Clash of cultures Clash of cultures at the Black Seaat the Black Sea

MASS TOURISM IN TRADITIONAL MASS TOURISM IN TRADITIONAL COMMUNITIESCOMMUNITIES

Sorin IoniţăSorin Ioniţă

Romanian Academic Society (SAR)Romanian Academic Society (SAR)

sorin@ionita.eusorin@ionita.eu

Lisbon, Apr Lisbon, Apr 20020077

EU periphery: common concernsEU periphery: common concerns

Relative under-development Relative under-development political political urge to devise a pro-active growth urge to devise a pro-active growth strategystrategy

Quest for successful “models” (or Quest for successful “models” (or intellectual fads): industrialization; intellectual fads): industrialization; infrastructure; tourism; human resourcesinfrastructure; tourism; human resources

Weaker institutions – especially the Weaker institutions – especially the regulative functions of the stateregulative functions of the state

Eligibility for substantial EU aid Eligibility for substantial EU aid money money in search of a strategyin search of a strategy

Black Sea peculiaritiesBlack Sea peculiarities

Unprecedented, breakneck change in post-Unprecedented, breakneck change in post-Communist periphery (Ro-Bg) in just 15 Communist periphery (Ro-Bg) in just 15 years: real local autonomy; lifestyles; private years: real local autonomy; lifestyles; private spending powerspending power

Paradoxical attitude: love-hate relationship Paradoxical attitude: love-hate relationship with the stateLocal communities kept under with the stateLocal communities kept under glass case – suddenly exposed to global glass case – suddenly exposed to global marketsmarkets

Property restitution to former owners Property restitution to former owners high high number of present or absentee landlordsnumber of present or absentee landlords

Vama Veche villageVama Veche village

Bucharest

Traditional tourismTraditional tourism

Bohemian tradition: summer art camps Bohemian tradition: summer art camps spreading from Balcic (’20-’30s)spreading from Balcic (’20-’30s)

Alternative, rural summer retreat for urban Alternative, rural summer retreat for urban elites (’60-’80); fashionable with the flower elites (’60-’80); fashionable with the flower power generationpower generation

Informal renting in houses; social bonds; Informal renting in houses; social bonds; garden tourism; tents on the beach; “Vama” garden tourism; tents on the beach; “Vama” brand as a vaguely dissident lifestylebrand as a vaguely dissident lifestyle

Local peasants and fishermen → agro Local peasants and fishermen → agro cooperatives; strong informal sectorcooperatives; strong informal sector

Rural garden tourismRural garden tourism

Flower power traditionFlower power tradition

TransitionTransition

Boom of the real estate market: prices up Boom of the real estate market: prices up 100 times in real terms in just one decade100 times in real terms in just one decade

Owners (locals and new buyers) try to Owners (locals and new buyers) try to capitalize on their real estate assetscapitalize on their real estate assets

Fast build-up, motorization, urban-type Fast build-up, motorization, urban-type densification, non-traditional new houses, densification, non-traditional new houses, high pressure on the flimsy local high pressure on the flimsy local infrastructure and natural habitatinfrastructure and natural habitat

Changing patterns of tourism: mainstream Changing patterns of tourism: mainstream beach-discobeach-disco

TransitionTransition

Types of tourism in Vama Veche after 1990

Mainstream: bar, disco and beach

Garden tourism: "la boheme comfortable"

Tents on the beach: la boheme hard core

TransitionTransition

Clash over the Zoning PlanClash over the Zoning Plan

Local Council adopted with large majority a Local Council adopted with large majority a laissez-faire laissez-faire Zoning Plan, to officialize:Zoning Plan, to officialize:

Densification, high-rise buildings (hotels), Densification, high-rise buildings (hotels), loose regulationsloose regulations

Commune sprawl, by 300%Commune sprawl, by 300% ““Add 6000 tourist capacity in 10 years”Add 6000 tourist capacity in 10 years” Little provision for basic infrastructureLittle provision for basic infrastructure

Local autonomy and difficult conditions Local autonomy and difficult conditions (short summer season) were the arguments (short summer season) were the arguments of the mayor for this pro-growth strategyof the mayor for this pro-growth strategy

Clash over the Zoning PlanClash over the Zoning Plan

Urban elites (Buc, Constanţa) opposed ZP; Urban elites (Buc, Constanţa) opposed ZP; lobbied government to block the plan:lobbied government to block the plan:

Set up NGO: Save Vama Veche (SVV) Set up NGO: Save Vama Veche (SVV) Woodstock-type concert (“Stufstock”)Woodstock-type concert (“Stufstock”) Enrolled conservationistsEnrolled conservationists Proposed plans for tourism diversification, Proposed plans for tourism diversification,

expanding the season; “sustainability”expanding the season; “sustainability” Perverse effects: the SVV campaign / Perverse effects: the SVV campaign /

concert made Vama even more hip and concert made Vama even more hip and crowded at peak seasoncrowded at peak season

Clash over the Zoning PlanClash over the Zoning Plan

Development policy dilemmasDevelopment policy dilemmas

Is tourism enough (rural, agro, eco, cultural, Is tourism enough (rural, agro, eco, cultural, etc) to create prosperity?etc) to create prosperity?

What does it mean “sustainable tourism” in What does it mean “sustainable tourism” in such a community?such a community?

3 S in the summer, plus corporate retreats 3 S in the summer, plus corporate retreats year round (current natural trend)year round (current natural trend)

““quality tourism”, plus some genuine quality tourism”, plus some genuine community life (by what instruments?)community life (by what instruments?)

Is this a false dilemma (short term vs. long Is this a false dilemma (short term vs. long term) or there is path dependency?term) or there is path dependency?

Development policy dilemmasDevelopment policy dilemmas Even if path dependency, what is the basis Even if path dependency, what is the basis

for intervening in local decisions? Whose for intervening in local decisions? Whose values matter more? Who “owns Vama”?values matter more? Who “owns Vama”?

Enlightened elites, state – want to Enlightened elites, state – want to preserve the intangible value of the asset; preserve the intangible value of the asset; deflate property bubbledeflate property bubble

Local voters and taxpayers – in large Local voters and taxpayers – in large majority, want to get rich fastmajority, want to get rich fast

What role do EU funds What role do EU funds play (ex. Rural Dev)?play (ex. Rural Dev)? Private / public beneficiaries: different Private / public beneficiaries: different

channels, pace and objectives?channels, pace and objectives?

Development policy dilemmasDevelopment policy dilemmas

Specific to this Balkan periphery of EU today Specific to this Balkan periphery of EU today (unlike in (unlike in MezzogiornoMezzogiorno):):

The development problem is taking care of The development problem is taking care of itself – growth, jobs, revenues, integration itself – growth, jobs, revenues, integration into the broader formal economyinto the broader formal economy

Just that many people do not feel Just that many people do not feel comfortable with this solutioncomfortable with this solution