A bioclimatic evaluation of sustainable tourist activities in western Romania

Abstract

The study analyzes with priority the bioclimatic conditions for tourist activities in two famous tourist areas in western Romania [(Băile Felix–Băile 1 Mai (BF_1M) – Stâna de Vale – Vlădeasa and, respectively Băile Herculane (BH) - Semenic], from the perspective of the potential of health tourism and in the subsidiary of sports and camping tourism. Such researches are missing for western Romania. The main working tools in the evaluation of the tourist valences of the bioclimate include: the spatio-temporal analysis of the Physiologically Equivalent Temperature (PET) bioclimatic index, of the TCI climate-tourism index and of the climate-tourism schemes (CTIS). PET, TCI and CTIS were calculated and drawn up based on the daily data of the meteorological elements included in their calculation for the period 1961-2019. The bioclimate is analyzed as an element of potential that can increase (through a better evaluation and knowledge) the attractiveness and sustainability of the health tourism in the already established resorts (BF_1M, BH) and can develop sports and camping tourism in the direction of the two proposed axes (Stâna de Vale – Vlădeasa și Semenic), with the decongestion of the resorts from the base the mountains. The proposed objectives consist inmulti-criteria evaluation, promotion and sustainable exploitation of the bioclimatic (and spa) resources of the six tourist destinations, but it also aims to increase the level of attention and information of all those interested, by promoting the bioclimatic and climate-tourism assets of complementary tourist destinations (Stâna de Vale, Vlădeasa, Semenic). The results obtained from the PET statistics show that between 25 and 39% of the days of a year are comfortable, and the TCI statistics show that between 54 and 69% of the days are favorable for the practice of tourism. PET and TCI highlight that from mid-April to mid-October the bioclimatic conditions for health tourism are good at BF_1M and BH and that, only in the months of December-February the balneoclimatic procedures carried out outside the treatment bases are subject to climatic restrictions. Sports tourism has few temporal restrictions, and camping tourism restricts its duration, from April to October in lowland resorts, to May to September in mountain tourist destinations. CTIS shows that the resorts in western Romania have the most favorable bioclimatic and climate-tourism conditions in Romania.