Geotourism: A Landscape Conservation Approach in Țara Hațegului, Romania

Daniela-Ioana Guju, Gabor-Giovani Luca and Laura Comănescu ()
Additional contact information
Daniela-Ioana Guju: Faculty of Geography, University of Bucharest, Nicolae Bălcescu Avenue No. 1, 010041 Bucharest, Romania
Gabor-Giovani Luca: Faculty of Geography, University of Bucharest, Nicolae Bălcescu Avenue No. 1, 010041 Bucharest, Romania
Laura Comănescu: Faculty of Geography, University of Bucharest, Nicolae Bălcescu Avenue No. 1, 010041 Bucharest, Romania

Land, 2025, vol. 14, issue 6, 1-21

Abstract: This study focuses on Țara Hațegului, a region with significant geological, ecological, and cultural resources, and examines how geosites can inform development strategies that promote geotourism while supporting landscape conservation. The research addresses the need to better integrate geosites into spatial planning by conducting geosite assessment and mapping, overlay analysis with settlement typologies, geosite density analysis, and delineation of priority landscape conservation areas. A methodological framework was developed, combining geospatial analysis, site-specific evaluation, and strategic zoning to support planning and decision-making. In the results, 48 geosites were identified and assessed, out of which 7 were classified as having high Potential Touristic Use (PTU), 13 as moderate, and 28 as low. Spatial analysis revealed that most high-PTU geosites are located in rural or adjacent uninhabited areas, indicating both development opportunities and infrastructural constraints. A geosite density map highlighted clusters suitable for coordinated management, while a prioritization model delineated three landscape conservation zones based on geosite value and distribution. The SWOT analysis further contextualized these findings, outlining strengths such as the region’s rich geoheritage and multi-layered protection, as well as limitations linked to infrastructure and management capacity. By positioning geosites as territorial assets, the research highlights their potential to support sustainable, place-based strategies in regions where geological heritage is a defining element of the local landscape.

Keywords: natural heritage; geosites; geotourism; sustainable tourism; geological heritage; UNESCO Global Geoparks; Țara Hațegului; Romania (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/6/1298/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/6/1298/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jlands:v:14:y:2025:i:6:p:1298-:d:1681924

Access Statistics for this article

Land is currently edited by Ms. Carol Ma

More articles in Land from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().