Valorizing intangible cultural heritage through community-based tourism in lapus land, Transylvania

• Author: F. Nechita/A. N. Candrea/A. Csiszér/H. Tanaka
• Position: Transilvania University of Brasov/Transilvania University of Brasov/University of Dunaújváros, Hungary/Meisei University Tokyo, Japan
• Pages: 65-74

Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Bra şov

Series VII: Social Sciences • Law • Vol. 11 (60) No. 1 - 2018

VALORIZING INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE

THROUGH COMMUNITY-BASED TOURISM IN

LĂPUȘ LAND, TRANSYLVANIA

F. NECHITA1 A. N. CANDREA2 A. CSISZÉR3 H. TANAKA4

Abstract: Community-based tourism has been promoted as a means of

development whereby the social, environmental and economic needs of local

communities are met through the offering of a tourism product. Local culture

may be a community’s most valuable asset for tourism if planned and

managed properly. Its intangible cultural heritage may provide a community

with a competitive advantage and uniqueness, one that differentiates it from

all other communities. However, with increasing commodification of

tourism, many smaller rural communities face several challenges in

developing community-based tourism. The present paper explores the

concept of community-based tourism, as a basis for the valorization of

intangible cultural heritage, with a special focus on a regional tourist

destination in Romania. Aiming to identify tourists’ experience, a research

was conducted among Japanese visitors who discovered the intangible

cultural heritage of the studied area during an academic summer camp.

Key words: Community-based tourism, intangible heritage, rural

destination, local inhabitants, traditions.

1. Introduction

The development of the paper is based on the results of a project initiated by two

universities, Transilvania University of Brasov and Meisei University Tokyo, which aimed

to cover some objectives in order to provide a framework for an extracurricular project-

based learning for their students (Nechita & Tanaka 2017). Transilvania Creative Camp,

the 2nd edition of the summer school on creative destinations and heritage

interpretation, took place between August 29th - Sep 5th, and aimed at creatively

promoting a Romanian rural destination. It was organized by Transilvania University of

Brasov, Faculty of Sociology and Communication, in partnership with Meisei University

(Japan), The Alternative School for Creative Thinking Bucharest, Universita Politecnica

1 Transilvania University of Brasov, florin.nechita@unitbv.ro

2 Transilvania University of Brasov

3 University of Dunaújváros, Hungary

4 Meisei University Tokyo, Japan