local products, traditional cuis<strong>in</strong>e and people’s daily life, as well as <strong>the</strong> cultural elementsand <strong>the</strong> au<strong>the</strong>ntic features <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> area, while show<strong>in</strong>g respect for <strong>the</strong> environment and fortradition.Valcea area is <strong>in</strong> full development <strong>in</strong> terms <strong>of</strong> rural <strong>tourism</strong>, especially <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> North<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> county where <strong>the</strong>re are most guesthouses <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> County.Accord<strong>in</strong>g to <strong>the</strong> settlement <strong>of</strong> <strong>village</strong>s, <strong>in</strong> Valcea County we meet <strong>the</strong> follow<strong>in</strong>g<strong>village</strong>s:Ethnographic and <strong>folk</strong> <strong>tourist</strong> <strong>village</strong>s – where traditional costumes, architectureand <strong>in</strong>terior decoration <strong>of</strong> houses predom<strong>in</strong>ate and become essential features. Examples <strong>of</strong><strong>the</strong>se k<strong>in</strong>d <strong>of</strong> <strong>village</strong>s: Vaideeni, Coste ti, Sl tioara, Pietrari, Ro iile, Nicolae B lcescu;Tourist <strong>village</strong>s <strong>of</strong> artistic creation and craft – Olari <strong>village</strong> from Horezu,Maldaresti, Tomsani, Pietrari. These <strong>village</strong>s present <strong>in</strong>terest to <strong>tourist</strong>s due to <strong>the</strong>irimportance for artistic creativity, craft, where under <strong>the</strong> guidance <strong>of</strong> <strong>folk</strong> craftsmen <strong>the</strong>ymight become <strong>in</strong>itiated <strong>in</strong> archaic <strong>folk</strong> art and techniques.Tourist mounta<strong>in</strong> <strong>village</strong>s – Malaia, Vaideeni, Bradisor, Runcu – provide<strong>tourist</strong>s with conditions for <strong>the</strong> practis<strong>in</strong>g w<strong>in</strong>ter and summer sports;Pastoral <strong>tourist</strong> <strong>village</strong>s –<strong>in</strong> general <strong>the</strong> mounta<strong>in</strong> <strong>village</strong>s might be <strong>in</strong>cluded -Vaideeni, Malaia, Alunu, Tisa, Gurguiata, Pleasa, whose ma<strong>in</strong> <strong>tourist</strong> attraction are <strong>the</strong>dairy-based menus, and <strong>the</strong> <strong>tourist</strong>s can participate <strong>in</strong> various sheepfold activities;Tourist uval <strong>village</strong>s from Dragasani area (Stefanesti, Orlesti, Ionesti) – where<strong>the</strong> practice <strong>of</strong> <strong>tourism</strong> has a permanent character as <strong>tourist</strong> activities are conducted andafter harvest<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> fruit, <strong>the</strong>re can be direct consumption <strong>of</strong> products obta<strong>in</strong>ed from <strong>the</strong>process<strong>in</strong>g;Cultural- monastic <strong>tourist</strong> <strong>village</strong>s – Costesti, Barbatesti, Slatiora, Stanisoara,Francesti (where “Manastirea d<strong>in</strong>t-un lemn” is), Cornetu, Boisoara, Iezer, visit<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong>monasteries and <strong>the</strong> surround<strong>in</strong>gs be<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> ma<strong>in</strong> form <strong>of</strong> enterta<strong>in</strong>ment <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> area.The follow<strong>in</strong>g ideas can be drawn from <strong>the</strong> above:- that regional <strong>folk</strong>lore is not only a component <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> rural <strong>tourism</strong>, but it also haslarge implications <strong>in</strong> mak<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> best use <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> local <strong>tourist</strong> resources;- it contributes to improv<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> standard <strong>of</strong> liv<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>habitants <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> socioeconomicdevelopment <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> rural <strong>village</strong>;- and last but not least it contributes to promot<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> regional <strong>tourism</strong> <strong>of</strong>fer.The changes that have taken place <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> contemporary <strong>village</strong> life have led to a vastprocess <strong>of</strong> renewal <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> popular artistic creation. Along with <strong>the</strong> songs and traditionalhabits, new items, which are <strong>the</strong> expression <strong>of</strong> life, feel<strong>in</strong>gs and ideas what animates ourpeople today. It is <strong>the</strong>refore necessary that recovery <strong>folk</strong>lore to take <strong>in</strong>to account firstly <strong>of</strong><strong>the</strong> elements which are more updated news. Recovery <strong>folk</strong>lore raises difficult problems <strong>in</strong>terms <strong>of</strong> penetration <strong>of</strong> modern communication and urban <strong>in</strong>fluences. In order to preservetraditional values and <strong>the</strong> unadulterated spiritual Fund and to revitalize <strong>the</strong> process <strong>of</strong>creation, <strong>the</strong> animators <strong>of</strong> life hosted cultural-artistic regional operation shall ensure that afruitful activity <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> circuit between <strong>the</strong> hearth and home and <strong>folk</strong> cultural scene.4. ConclusionsThe aim <strong>of</strong> this paper was to explore <strong>the</strong> extent to which rural <strong>tourist</strong>s <strong>in</strong> ValceaCounty benefit from <strong>the</strong> <strong>folk</strong> potential, considered to be a spiritual or transcendentalexperience. It is clear from <strong>the</strong> research, <strong>the</strong>re is no doubt that <strong>the</strong> <strong>tourist</strong> experiences <strong>in</strong>Valcea County acquire some form <strong>of</strong> spiritual fulfillment.Susta<strong>in</strong>able development <strong>of</strong> <strong>tourism</strong> does not act brutally aga<strong>in</strong>st <strong>the</strong> environment,keep<strong>in</strong>g it unaltered. Through <strong>the</strong> development <strong>of</strong> rural <strong>tourism</strong> areas, tak<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>to account<strong>the</strong> best type <strong>of</strong> accommodation, <strong>the</strong>re is <strong>the</strong> belief that <strong>the</strong>re will be no negative effects on67
<strong>the</strong> environment, and <strong>the</strong> natural resources will be used rationally. On <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r hand,migration to <strong>the</strong> city, <strong>the</strong> modernisation <strong>of</strong> labour <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> agricultural sector, <strong>the</strong> changescaused by <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>creas<strong>in</strong>g competition <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> rural world by enlarg<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> free ruralcommunity market have a counterpart <strong>in</strong> rural <strong>tourism</strong>. The activities <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> field <strong>of</strong> rural<strong>tourism</strong> can boost <strong>the</strong> <strong>village</strong>s’ economy, if <strong>the</strong>ir <strong>in</strong>habitants’ benevolent attitude (toreceive and accept <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir midst <strong>the</strong> wave <strong>of</strong> prodigal and pretentious guests) is receivedfavorably.With a cultural heritage so rich and valuable, Romania could be an importantdest<strong>in</strong>ation on <strong>the</strong> cultural <strong>tourism</strong> world map. The lack <strong>of</strong> adequate <strong>in</strong>frastructure, <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong>transport sector <strong>in</strong> particular, <strong>the</strong> questionable quality <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>tourist</strong> services and, last butnot least, <strong>the</strong> absence <strong>of</strong> more aggressive advertis<strong>in</strong>g and better centered campaigns are justsome <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> causes that determ<strong>in</strong>e Romania’s peripheral position as a <strong>tourist</strong> dest<strong>in</strong>ation <strong>in</strong>Europe.Bibliography1. Faganel, Armand, Develop<strong>in</strong>g susta<strong>in</strong>able agro<strong>tourism</strong> <strong>in</strong> Central and EastEuropean Countries. Academica Turistica – Tourism and Innovation Journal, no. 1/20112. Iordache Maria Carmen, Doroban u Maria Roxana, Cultural – Folklore Events –Promoters <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Cultural Tourism, Revista de Turism, Suceava, no.6, 2008, p. 563. Nistoreanu, Puiu, Ghere , Mar<strong>in</strong>ela (2010), Turismul rural – tratat, Editura C.H. Beck,Bucure ti4. Pascariu, Gabriela, Carmen (2006), Evolu ii i tend<strong>in</strong> e în turismul <strong>in</strong>terna ional –fluxuri,pie e, politici, Editura Sedcom Libris, Ia i5. Royo-Vela M. (2009), Rural-cultural excursion conceptualization: A local <strong>tourism</strong>market<strong>in</strong>g management model based on <strong>tourist</strong> dest<strong>in</strong>ation image measurement. TourismManagement 30 (2009), p. 419-428.6. Sava, Ciprian, Susta<strong>in</strong>able Development <strong>of</strong> Tourism – A Case Study, <strong>the</strong> identification <strong>of</strong><strong>the</strong> optimal capacity <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Sânmihaiu German Thermal Swimm<strong>in</strong>g Pool <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> Timi County, înInternational Journal <strong>of</strong> Economic Practices and Theories, Vol. 2, No. 1, 2012 (January), p. 23-27,http://www.ijept.org.7. Tew C., Barbieri C. (2012), The perceived benefits <strong>of</strong> agri<strong>tourism</strong>: The provider’sperspective, Tourism Management 33, p. 215-224.68
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