Oradea - Urban touristic resources

CROATIA, Opatija, 14 April 2004 University of Oradea ROMANIA 1

URBAN TOURISTIC RESOURCES.

ORADEA MUNICIPALITY -ROMANIA

Ada Mirela TOMESCU, Ph.D., Associate Professor

Olimpia BAN, Assistant Faculty of Economics, Department of Management and Marketing,

University of Oradea, ROMANIAUniversity of Oradea, ROMANIA


INTRODUCTIONINTRODUCTION At the end of 20th century as a result of the European Council

initiative eleven cities were nominated as cultural capitals of the continent, this list being open since.

Different and sometimes competing requirements need to be reconciled such as maintaining the physical heritage in the maintaining the physical heritage in the context of living and developing cities; creating a viable tourist context of living and developing cities; creating a viable tourist infrastructure; strengthening the cultural and social viability of infrastructure; strengthening the cultural and social viability of local communities; balancing the interests of residents and local communities; balancing the interests of residents and visitors; providing a sound long-term economic development visitors; providing a sound long-term economic development and high-quality employment opportunities; minimizing the and high-quality employment opportunities; minimizing the adverse ecological impacts and promoting sustainable adverse ecological impacts and promoting sustainable consumption patterns.consumption patterns.

There is no doubt that many more other cities could be able to become cultural capitals as cultural values of Central and Eastern Europe and these will be better known.


Analyzing the means, touristic countries have started to valorize their cultural heritage of cities, so we can conclude upon the followings:

Ensuring good accommodation infrastructures (hotels, hostels) and qualitative accommodation services;

· Diversification of restaurant structures, emphasizing fast-food services and/or traditional restaurants;

· Developing of access structures (roads, airports in order to ensure a fluent traffic, parking places and public transportation);

· Ensuring public services which accompany those of touristic nature (urban hygiene, security- police and fire brigades-, first aid and medical assistance);

· Creating of multi-info-centers;

· Conservation of cultural patrimony.


GOALSGOALSThis paper is a part of a more extended study. First part was

carried out between July and September 2003. At the beginning was a desk research, followed by a field

research. Mainly this paper exposes the first part of the study.

For the field research –it is still on working –the respondents were chosen up among people that work in tourism sector (100), among citizens (100), and local authorities (interview 20 office worker who are representative). The samples were representatives. There were three different questionnaires (written survey) with specific questions for each sample. The range of questions asked was oriented to find the opinion of the involved people, about the strengths, the weaknesses, tendencies, behavior, their perception etc. regarding tourism.


STUDY CASE – URBAN TOURISM TOURISTIC POTENTIAL OF ORADEATOURISTIC POTENTIAL OF ORADEA

Oradea is a city located in Romania, in Transylvania, county of Bihor (BH).

The city has a population of 206,527 (according to the 2002 census)[3]; this does not include outside areas of the municipality; the total urban area population is approximately 220,000 inhabitants.


STUDY CASE – URBAN TOURISM TOURISTIC POTENTIAL OF ORADEATOURISTIC POTENTIAL OF ORADEA Oradea is a city located in

Romania, in Transylvania, county of Bihor (BH).

The city has a population of 206,527 (according to the 2002 census)[3]; this does not include outside areas of the municipality; the total urban area population is approximately 220,000 inhabitants.



Oradea is one of the most prosperous cities of Romania. The unemployment rate is under 2%, one of the smallest in Romania.


STUDY CASE – URBAN TOURISM TOURISTIC POTENTIAL OF ORADEATOURISTIC POTENTIAL OF ORADEA Oradea is one of the most prosperous cities of Romania.

The unemployment rate is under 2%, one of the smallest in Romania.

The city is situated on the banks of Crişul Repede Rriver, near the Hungarian border, only to 10 km.

Situated at the foot of Apuseni Mountain (Cucurbata Pick /1848 m altitude) that belongs to Carpathians Mountain Chain, at the distance sensitively equal from Wien, Prague and Bucharest, Oradea is a passing-point on the roads, which connect Central and Northern Europe with the South-Eastern part of Europe.

By its location, Oradea is considered an important entering gate at Western border of Romania.



The city is situated on the banks of Crişul Repede Rriver, near the Hungarian border, only to 10 km.


Oradea community is a multicultural one, of the total population, the following ethnic breakdown occurs, from the 2002 census:

Ethnicity in Oradea (%)

Gypsies1%

Other minorities

1%

Romanians 70%

Hungarians28%


NNATURALATURAL ANDAND P PROTECTEDROTECTED A AREASREAS In Oradea, there are 2 parks that enclose protected species:

The Baroque Palace- The Museum of Tara Crisurilor has ash trees, white cedars, yew trees, and magnolias;

University Park has rare species of leafy and resinous trees; Century-old trees, monuments of nature: 3 Sequoia trees, with

diameters of 64, 76 and 90 cm and heights of 19, 20 and 22 m at School “Dacia”;

There are two species of protected plants in several sites in the city green areas: Tisa (Taxus Baccata) and the Turkish chestnut (Corylus coturna) in the parks. Green areas in Oradea are divided as follows:

Parks: total 257,050 sqm Swimming places: total 1,077,400 sqm Squares: total 265,940 sqm

Green areas between blocks and gardens estimated at nearly 50 ha and total green areas: 210 ha. At the end of 1995, in Oradea there were 9.17 sqm of green areas per inhabitant.


AttractionsAttractionsOradea Fortress (1113 –1131) was built in a star shape, with five bastions that are still standing, also the eastern gate. It’s shape is unique among Medieval Citadels.

Tartars were destroyed it in the XIII-th century this fortress, after it was rebuilded (1570-1618) in actual shape

One of wellknown astronomical observatory in that time.

It is said that Christopher Columbus had used for his travel to America maps provided from here!


AttractionsAttractions

There are attractive places when sightseeing: the Museum of Tara Crisurilor, Churches (important for their example of ecumenism that are enjoying a tolerant character; Orthodox, Greek-Catholic, Roman-Catholic, Protestant, Neo-Protestant churches and 2 synagogues, historical monuments, the Zoo Park etc.



There are attractive places when sightseeing:

Churches (important for their example of ecumenism that are enjoying a tolerant character; Orthodox, Greek-Catholic, Roman-Catholic, Protestant, Neo-Protestant churches and 2 synagogues, historical monuments, the Zoo Park etc.



The residence of the Greek Catholic Diocese (1906) etc.



the Palace of the Black Eagle; a masterpiece of the Secession (1908)



Adorian House II

(1903-1905)



The Ullman Palace is an example of Viennese Secession belonging to Lobl Ferencz, being built in 1913. The specific feature of this building is the bas-relief presenting the nubian lion and the seven armed candlestick made of bronze-green stoneware.



Town Hall (1895 - 1902),



Poynar Palace

(1895 - 1902),



Between 1899 and 1900 a theatre was built, under

Viennese architect supervision.


AttractionsAttractionsAn Orthodox Church, so

called “Church with Moon” is another 18-th

century building in baroque with neo-classical elements style. In the bell tower there is a clockwork mechanism that move a sphere, half

golden-half black, which shows the phases of the moon.


AttractionsAttractionsMuseums: In Oradea there

are 4 museums, the most important is The Museum of the Cris Counties. It was opened in January 1971 inside the Baroque Palace with 100 rooms and 365 windows, in the style of

the great baroque buildings of Italy (built in 18th century) restored

by great efforts from the Romanian State.


Nearby AttractionNearby Attraction

Baile Felix Spa (10 km) balnear resort, geothermal springs.

There is the largest touristic resort in Romania after Black Sea-Side, having above 5000 beds in the holels builted here.


Nearby AttractionNearby AttractionBaile 1 Mai Spa (12 km) a

watering place with numerous thermal springs, where grows a water-lily an interesting monument of nature. (Nymphaea Lotus Thermalis)

This is a relic of tertiary age and is not met in any other place in the world.

It is UNIQUE in the WORLD!


Accommodations Accommodations There are several lodging places (11 hotels and other accommodation

establishments in Oradea and 12 hotels in Baile Felix, which is the largest resort in Romania having more than 5000 beds).

Analyzing the data of hotel industry in Oradea and neighborhoods we notice the relative seasonality of activity.


CONCLUSIONSCONCLUSIONS

In this regard the city’s priorities are accomplishing the followings:

Setting up a TOURISM PROMOTING CENTRE, a unit of information, orientation, and assistance in tourism services, including maps and booklets for better information, a permanent phone line - Green Phone;

Creating a web page, dedicated to tourism in Oradea, to promote information and local tourism offers;

Identifying performances in connection with the local traditions of this region, included in the European tourist programs;



Initiating a European tour of the Central European towns, through the old historic Austro-Hungarian area (arrival in/or departure from Vienna) as a possible attraction, to stimulate tourism in the area (Austria, Hungary, The Czech Republic, Slovakia, Ukraine).

A comprehensive inventory of interesting tourism sites which must be renovated and modernized trying to find financing sources as well;



A tourism strategy in order to turn to profit the opportunities of the town: tourism for treatment –balneology; cultural tourism, business and transit tourism etc.

Imposing high quality standards for tourism services, by educating, training, supporting and stimulating the people involved;

Training of local travel agents to promote packets of services, with internal;

Developing an international marketing strategy for tourism sector;



Preparing a trained staff adapted to tourism belonging to the third millennium, by creating vocational classes/sections in both high school and university;

Adapting some models of similar European towns and offer the same conditions in tourism;

Involving environment and conservation agents, as main elements of the tourism offer.


RESULTS AND COMMENTSRESULTS AND COMMENTS

1.The strength of Oradea regarding tourism activity is its location, access gate of Western Romania this position must be exploited. Another strength is the large structure of accommodation and the proximity of the largest Romanian resort -Baile Felix.

2.The weakness is related to local authorities that not yet act to develop more this activity. The actors are not connected into synergic process.


RESULTS AND COMMENTSRESULTS AND COMMENTS

3.Oradea has not been sufficiently exploited. Nothing has been done (yet) to determine that tourist stay longer in Oradea, on their way to and from other towns, so that they may discover the beauties offered by neighborhoods as before named.

4.The questioners indicated that local population has the feeling that tourism would be a way to development and welfare.

5.Achieving this it is advisable to have a detailed action-plan, with precise responsibilities, where private partners are involved.

Oradea - Urban touristic resources

Travel

Transcript of Oradea - Urban touristic resources