In 1996, under the auspices of the WTO, the concept of sustainable tourism development in the 21st century was developed.
It is based on the following principles:
Travel and tourism should help people achieve harmony with nature;
Travel and tourism must contribute to the conservation, protection and restoration of ecosystems;
Travel and tourism must be based on sustainable production and consumption patterns;
Environmental protection should form an integral part of the tourism development process;
Problems of tourism development must be resolved with the participation of local authorities and interested citizens;
States must warn each other regarding natural and man-made disasters that may affect the tourism sector;
The tourism industry must be based on international environmental law.
Ecotourism is based on caring for the environment. The priority is to organize a trip with a limited number of participants to natural areas with possible visits to places of cultural interest, with the aim of implementing various projects for the protection and rational use of natural resources. According to the International Ecotourism Organization, "ecotourism is responsible travel to natural areas, areas that preserve the environment and support the well-being of local residents."
For a deeper understanding of this type of travel, the International Ecotourism Organization has developed 10 ecotourist commandments:
1) remember the vulnerability of the earth;
2) leave only traces, take away only photographs;
3) explore the world into which you find yourself: the culture of peoples, geography;
4) respect local residents;
5) do not buy products from manufacturers that endanger the environment;
6) always follow only well-trodden paths;
7) support environmental protection programs;
8) use environmental conservation methods;
9) support organizations that promote nature protection;
10) travel with companies that support the principles of ecotourism.
There is a whole range of features of ecotourism:
Any journey during which a tourist explores the environment;
A journey in which nature is the main value;
Revenues from ecotourism are used to financially support environmental protection;
Ecotourists personally engage in activities that conserve or restore wildlife resources.
The signs of ecotourism are based on definitions of ecotourism, which in turn are divided into active and passive. An example of an active definition of ecotourism is the definition developed by the International Survival Society: “Ecological tourism encourages the primacy of the interests of local residents in the tourist development of the territory, protects local flora and fauna and provides local residents with economic incentives to preserve the environment.” Passive definitions include the following: “Ecological tourism coordinates, assists and stimulates the use of cultural and natural tourism resources of an area (region) for the local population and future tourists.”
Summarizing the characteristics and definitions of ecotourism, we can distinguish three main components of ecotourism:
1) “knowledge of nature”, i.e. travel, presupposes the presence of elements of studying nature, obtaining new skills and knowledge by tourists;
2) “preservation of ecosystems” implies not only the appropriate behavior of the group on the route, but also the participation of tourists and tour operators in programs and activities to protect the environment;
3) “respect for the interests of local residents” implies not only compliance with local laws and customs, but also the contribution of tourism to the socio-economic development of tourist destinations.
In the absence of at least one of these components, there is no reason to talk about ecotourism. Summarizing the above, the definition of ecotourism can be as follows: ecotourism is a special type of tourism activity based on tourist demand, associated with tourist needs to understand nature and contribute to the conservation of ecological systems, while necessarily respecting the interests of the local population.
How to avoid paying bribes to Moldovan border guards?
Russian citizens do not need a visa to visit Moldova; Entry into this country is possible only if you have a foreign passport, which is stamped with the appropriate stamp. One of the travelers told Travel.ru about possible problems when leaving Moldova after entering the country through Transnistria and about ways to solve them.
The Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic (PMR), declared independent from Moldova on September 2, 1990, is actually a separate state with its own rules for the entry and stay of foreign citizens. Entry into the PMR is free for citizens of all countries.
Due to its geographical location, all the main transport arteries connecting Moldova with Russia and Ukraine pass through the PMR. In particular, these are three of the four trains Moscow - Chisinau, as well as all buses and trains from Odessa to Chisinau.
At the same time, the Moldovan side does not carry out border control on the border between the PMR and Moldova and, accordingly, does not put stamps on the tourist’s international passport. If departure from Moldova also occurs through Transnistria, there are no problems. But often tourists then travel through official Moldovan checkpoints.
And there, without seeing a stamp about entry into the republic, border guards often violate the rights of tourists, extorting money or threatening to take them off the bus/train. This is exactly the case described by a Russian traveler who entered Moldova through the PMR and then flew from Chisinau to Romania.
Not finding a stamp, border guards said that the tourist was obliged to register in Moldova within 72 hours. By failing to do this, he allegedly entered the country illegally. The Russian reasonably stated that, firstly, registration at the place of stay in Moldova for tourists was canceled, and secondly, he was in the republic only for two days off, Saturday and Sunday, when passport offices are closed. Thus, he could not register even if he wanted to.
Tourists need to be prepared that this information may not have any effect the first time. The border guards can and, most likely, will call the shift seniors, who just as definitely need to repeat these words. Moreover, the tourist does not have to prove how many days he was in the country - this task lies with the border service.
In cases where border guards persist, it would not be a bad idea to remind them of their rights. This is a call to the Russian Embassy, drawing up a protocol and calling two witnesses. Without these procedures, the border service does not have the right to remove a traveler from transport or not allow him to leave the country.
It is worth noting that in this case, which the Russian spoke about, the border guards suddenly lost interest in him. The tourist not only knew the laws, but also knew how to calmly and confidently defend his rights. As a result, despite the “lack of registration” and an entry stamp into Moldova, the traveler flew to Romania.
Meanwhile, tourists who do not know all these subtleties are either thrown off the transport or “robbed” by border guards. The “tariff” is about $20.
Russian tourism portal Travel
Date of publication: Mon 8 Aug 2011
Tourism statistics in the Republic of Moldova are developed and disseminated National Bureau of Statistics, within its structure there is a department for statistics of market services. The legal basis for the collection, synthesis, analysis and presentation of statistical information on tourism is the Law of the Republic of Moldova No. 412-XV of December 9, 2004 (with subsequent additions and amendments) “On Official Statistics”, Law No. 352-XVI of November 24, 2006 g. (with subsequent additions and amendments) “On the organization and implementation of tourism activities in the Republic of Moldova”, Methodological norms and criteria for the classification of tourist reception structures with accommodation and catering functions, approved by Decree of the Government of the Republic of Moldova No. 643 of May 27, 2003.
The methodological basis for tourism statistics in the Republic of Moldova is IRTS-2008, EU Recommendation 1175/95 and Directive 95/57 EC parts A And IN, which regulate the collection and presentation of statistical data on tourist accommodation facilities, Methodological recommendations of the CIS Interstate Statistical Committee “Unified system of indicators of the functioning of the tourism sector in the Commonwealth countries”.
Tourism statistics in the Republic of Moldova are formed on the basis of data obtained by the National Bureau of Statistics as a result of statistical observations of collective tourist accommodation facilities, as well as tour operators and travel agencies. Main sources of information For statistical observations, a catalog of economic agents is used, containing information about collective accommodation facilities for tourists, and a quarterly updated catalog of travel agencies and tour operators. The units of observation are business entities that manage collective accommodation facilities, regardless of the form of ownership, travel agencies and tour operators licensed to engage in tourism activities. Border statistics on the entry of foreign visitors into Moldova and the exit of Moldovan visitors abroad are also used. By order of the Tourism Agency of the Republic of Moldova, special surveys of foreign and domestic tourists are carried out.
The main tools for statistical observation in tourism in Moldova are the annual report in form No. 1 -A-SC“Capacity of collective structures for receiving tourists with accommodation functions as of December 31,” quarterly report on form No. -B-SC" Accommodation of tourists in collective structures for receiving tourists with accommodation functions”, quarterly report on form No. 1 -tur“Tourist activities of travel agencies and tour operators”, as well as a number of classifiers of types of economic activities, types of structures, administrative-territorial units of the Republic of Moldova, forms of ownership and countries.
Quarterly statistical surveys of travel agencies and tour operators are organized using the continuous observation method. Travel agencies and tour operators submit reports according to the established form No. 1 -tur, containing the main indicators of tourism activity (Table 9.6.1). Territorial statistical bodies collect information, check its quality, analyze it, and send data by mail to the Main Directorate of Information Technology. Aggregated statistical tables developed on the basis of the generated database contain the following information:
- ? the number of visitors (tourists and excursionists) participating in domestic, inbound and outbound tourism;
- ? number of tour days;
- ? receipts from tourism activities;
- ? number of people engaged in tourism activities.
Section 1. Key indicators of tourism activity
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Number of visitors, people |
Quantity tourist days |
Receipts, thousand lei (with decimal place) |
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including |
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tourists |
sightseers |
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Domestic tourism |
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international tourism |
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Inbound tourism |
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including from CIS countries |
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leisure, recreation, rest - Total |
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including visits to viticulture and winemaking sites |
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business and professional |
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other purposes |
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Outbound tourism |
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including to CIS countries |
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leisure, recreation, rest |
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business and professional |
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other purposes |
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Total (page 01 + page 02) |
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Number of persons engaged in tourism activities at the end of the quarter _Human
Section 2. Data on the number of tourists served*, by country
Ending
‘Including excursionists
Along with statistical observations of travel agencies and tour operators, the National Bureau of Statistics of the Republic of Moldova organizes annual and quarterly statistical surveys of collective tourist accommodation facilities. They are carried out on the basis of a continuous observation method, during which information is collected on all units of the studied population of accommodation enterprises. Territorial statistical bodies receive information, check its quality, analyze it and enter it into the database (MS Access). This database allows you to create aggregated statistical tables that include the following data:
- ? type and category of collective tourist accommodation facilities;
- ? room capacity and one-time capacity of collective tourist accommodation facilities;
- ? general and living space occupied by collective tourist accommodation facilities;
- ? the volume of services provided by collective accommodation facilities;
- ? the number of visitors (tourists) accommodated and the number of overnight stays provided in collective accommodation facilities;
- ? number of rooms (rooms) available by the 1st day of the month, number of beds available by the 1st day of the month, number of rooms provided for accommodation, number of actually provided (occupied) room days, number of beds provided for accommodation, number of days of operation of accommodation facilities,
- ? utilization rate of available beds;
- ? number of people employed in collective accommodation facilities on the last day of work in the reporting quarter.
Processing of primary survey materials and generalization of statistical data are carried out at the republican level. The data is grouped by types of accommodation facilities, forms of ownership, countries of the world, regions of the Republic of Moldova.
In addition to statistics of tour operators and travel agency firms, as well as accommodation statistics, there is statistics of the Border Police of the Republic of Moldova, which provides upon request information on the number of citizens who crossed the state border, distributed by citizenship, age and gender.
Issues of dissemination of statistical information, in particular on tourism, are paramount in the activities of the National Bureau of Statistics of the Republic of Moldova. Official statistical information on tourism is distributed in paper and electronic form. Tourism statistics are used in publications such as quarterly press releases, the quarterly report “Socio-economic situation of the Republic of Moldova”, the Quarterly Statistical Bulletin, the short statistical collection “Moldova in Figures”, the Statistical Yearbook of the Republic of Moldova. The main form of dissemination of statistical information on tourism should be the portal of the National Bureau of Statistics. It currently hosts tourism metadata.
Despite the optimistic statements of the authorities, the tourism industry in Moldova is weakening year by year
Recently we were pleased with another victorious report: the Republic of Moldova closes the top five countries in the world with the most rapidly growing level of tourism. And already in the first 6 months of this year, experts counted about two million tourists who visited our country.
Whoops, we didn’t even notice the elephant! And this is strange, because if 333,000 tourists arrived in our country every month, then the local residents themselves would have nowhere to go in such cramped conditions. Apparently, these “specialists” from the authorities can only count banknotes, and not the number of tourists.
The National Bureau of Statistics has refuted the regime's lies (perhaps without meaning to). According to its data, published in mid-May, about 49 thousand people visited the country over the previous three months. Well, this figure is much closer to reality.
* * *
Tourism is one of the important sectors of the economy, covering a diverse range of different private and public enterprises that bring economic and social benefits and create new jobs. Despite the fact that Moldova occupies a small area, it has significant potential for tourism development.
That's it, POTENTIAL that needs to be developed. In the Moldavian SSR it developed to its fullest; several dozen tourist routes of both local and all-Union significance ran here. They were developed by the Central Council for Tourism and Excursions of the All-Union Central Council of Trade Unions (All-Union Central Council of Trade Unions), local ones - by republican councils.
The tourist movement in the USSR developed in accordance with state policy in the field of protecting public health and had a pronounced social character.
With the collapse of the Union came the decline of the tourism industry. The “reformers” who came to power had to solve other problems, including the resolution of armed conflicts. This applies to all republics of the former USSR.
As for Moldova, the chaos of the 90s has been replaced by the stability established with the communists coming to power in 2001. Well understanding the importance of this industry, the PCRM did its best to bring it back to life. Tourism was recognized as a priority sector for economic development.
The Concept for the Development of Tourism in the Republic of Moldova until 2005, the Strategy for Sustainable Development of Tourism in the Republic of Moldova for 2003–2015, the national programs “Wine Road” and “Moldavian Village” were adopted, and a new national holiday was established - Wine Day. With the direct patronage of the party leader, the third President of Moldova, Vladimir Voronin, the Capriana Monastery, one of the oldest monastic complexes in the country, was raised from the ruins. On the basis of the National Tourism Agency in 2005, an organizational unit for industry management, etc. was created within the Ministry of Culture.
The priority forms of tourism in Moldova were ethno-rural, viticulture and winemaking, cultural and health-improving.
* * *
After the coup on April 7, 2009, tourism in Moldova gradually began to be covered with a copper basin. Although, of course, there is something to see in our country. But tourism is an industry that requires investment and developed infrastructure. And if we don’t develop it, then we should at least support what we inherited. However, Moldovan “European integrators” are not interested in this, and the only infrastructure they develop is the construction of their own luxurious mansions.
On Internet resources you can find a story about how foreign tourists literally make their way through impassable mud to one of the tourist villages near Chisinau. If it weren't for the rubber boots, it's unlikely they would have gotten there.
Here are a few reviews from guests of our country about the tourist service. They can also be found on the Internet: “taxi drivers don’t accept credit cards, they don’t have a meter”, “the infrastructure here is undeveloped - all hotels are mainly concentrated in cities”, “the ratio of the level of service and prices is simply shocking.” And you say two million...
Yes, probably, the number of tourists coming to Moldova is growing, but certainly not in geometric progression. Why are they going? It seems that it’s not at all for ethno-rural impressions. They go, for example, to insert or cure teeth. Dental tourism, so to speak. After all, prosthetics and treatment will be cheaper here than in Europe, even if we include transportation costs.
Sex tourism has picked up recently. This is understandable if the state is informally led by a person who has succeeded in this field. This is what journalists Marina Cavalleri and Vladimiro Polchi write in the Italian newspaper La Repubblica: “This is the country (Moldova - author's note) with the largest number of sex chats in the world. At the same time, more and more often we are talking about child pornography... Increasingly, sex tourists from Italy come here in groups led by a “group leader” who has established contacts with the families of the girls, with whom the relatives want to make a small business.”
They also say that one enterprising domestic travel agency took an unconventional move - it began to take foreign tourists to... the capital's Central Market. Yes, yes, most foreign guests are delighted with this place, so unloved by many Chisinau residents. There they see so much Moldovan flavor “in one bottle” that they are overwhelmed with emotions for a long time.
As for landscape reserves, we have, for example, one of the oldest floodplain forests in Europe called “Padurea Domnyaske”. There you can invite foreign travelers to shoot at living people. Why not, if a precedent has been created and no one has done anything for it?..
* * *
Tourism is a complex economic phenomenon. It includes the activities of tourism operators and agencies, hotels, restaurants, transport companies, cultural, recreational, entertainment, medical and health enterprises, etc. We do not see any of this in modern Moldova. And most importantly, we need specialists who, alas, are rapidly leaving the country.
Considering that Moldova is clearly out of step with the general global trend in the development of tourism, one can only exclaim with the famous film character: “Well, goodbye... tourist!” And shed a tear.
Despite the fact that the busier tourist routes lie a little away from the capital of Moldova, Chisinau, travelers from almost all of Europe come to this country of viticulture, early Christian monasteries and national cuisine. In terms of what can tourism Moldova, can provide each of the travelers who come to this country, first of all, it is worth noting the presence of a fairly large number of early Christian rock monasteries and medieval Orthodox cathedrals, which, despite their decent age, are quite well preserved.
In particular, one of such historical artifacts can be called a rock monastery located near the village of Tsipovo (Ţipova), in the Rezinsky district. The historical appeal of this sights of Moldova is that, founded in the 6th century, it became such a revered center of Orthodoxy in the Middle Ages that one of the kings of Bessarabia, 15th century Stefan III the Great (Ştefan cel Mare) was married in this monastery with his wife Maria Voykitsa.
The second no less remarkable direction in the tourism activity of Moldova is its winemaking, because thanks to its geographical location and favorable climate, this sector of the economy of Moldova has been the main one since prehistoric times. After all, archaeological excavations clearly indicate that, starting from the 3rd century BC, there were quite strong ties between the winemakers of the then Moldavia and their colleagues from Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome. So, with a high degree of confidence we can say that modern wines and cognacs of Moldova have a rather ancient history of their origin.
An equally remarkable element that creates tourism here is the national cuisine of Moldova. Taking into account the fact that the fertile land of Moldova allows not only to grow a significant variety of agricultural crops, but also an equally significant amount of diverse living creatures, this has significantly influenced its national cuisine. And if, at least once, having arrived at any of the resorts in Moldova, it is simply impossible not to try such masterpieces of this fertile land as the same corn “mamalyga” and sheep’s “cheese cheese”. Moreover, if on your dinner table there is a bottle of “White Stork” and a portion of lamb goulash seasoned with vegetable salad, then any trip to Moldova will be truly unforgettable.
Resorts of Moldova
The main area where the main resorts Moldova, is located on the coast of the Dniester River, which has not only a favorable climate, but also a picturesque landscape, which is simply adapted for the location of numerous hotels, sanatoriums and recreation centers. And the most popular of them is the Vadul lui Voda resort, which is located just 23 kilometers from Chisinau and has a fairly good infrastructure for the development of tourism and resort business.
Ski resorts in Moldova
This is how it turns out purely historically, but in this territory there are no natural ones, although purely climatic conditions and the abundance of winter snow completely allow the organization of this kind of tourist service. It was for these reasons that several years ago the “Slanic Moldova” project was implemented in Moldova, which involved the creation of a number of artificial ski slopes used in the summer as a balneological resort.
Medical resorts of Moldova
One of the main reasons for the construction of the ski resort “Slanic Moldova” was the fact that on the same territory of the Republic there is one of the oldest balneological resorts in the Balkans with the same name. So, medicinal resorts Moldova have quite a long history, since “Slanic Moldova” (“Slanic Moldova”) was discovered back in the mid-nineteenth century based on the presence of more than twenty mineral, healing springs.
Tours of Moldova
Due to the fact that Moldova does not have decent territories, and this is only 34 thousand square kilometers, then recently, among the numerous tourists visiting this republic, tourist buses have become the most popular. Which, as a rule, begin in the capital of the Republic of Chisinau, and then the travel route runs through such cities of Moldova as Balti, Tiraspol, Bendery and Rybnitsa.
Holidays in Moldova
Despite the fact that Moldova does not have such tourist brands as France, England or Spain, but rest in Moldavia has its positive sides too. In particular, to spend one and a half or two weeks in this Republic meaningfully and with pleasure, traveling around its main attractions on a comfortable bus or living the same time at a resort such as “Slanic Moldova”, you can spend much less money . After all, a similar vacation in Greece or Bulgaria will cost much more.
Beaches of Moldova
Based on the fact that Moldova is landlocked, the main beaches Moldova concentrated on the banks of its largest river, the Dniester. In particular, the largest number of them is concentrated in a resort such as Vadul lui Voda.
Hotels in Moldova
Taking into account the fact that the tourism and resort business in Moldova does not have such a rich history, today there are three main types of hotels in Moldova. First of all, it is worth noting hotels Moldova built in the last one and a half or two decades, which are distinguished by the presence of European standards of service and architectural layout of rooms and interior spaces. The second type of hotels in Moldova includes a fairly large number of sanatoriums and recreation centers created during socialist Moldova, which are not particularly distinguished by their sophistication and quality of service. And the third type of hotels in this Republic can be called the so-called rural hotels, created by private entrepreneurs in rural areas and in the suburbs of Chisinau, Bendery and Tiraspol.
Transport of Moldova
Taking into account the fact that Moldova is a European country, because Moldova is not only a member of the UN, but also an associated member of the European Union and NATO, there was no doubt that it has a fairly developed system of roads and railways. As well as other transport communications, including international and intercity airlines and river lines for transporting passengers and cargo along the Dniester.
