The role of hydrotechnical improvement work on the Lower Argeş in the development of tourism on the Danube

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1 The role of hydrotechnical improvement work on the Lower Argeş in the development of tourism on the Danube IOAN IANOŞ RADU-DANIEL PINTILII DANIEL PEPTENATU CRISTIAN CONSTANTIN DRAGHICI ANDREEA-LORETA CERCLEUX FLORENTINA-CRISTINA MERCIU Abstract: - The article presents the opportunities for economic development from the point of view of touristic activities that will develop in the wake of hydrotechnical improvement work on the Argeş river. In the wake of the completion of the project to convert the capital into a port on the Danube, touristic activities will develop alongside the other economic ventures. Effects will be of a direct and indirect nature. As it is well known, tourism has the effect of multiplying development, and the result of the development of that phenomenon will also be visible in fields of the economy such as agriculture, industry, constructions, trade, etc. Keywords: - local economic development, hydrotechnical improvement, touristic activities, navigable canal, transportation, development strategy. ISBN:

2 1 Introduction Integrated territorial development requires that major infrastructure work should be put to best use in a complex way, so that their positive effects should encompass locale and regional communities. In order to promote tourism at a regional scale both among domestic tourists and especially among foreign tourists, local authorities have the task to improve tourist information points and to advertise a large body of information concerning the area by the specific means available to them (Ishikawa and Fukushige, 2007). The present study focuses on analyzing the opportunities to revive tourism along the Danube that hydrotechnical improvement of the lower Argeş might create. Hydrotechnical elements in addition to other elements such as wind and water mills, bridges, canals, ports and dams are associated with industrial water, gas or electricity utilities (Eduards and Llurés, 1996, Swarbrooke, 1995). Swarbrooke considers that certain industrial facilities are not designed for a purpose other than attracting visitors (1995, p.4). This category incorporates industrial tourism, as the site may have been designed principally for the purpose of producing non-tourism goods and/or services, rather than being primarily a consumer tourism attraction. Nevertheless, a series of industrial constructions become tourist attractions for their technological value, hydrotechnical improvement work included. This improvement work is also known under the name of the Danube-Bucharest Canal; it was one of the past regime s major infrastructural projects that was then abandoned. The most recent political statements in the field of investments of major importance for Romania concern resuming those works. In addition to the typical importance of such a project for the local and regional economy, we consider that an important aspect is the impact on tourism. We consider two important elements: on the one hand the Danube with its potential yet untapped, and the big urban concentration of the city of Bucharest, on the other hand. The Danube-Bucharest canal is an older project, circa 70% completed by Its main function was to ease transport by ship from Bucharest, which would thus become a port, to the Black Sea, by way of the Danube. The first attempts to turn Bucharest into a port on the Danube go back to the reign of Al. I Cuza, in The first project blueprint of this work was drawn in 1880 by engineer Nicolae Cucu. Fortynine years later, in 1929, the Parliament of the time adopted a law that stipulated several suggestions for launching the project, but the economic recession of 1930 caused the project to be canceled. Nevertheless, in virtue of that law, engineer Dorin Pavel created a project, that involved a port downstream from the slaughterhouse. Although it was considered a feasible project, it was abandoned, as the adjustment of the Calea Victoriei and construction of the Royal Palace were given priority. The matter of the canal linking Bucharest and the Danube was tackled once more, later on, by Nicolae Ceauşescu. He chose the Argeş river version of the project, although it was the costliest. In the overall project, the most important accomplishment was the construction of the reservoir in Mihăileşti, with the goal of ensuring a steady debit of the Argeş river downstream. The enthusiasm to build that new canal originated in the inauguration of the Danube-Black Sea canal in After 1989, with the change in political regime, work on the project was abandoned. Since 1994 and up to the present moment, when the current Ministry of Transport has expressed its interest to resume works, the entire improvement works entered conservation. It is expected that work should be resumed starting this year. As far as technical specifications are concerned, the project involved a canal 73 km long and 80 meter wide, with a minimal depth of 4.5 meters and a height difference of a mere 10 meters, upstream (63 m. in Bucharest) to downstream (53 m. in OlteniŃa). In terms of improvement work along the canal, the plans involved 3 ports (2 in Bucharest one on the Argeş, close to the village of 1Decembrie, another on the DâmboviŃa river in the village of Glina and a third in OlteniŃa), and a set of 4 locks. Concerning the degree of usage of this project, like in the case of any large-scale enterprise, there are opinions in its favor but most of the times opinions against, as well. Those who vehemently oppose this projects offer as arguments the quite high costs of such an investment (around US$ 400 million, cost estimates as of 1997), the canal s negative environmental impact, as well as the view that this project is an unfortunate inheritance from the former Communist regime in Romania. On the other hand, the idea of this project also unites a group of supporters, who deem it a new alternative in transport, from the perspective of costs, as well as easing the flow of commodity between ConstanŃa and the capital. In addition, by converting the city of Bucharest into a port on the Danube the plans also involve converting in into a container terminal, by means of temporary warehouses, built on either side of the ring road. One other benefit that this ISBN:

3 improvement work along the Argeş river could bring is the contribution to the energy balance in the zone. By means of the four micro hydro power plants, located inside the hydrotechnical hubs set up close to the locks, more than 50 MW worth of electricity might be generated. In addition, the water in the canal might be used for agricultural purposes (irrigation), as it is widely known that south of Bucharest lies one of the biggest vegetable-growing areas, which supplies vegetable and fruit to the capital s agri-foods markets. One other advantage of completing the canal would be that more than 10 communities and around 30,000 ha of farmland would no longer risk the effects of floods. Nowadays, thanks to the new status Romania acquired in 2007, compliance with community standards becomes an increasingly important priority. By means of specific programs, the European Union allocates around EUR 50 billion for the Danube strategy, funds that have not been spent so far by the states the Danube crosses, and co-financing might be ensured by private investors, by sealing public-private partnerships. 2 Problem Formulation Achievement of this important objective would involve major changes in territorial regional flows. If this investment is joined by other infrastructures already included in territorial development plans (construction of a new airport to the south of Bucharest, and completion of the highways leading to Bulgaria and of the second Bucharest ring road), then one can expect an increase in traffic in the area, including the emergence and development of other enterprises, tourism included. In such a context, one of the important challenges is to best capitalize on the entire touristic potential of the region and especially of the Danube. Is there is a sufficient number of elements that might justify the determining role of this improvement work in the development of Danube tourism? That is the question this study will now attempt to offer a solution to. If one refers to the touristic analysis of a hydro power complex from the point of view of the technology, one should not overlook the attractiveness of the landscape of the artificial lake created to supply the hydro power complex. An artificial reservoir can be one of the most important factors creating the tourist attractiveness of an area, and therefore it can have an impact on the level of tourism development (Duda-Gromada, Bujdosó, David, 2010, p. 16). 3 Problem Solution We consider that the construction of the Bucharest Danube canal could contribute to raising the level of development of the region, partly by means of touristic ventures. It s a known fact that tourism has a strong effect of multiplying and generating development. From the point of view of touristic ventures, the Danube Bucharest canal might mean a starting point for domestic tourists, especially those residing in Bucharest or communities close to the capital. These tourists might leave Bucharest and sail downstream on cruises on the Danube, so as to visit the Danube Delta or the Black Sea side. At the same time, tourists originating in the countries crossed by the Danube can sail to Romania on longer cruises. From there, they could choose one of the several variants and options to visit: either the tourist resources in the Bucharest metropolitan area, or the tourist resources in the central and northern part of the country, or those in the south-eastern part of the country. One other important touristic advantage would be that, as touristic enterprises develop, several other enterprises (small-scale businesses) in ports might develop. Among those, one may include transfer transport, which might be used to organize tourist circuits in areas with resources or even at the hotels in the area, where tourists could be accommodated. Under such conditions, a series of enterprises linked to small-scale trade in the passenger ports might develop, capitalizing on part of the local products made by handcraftsmen. The positive effects on the metropolitan area of the capital city, which would be crossed by the new navigable canal, will also be reflected in the touristic infrastructure (resizing of the accommodation structure, of the public food network and the leisure network). The analysis conducted on the accommodation capacity in the 185 administrative units in the Bucharest metropolitan area indicate a certain diversity, ranging from premium units to units of smaller size and more limited comfort. The facilities are concentrated in a mere 33 localities. The structure of the overall accommodation capacity by 2005 consisted in 68 accommodation facilities, divided as follows: 26 hotels and motels, 8 villas and bungalows, 4 cabins and tourist inns and 1 hostel (Fig. 1) Fig. 1 Structure of accommodation capacity at the level of the Bucharest metropolitan area ISBN:

4 Structura bazei de cazare la nivelul zonei de influenńă a mun. Bucureşti (2006) 15% 8% 5% 5% 2% 29% 36% Pensiune Hotel Motel Vila Bungalaw Popas turistic Cabana vânat/pescuit Source: National Authority for Tourism The evolution in time of the accommodation capacity in the Bucharest metropolitan area registered fluctuations, with a low of 29 units in registered in 2000 and a peak in Analyzing the graph in fig. 2, one can observe that the changes in the evolution of the number of accommodation facilities in the area under study are caused by the Ilfov county, and especially by localities in the north of the county, known to have a tradition in tourism. Fig. 2 Evolution of the number of accommodation facilities in the metropolitan area of the city of Bucharest relatively constant evolution, although slightly dropping. A spectacular drop is registered in 2000, when the number drops from 78 units in 1999 to 29, meaning a drop of close to 63% (62.82%), due to the compulsory tax registration of commercial activities conducted. In Ilfov county, the town of Otopeni and the commune of Snagov stand out. In the case of the former, accommodation capacity is well developed because of the proximity of the Otopeni international airport, an airport ensuring connection with the world s important capitals. As far as the Snagov local-interest resort, the developed accommodation capacity matches the existence of the quite high touristic potential, the presence of the lake, the monastery and the forest of the same name that brought about capitalizing on the resort s potential to the full. The evolution of the number of accommodation registers a slight drop during , from a peak of 3,141 lodgings early in that interval to 2,192 lodgings by its end (Fig. 3). The minimal value of the entire interval was registered in 2003 (1,709 lodgings). The downward evolution of the tourist accommodation capacity can be correlated with the drop in accommodation facilities, but only those of a small size (bungalows, tourist camping sites, hostels or tourists villas). Nr EvoluŃia numerică a bazei de cazare în zona de influenńă a mun. Bucureşti ( ) Fig. 3 Evolution of accommodation facilities in the Bucharest metropolitan area Nr. locuri EvoluŃia locurilor de cazare în zona de influenńă a mun. Bucureşti Total unităńi de cazare Total unitati de cazare CL Total unitati de cazare DB Total unitati de cazare GR Total unitati de cazare IF Total unitati de cazare IL Total unitati de cazare PH Total unitati de cazare TR The graph, depicting the overall evolution of accommodation facilities, takes the same form as the Ilfov-county graph. We notice a steep increase in accommodation facilities during , from 48 units in 1991 the number rises to 102 units in 1992, which meant the number of units practically doubled in a very short interval, only one year. The doubling in the number of accommodation units is explained by the post-december 1989 events, when entrepreneurial initiative in all fields and especially in tourism starts to develop, after a time of total absence. Starting 1993 and up to 1999 the number of accommodation facilities goes on a course of Anii Anii Total locuri de cazare JudeŃul Călăraşi JudeŃul DâmboviŃa JudeŃul Giurgiu JudeŃul Ilfov JudeŃul IalomiŃa JudeŃul Prahova JudeŃul Teleorman The total distribution of the accommodation facilities, according to the comfort categories they are included in, as of 2006 (Fig. 3), indicates that, out of the five categories of classification into stars in the Romanian system, facilities only reach a maximum of five stars. ISBN:

5 Source: National Statistics Institute Most accommodation units are 3-star (42%), followed by 2-star ones (37%) and 4-star ones with 12%; 1-star units are the least frequent. This somewhat contradictory distribution is due to the overall accommodation structure in Ilfov county, which stands out by far from the other counties, both in quantitative terms (the highest number of accommodation units), and in qualitative terms (3 and 2-star units predominate). In the other 6 counties accommodation units with low levels of comfort predominate. (Table nr. 2) Public food establishments, alongside accommodation facilities, have the role of inducing an unfolding of touristic enterprises under the best conditions. While, in the case of accommodation facilities there is a clear-cut delimitation as far as the possibility to use them for tourism is concerned, as in that case we deal with the tourist accommodation capacity, in the case of public food establishments this limit is somewhat blurred, as not all food establishments are exclusively used for tourism. Statistical data as of 1991, as presented in table nr. 1, indicate a total of 1,078 public food establishments in the area of influence of the city of Bucharest, with the highest number of establishments in the communities located in the counties of Giurgiu (227) and Călăraşi (163). Tab. 1 Public food service establishments in the Bucharest metropolitan area Public food County establishments Giurgiu 227 Călăraşi 163 Ilfov 145 DâmboviŃa 131 Teleorman 124 Prahova 77 IalomiŃa 73 Last place in the chart in terms of the number of public food establishments went to IalomiŃa county with a mere 73 establishments. The concentration, to a large extent, of public food establishments in the communities in Giurgiu and Călăraşi counties is explained as a result of the presence of the county seats, localities with a high density of establishments in the territory. As far as the categories of comfort of food service establishments in the tourist circuit, they match those of the accommodation units on whose premises they operate. Nr. unit. in terms of categories of comfort County 1* 2** 3*** 4**** Ilfov Calarasi Dâmbovita Giurgiu IalomiŃa Prahova Teleorman An analysis conducted at a larger scale indicates, indirectly, the impact of such improvement work at a regional level. It is obvious that in the area next to the Danube-Bucharest canal, there are numerous assets that are not capitalized on to a large extent: the historically important battlegrounds in Calugareni, the museum and touristic attractions in Hotarele, the Comana natural park, and so on. In addition, the Canal itself will act as a tourist attraction with an impact on local and regional development. Modernizing the extant tourist infrastructure, adapting it to the new demands of the tourist clientele, construction of new infrastructure would generate new jobs. A study indicates that around 10,000 jobs and collateral investments in residential or leisure areas would be created when the project of the Danube-Bucharest canal is is resumed. With the exception of the northern area, where touristic infrastructure is well-developed, elsewhere in the metropolitan area it is insufficient. By establishing such activities in the navigable canal area, a balance would be achieved between the level of development in northern Bucharest and that in southern Bucharest. To the south of Bucharest, there are several settlements with a tradition in growing vegetables. Construction of the navigable canal, as well as the development of touristic activities might contribute to putting to better use the extant surplus of produce in the respective farmland area. Thus, fresh produce might be used in public food service establishments in the Bucharest metropolitan area. 4 Conclusions Tourism on the Danube, on the section between Dobeta Turnu Severin and Tulcea is very poorly developed. Improvement work scheduled to be conducted on the lower sector of the Arges might bring a visible consistence to that economic venture. Although the economic efficiency of the Danube- Bucharest canal could never be proved, it is certain ISBN:

6 it would benefit residents in the respective area but also in the capital. The impact on the surrounding areas would be similar to that of the construction of a highway. Built to a large extent by the past totalitarian regime, the canal will prove its usefulness in time. In addition to the new jobs, carrying out the project would rescue from flood risks around 30,000 hectares and more than 6,000 households, it might supply water to irrigate the farmland in the vicinity, during droughts, and it would generate electricity nby way of the microhydro-power plants along the project. In addition, by hooking up the capital to the European infrastructure by way of Pan-European Transport Corridor 7, the project would acquire new values. From the tourist point of view, construction of the canal would connect the capital to the other European capitals that the Danube flows through (Bratislava, Belgrade, Vienna and Budapest). The important role remains that of authorities involved in launching the project (the Bucharest City Hall, the Ministry of Regional Development and Tourism, the, Ministry of Transportation), and the initiative, competence and collaboration of those authorities are the sine qua non prerequisites for completion of that project. Japan, Tourism Management, Volume 28, Issue 2, April 2007, Pages , [4] Swarbrooke J., The development and management of visitor attractions, Butterworth- Heinemann, Oxford, [5] 633/canalul-dunare--bucuresti,-pro-si-contra/0/ [6] es-canalul-dunare-bucuresti-crizamondiala_0_ html 5. Acknowledgement This work was supported by the strategic grant POSDRU/89/1.5/S/58852, Project Postdoctoral programme for training scientific researchers, cofinanced by the European Social Found within the Sectorial Operational Program Human Resources Development and Territorial Management Based on Growth Poles Theory (UEFICSU-PNII-Idei, 1950). 6. References [1] Edwards J.A., Llurdés J.C., (1996), Mines and quarries: industrial heritage tourism, Annals of Tourism Researches, 23 (2), pp [2] Duda-Gromada K., Bujdosó Z., David L., Lakes, reservoirs and regional development through some examples in Poland and Hungary, Geojurnal of Tourism and Geosites, vol. 5/1, 16-23, [3] Noriko Ishikawa N.,Mototsugu Fukushige M. (2007), Who expects the municipalities to take the initiative in tourism development? Residents attitudes of Amami Oshima Island in ISBN: