Development influx of visitors comes new construction such as
restaurants, hotels and boutiques. This has the
double benefit of creating more options for local
residents in terms of spending capital, but also
creates even more jobs.
Because growing and producing wine is primarily an
Preservation of agricultural pursuit, a large amount of
open space or agricultural land is often preserved than might
agricultural land otherwise be the case in rural villages that
experience sudden economic growth.
Wine tourists are often affluent, so they are
likely to spend a larger amount of money than most
tourists in an average visit, a large amount of
Influx of capital capital flowing this way into the community
into the economy because most of wineries are locally owned and
operated. In addition, tourism increases the tax
base for the community which increases local
government's ability to develop and enhance the
community.
Because wine tourists are a unique breed, they
will often travel great distances to taste and
Promotion of experience the wines of a certain region, so the
products and toured region might achieve great notoriety
region at a wide without much promotion costs. Additionally,
scope because wine can be mass distributed to grocery
and wine outlets, a person tasting the wine could
consider visiting the rural area found on the
label.
Source: Adaptation after Roberts and Hall, 2001