The topic of my subject is the way non governmental organizations are communicating with local

authorities from rural area. I consider this subject to be an important matter nowadays.

People associate rural villages with the picture of their childhood, grandparent’s house and a lot of
joy. But rural areas are more than this, they suggest nature, health, tradition, folklore and Romanian culture
as a whole because the villagers are some of the few people that still live guided by the traditions that once
ruled over our country. In some regions they still wear traditional Romanian clothes, still eat from old and
veritable Romanian pots and sings the songs our ancestors used to sing.

Picturesque Romania is a place really worth to be discovered and appreciate. Here people are still
interested in activities like milking the cows, embroidering and tourists can still see shepherds on the fields
with their flock of sheeps. For those reasons Romania is on the “must visit” list of people all around the
world who are eager to live again the feelings that we used to live during childhood. Even so, apart from
the beautiful sights that nature has to offer us, the tourists, picturesque Romania still has a lot of things to
improve.

Even though we live in 21-th Century people from different rural areas are facing some problems
that many of us could not even think that this kind of issues exist anymore. For example, can someone
imagine living without electricity, without TV or the smartphones we are so attached to? How about
running water and central heating lacking nowadays? This are things that most of the global population
could not imagine living without, but still there are communities of people living like this. Even under this
circumstances, local people are always welcoming to the tourists that come and visit their natural sights.

Local authorities understood that in order to improve the rural life, they need to communicate and
collaborate with other organizations ( foundations, associations, etc). The non-governmental organizations
started to create relationships with the authorities in order to work together for the thriving of the local
communities and for the welfare of local people. By putting their forces together they are able to create a
long lasting, sustainable tourism which can create income for the poor villages without destroying their
beautiful and natural sights.

A good communication between this two parties can result in benefits for villages firstly, which
will benefit from considerable improvements (including infrastructure, health & education system, etc.),
villagers who will experiment the increase of the incomes and in the same time a better lifestyle and also
for tourists who will have incredible and unforgettable experiences in Romanian rural areas.
 Nowadays tourism is considered as a thriving factor which contribute to the wellbeing of a
community. Even though we consider rural or urban tourism, both of them have a great impact on our
communities, on the economy, social life and also on the environment itself, being considered part of our
life. Tourism represent a book of knowledge and the ones who do not travel, do not read even one single
page of this book.

Urban tourism has evolved over the last few decades bringing with it modern cities with astonishing
architecture, museums, art being the first choice when it comes to people decision to travel. Leaving aside
all the beauties that urban tourism can offer, it comes together with the harshness, restlessness and the
agglomeration that big cities may also provide. And this is the moment when people started to think about
exploring and discovering more picturesque places.

Rural tourism covers all aspects of rural lifestyle, presenting the life of people exactly the way it
is, in all its simplicity. It can also be considered as a part of ecotourism as it aims to capitalize rural sights.
The aim of rural tourism is to comprise and benefit communities from rural areas while conserving and
preserving their assets in terms of both culture and environment. This type of tourism bring to the villages
new opportunities for economic development as it offers employment careers and it is a form of creating
extra income as well. For this reason, in many rural areas it has started a collaboration between local
authorities and different NGOs in the benefit of the area.

The villagers also have become aware of the benefits that rural tourism can bring to their life and
more and more of them become eager to host and welcome tourists and visitors, in this way the tourism
being significantly facilitated. The principles that guide rural tourism are:

 To decrease the effects of urban development in a rapid way

 To provide local communities with economical and social benefits
 To protect, conserve and promote the locals culture and environment
 To offer a positive experience for both locals and tourists
 To create in the heart of visitors a strong sense of pride and respect for the visited sights

The relevance of rural tourism in developing countries (Romania being one of them) refers to the fact that
because of the population growth, the farmland has become divided. Rural tourism can provide wealth,
especially when it comes to poor households that are in need of development.
 Rural Tourism in Romania

For a long period of time, in Romania rural tourism has been practiced not in a systematic way,
thing that result in the need and desire of tourist to consider more affordable accommodation that can also
provide a certain degree of comfort. After 1989, the need for this type of accommodation started to grow,
which led to the fact that more and more villagers opened their homes and welcomed tourists. In Rucar
Bran area is considered to be the home of the first well organized rural tourism. And so in each county
households were recognized in an official manner and the competition started to take shape, based in
particular on the attractions that can be offered to tourists but also on the natural resources that a certain
area can offer.

As a result of these transformation and the tendency to modernize, develop and improve the
activities of rural tourism, this type of tourism has an important place on the stage of tourism offer in
Romania, representing for many Romanian but not only an appealing alternative for holidays.

As far as the rural tourism product is concerned, it is focused on providing the tourists with services
that may include only accommodation, bed & breakfast, half board ( including accommodation, breakfast
and lunch or dinner), full board ( including all meals). It may also be included excursions, one day trips,
balnear treatment, transportation, participation in traditional holidays (that are representative for the area)
and also participation in different festivals. This type of touristic product comprises: basic components
(including food, accommodation and transportation) and auxiliary components ( recreation, sport activities,
treatments, spa being included)

It is not at all easy to choose your touristic destination due to the variety of offers and a multitude
of needs and preferences. When you choose your tourist destination, you may need to consider the following
elements:

 Natural factors as geographic settlement, the relief, hydrography, flora and fauna, climate
and vegetation
 Infrastructure including telecommunications, means of transport, water supply, sewerage
systems, structure and the way a village looks.
 Local people (the human element): hospitality and mentality shown in the attitude of locals,
the degree with which they are willing welcome tourists
 Facilities provided: accommodation units and their comfort, transport, food (traditional
food of the area), sport activities, entertainment and the possibility of information
  Cultural factors: language, culture and traditions of the area, art, architecture, folklore,
religion;

The demand for rural tourism can be divided into the following segments:

 One first segment could be formed by young generation who were born into rural areas and
decide to leave their home villages for studies and for the hope that they will find a good
career in the big and urban areas; even so, they will always return to their home village for
visiting their relatives, friends, for showing to their own kids the places where their parents
used to live, traditions;
 A second segment can be represented by kids and youngsters, who are willing to know
activities related to the country life (work in the field, feeding domestic animals)
 A third segment is represented by the people who are living in urban areas and are willing
to get rid of the crowded and noisy city for a while, spending a short holiday in a clean,
fresh and peaceful environment;
 Another category of clients comprise people with large income, who are willing for
discovering new experiences. They are usually families with kids where the parents are
eager to provide to their children with an attractive and cleaner holiday environment.
 The highest category is represented by people with lower incomes, who can not afford to
spend their holidays in luxury hotels
 Any person who is willing to relax, to practice different sports in a natural and pleasant
environment. There are also those persons who are eager to learn about the traditions and
culture of the chosen place

Even though we are in the third millennium, in a very advanced Europe, Romania continues to
welcome its guests with its villages in which tradition and faith are surrounded by an archaic atmosphere.

There are villages situated in the mountain side ( ex.:Apuseni, Fagaras, Piatra Craiului) which reach
over 1000 meters altitude offering the views of the small houses, like in a fairytale. Other villages are
situated on the river shore or over the valleys (ex.: Slanic, Prahova Valley) surrounded by hills, orchards,
vineyards and others rural settlements can be found in a beautiful region from our country, Danube Delta
but also on the seaside. Many of these villages offers pensions as accommodation which put on display
home made products and veritable rural conditions so as to create for the customers memorable experiences.
 In the Vest of Europe rural environment became more as a memory meanwhile a tourist in Romania
have the possibility to discover places where shepherds are carrying their sheep flocks, they can see the
campfires lit up around the villages, and attending to traditional customs. The tourist can discover the fact
that rural Romania still uses medical herbs that are known since our ancestors, they have legends with
fairytales like phantasm night in which the shadows are coming out of their tombs. Romania offers pensions
in almost all parts of the country in which tourists can travel in time and live again the childhood time. The
pensions are situated in the middle of the nature but even so, they provide all modern facilities.

In rural Romania, NGOs are “fighting” together with the public and local authorities in order to
provide good experiences for tourists and residents as well. Over the time some NGOs have stand out during
their actions and benefits that they have provided to the communities.

Professional organizations active in rural tourism

Among the forms of organization in rural tourism there are included foundations, associations
and federations. These are created having on their basis non-governmental entities which promote the
evolution of rural tourism and rural economy activities, by supporting the valorization of the tourism
potential in Romania. These associative forms put together all local and isolated initiatives in order to create
entities which should be able to contour certain aspects of social life rural economic and.
Through the founding status, which represent the organization way of functioning and
organizing, the association has its own strategies as its own management system with which operates and
contributes to the increase of their own network within legal boundaries.
Rural tourism represented through federations and associations has the ability and freedom to
create improvement solutions which can be applied whenever it is considered that the reality is against the
legislation.
ANTREC ( Asociatia Nationala de Turism Rural, Egologic si Cultural) – National Association
of Rural, Ecological and Cultural Tourism is an organization that is well known nationally and
internationally as well being a leader in developing the Romanian rural tourism. They also support
ecological conservation as well as keeping Romanian culture and traditions alive and respected. ANTREC
dates since 1994 being an non-governmental institution which does not seek for profit but it is entirely
dedicated to develop rural tourism in our country. This association comprise as members people from rural
environment, firms, other associations and about 2000 houses properties. Among the association main
activities I recall:
 Highlighting tourists tracks and routes
 Promoting potential of rural tourism and its organization
 Developing and improving booking system
  Release of tourists information and materials through editing an ANTREC magazine
 Preparing properties which want to start an activity in rural tourism domain

The association also has big plans for development of rural tourism in the future. They aim to approve
households which will meet all the necessary criteria for practicing decent tourism. Some of the activities
which have been completed over the years to benefit rural tourism are:
 The creation of the National Center of Formation and Specialization having the headquarter situated
in Moeciu ( Brasov County)
 Developing of actions which are focused on improvements for all the participants in rural
environment, organizing classes which are based on different specialties and forms of training. The
courses are designed to last more or less depending on the preferences; they are in the form of
seminaries, camps with thematic purposes.
 A collaboration with Ministry of Environment Protection which resulted in a large nature related
project named “One tourist – One tree” showing the relationship between the human kind and ature
itself.
 Using modern methods and techniques they have promoted rural tourism in order to design their
own tourism network and connecting it somehow with European tourism; This is obtain through:
flyers, brochures, recordings, and catalogs which highlight the potential of rural tourism in
Romania. ANTREC is organizing marketing campaigns classified unities which are included in the
network through mass- media means.
 Organizing exhibitions with projects designed for the creation of rural accommodations, action that
can be turned into reality by collaborating with students from the Institute of Architecture and the
Institute of Constructions;
 Provide technical support and consulting for rural accommodation units by helping them with
documentation which is necessary for the homologation of these as touristic entities and their
inclusion in the database of touristic network;
In 1995 ANTREC became a member of the European association EUROGITES, situated in Strasbourg.
At the end of the same year the organization reached 2000 members.

In the EUROGÎTES catalog, made under the lead of the European Rural Tourism Federation,
Romania was represented by 20 households, being placed alongside the tourist offer of countries with
a rich tradition in this field, countries such as Belgium, France, Ireland.
 ANTREC has 31 branches which are spread in the 41 counties of Romania, being located almost
everywhere over the country’s territory. The number of the organization’s members increased quickly
and they successfully operate in 770 villages putting on display touristic and agro touristic pensions.
Another important ONG playing on rural Romania stage is called FRDMR (Federatia Romana
de Dezvoltare Montana si Rurala) – Romanian Federation of Rural and Mountain Development. FRDMR
was formed in 1991 having as main purpose the development and implementation of the concept of agro
tourism in Romania. It has created a vast program creating their own policies and management. Also they
have been collaborating with governmental and non-governmental organizations as well, nationally and
internationally.
The organization has cooperated with Ministry of Tourism in order to create a common front of
actions regarding tourism development in rural areas. As part of these actions, the FRDMR has promoted
a law project in order to support rural tourism, has implemented the PHARE program, provided a database
necessary for the modernization of an agro tourist guidebook containing the first 200 households certified
during 1991- 1994.
FRDMR assures:
 Periodical training for owing new technologies and methods of production in order to develop the
existent capacities but also the development of other activities performed in rural households in
order to increase revenues;
 Creating economic agents and supporting them with economical projects for obtaining specific
activities in certain rural areas having the main objective of honoring raw materials from local
community. In many communities such projects become pilot objectives.
 Technical assistance in terms of creating and developing households.

FRDMR realize:
 Analysis and economic studies in order to create projects for local development
 Legislative initiative aimed to create a system of economic and social protection of producers
in rural areas and also providing an economically favorable environment in the small
producer's space of action.
Gabriela Stanciu, N. Lupu etc – Lexicon de termeni turistici ( 2002)
Puiu Nistoreanu – Ecoturism si turism rural (2003)
 For a better collaboration with people from rural areas, local authorities understood that they have
to communicate and create strong relationships with local NGOs in order to put together their forces and
“fight” for the wellbeing of people and environment as well.

Improving the quality of life in a certain region is determined by the way in which members of each
community and local authorities are involved to solve economic, social, cultural and environmental issues.

Creating common projects for local development which are aiming to solve some sensitive issues
relating to the community, contributes to the development of human relations, build a strong confidence
feeling in peoples heart and may create some positive changes.
At a general level, the two entities aim to contribute to reduce economic and social inequalities
from rural Romania. In this way, they had created projects that promote local development integrated
through the development of long lasting relationships with the neighbors and also through implementing
new strategies regarding the existent problems.
Many Romanian rural villages are poor and people face daily existential problems. These villages
face similar problems in different areas: access to health services, employment and career opportunities,
infrastructure, school drop-off and low education, sometimes even people being deprived from facilities
that are absolutely normal and indispensable in the urban environment: running water, central heating.
Another common problem of rural villagers is their standard of living, as sometimes the population in the
villages is very numerous and people live with a minimum income. Keeping local identity, traditions and
customs, gastronomy and numerous tourist sites in these places need resources and requires the
implementation of strategies to solve these existing problems. – Mirela Coman, 2015
To ensure that the key contributions of NGOs are incorporated into the political decision-making
process, it requires firstly a good institutional environment. The terms of a favorable environment include
strengthening the rule of law, respecting the democratic principles fundamental will, political will,
favorable legislation, clear procedures, long-term support and public resources for a sustainable civil
society, repeating the legal provisions on transparency decision making and citizen involvement in the
decision - making process. These conditions allow the creation of a good and constructive relationship
between NGOs and public authorities, based on mutual trust and understanding from its participants.
At the European Union level, the Government issued policies related to Eastern Europe in order
to involve NGOs in public life. There are two branches offered: 1). EU policy making – which offers the
ONGs the possibility to collaborate with other European organizations in order to influence the policy
directly and 2). EU projects – providing pre-financing and co-financing opportunities for NGOs.
The relationship between the public authorities and civil society organizations is reflected
through the PCDs – Policy documents on cooperation. This are designed to show the views and opinions
of the public authorities as Parliament, Government, EU institutions, over the purpose of civil society. The
policy documents on cooperation have emphasized two major objectives:
• Establish a good and productive cooperation that will make the government’s work in delivering
public services easier;
• Supporting the involvement of the public in the matters of political life;
In order to meet the objectives mentioned above, PCDs comprise specific plans and also general
principles. They are aware of the importance of the non profit sector’s role in developing the society as a
whole and that is why they put a great emphasis on the relationships with NGOs.
PCDs represent the outcome of negotiation and efforts from all parties involved. They comprise
agreement type bilateral documents, de facto agreements – in the form of the programs officially accepted
by the government and unilateral statements showing the engagement of only one party.
This agreements provide real benefits to both public sector and third sector. They enhance the
civic organization support for their work, expanding in the interest of society their activities. In the
governments’ point of view, the PCDs are helpful in order to ensure a better performance in the case of
governmental tasks.
A policy at a corporation level can not be successful lest each of the sides involved respect, trust
and understand the other’s mission and role. Usually the NGOs are the ones that come with the initiative of
negotiation but still the process can be initiated and brought to a remarkable conclusion by the public
authorities. - Nilda Bullain & Radost Toftisova, 2005, The International Journal of Not-for-Profit Law

Public-private partnership is considered as a very useful tool when it comes to the collaboration
between public authorities and organizations from private sector, to bring to life projects related local
development. Community development is a long term process, which normally implies, both financial
resources and strong and long lasting partnerships. Within the framework of partnerships, a fundamental
role is played by civil society, recognized in an unofficially way, as the third core sector which influence
positively both the state and the market.
In most European countries, this including Romania, civil society has made its notable way on
the national stage by being engaged in rural development and by participating in the development of local
strategies for sustainable development. The development of rural communities is not focused entirely on
decision-making factors at regional, central or national level. In order to ensure the development of rural
areas, it is necessary that all the parties involved to communicate and have a strong relationship (local
authorities, organizations and representatives of civil society). The role of partnership is to stand out the
main challenges at the local level, establish measures and strategies. Strategies are based on links between
the involved actors, with multiple effects on local development and general programs at regional, national
and community level. These must be designed for emphasizing the social, environmental and economic
strengths and assets of the community.
Local communities are different in terms of capacity, experience of cooperation or conflict, and
institutional culture. It is, therefore, very important for the partnership to be created and maintained
according to the reality and each partnership to be fitted for solving the problems in a certain local context.
– Publicatia Tematica, Nr. 37, an II – Parteneriate in mediul rural.

Living in 21-th century means freedom, freedom of choice. This is why it is very important that
people from rural communities to consent every time when it comes to decisions upon their territory. They
represent a so called “third party” when it comes to the relationship between the authorities and the non
governmental organizations focusing on developing the rural communities. Local people being involved in
this activities would result in a great deal of success because they are the ones who directly communicate
with the tourists and also represent a significant factor in the visitor’s decision to come back. Locals
providing quality experiences for tourists would result in grater satisfaction from their part, their decision
to return and to share their experiences with others (world-of-mouth) all of these leading to increased
revenue for local community. But still, the freedom of choice concept allows people not to be too
enthusiastic to receive strangers in their territory. Some communities are more private and have the
tendency not to be very welcoming with the outsiders from different reasons. In this situation, when locals
refuse to communicate, it would be very difficult for the government together with the NGOs to contribute
to the sustainability of the territory.
Compromise, weak consensus and failure does not define the golden rule given by Aristotel, but
motivation, unity and inner equilibrium does. The goal of the association between authorities and NGOs is
to communicate to the locals (the ones who are nor eager to receive tourists) the benefits of doing so and to
convince them willingly to follow this path and to be aware of the benefits and risks that comes together.
The ethic of love is one of the principles that guide the activity and the role of NGOs. It states
that all the people should feel love to each other, peace shall rule and also spread the love equally between
God and people. According to this principle, discrimination should not exist and people should be treated
equally no matter their race, sex or religion. The outcome of this principle results in emphasizing the way
to be followed by the NGOs approach in order to have a good relationship with the locals so therefore the
locals should have a positive relationship with the tourists. It may be characterized as a chain relationship
where the actions of the NGOs influence the behavior of the locals which at their turn react to the arrival
of tourists. – Stefania Bejan – “Social and Behavioral Sciences”, 2014