SWOT Analysis Religious Cultural Tourism Religious Cultural Assets Potential Partner: NERDA Released: July 9 th 2012
SWOT Analysis What is the SWOT Analysis It s an analysis support to the choices and it answers the need for streamlining decision-making In general, European regulations requiring it for the evaluation of plans and programs What is its use The SWOT Analysis identifies the main strategic guidelines in relation to an overall objective of economic development or sectoral Structure of Swot Analysis 1. Strengths. Detect the strengths points of the observed object on which to bet on (micro) 2. Weaknesses. Detect the weak points of the observed object and so the things have to be improved (micro) 3. Opportunities. The benefits that can come from outside (e.g. favorable regulations, economic benefits, economic and social changes, etc) (macro) 4. Threats. Events that may hinder or slow down our projects (macro) When you use Ex-ante phase to improve the integration of a program or project in its context Intermediate phase determine, in relation to changes in context, if the lines of action identified are still relevant and provides a tool to decide changes to the program (our case) Ex-post phase serves to contextualize the results of the final plans and programs
THE OPERATIVE PHASE Description of context (overview) A brief description of the Assigned Theme in the country (Religious Cultural assets Potential value or touristic services or training needs and population wider attitude) Religious Cultural Assets Potential is an untapped resource in Romania, which has 18437 churches out of which 4500 are historical monuments, and 24 of them are on the UNESCO World Heritage List of Protected Culture Sites. Source http://lacasedecult.cimec.ro/ The religious heritage in Romania is closely related to the customs of the people and the development of culture in the whole territory. Customs are still an important aspect of people s lives, and in some areas old customs are revived to improve the cultural heritage of the area. Romania has known an increase in the importance of religious tourism and it came to light that it might be the only sector which could bring a steady income in some areas that do not posses other resources. The potential of the cultural heritage is represented through: - Religious monuments which house the relics of Saints or Martyrs; - Ancient fortifications and sanctuaries; - Cultural religious patrimony, in the form of the painted churches in Bucovina, Fortified Churches of Transylvania, catholic cathedrals, etc) - Religious destinations closely related to folk traditions and religious events. Most of the Religious Cultural Assets are placed in natural environments increasing their attractiveness and offering other possibilities to the tourists. Religious tourism started being promoted through Pilgrimage Centers that function as tour operators offering the tourists a complete spiritual experience; however, these pilgrimages represent only religious tourism not taking into account the cultural assets of the areas. This
being said the potential of the religious assets presented above is completed with the number of cultural sites. The potential of the religious cultural assets is very important and must not be overlooked as the assets are in a continuous degradation and without a steady source of income they will be certainly lost. Also the potential solely is nothing without a way to reach these destinations in an organized and structured manner in order to reach as many destinations (assets) as possible.
Strengths The presence of a large diversity of cultural, religious and natural heritage destinations; The presence of folk traditions which create a real life cultural lesson; Unique architecture, culture and traditions; Elaborate exterior and interior frescoes covering the external walls of churches; inspired by the Byzantine art and representing complete cycles of religious themes, they are authentic and particularly well preserved Beautiful natural environment; The presence of culture in the religious destinations, as the churches and monasteries were the keepers of culture during the ages and as such one could find cultural museums in the vicinity or even on the premises of religious destinations; The presence of guides that speak at least one language of international usage; Promotion of Orthodoxy through cultural and religious education; Representation of family burial places of princes and high nobles; Representation of traditional religious symbols and interior paintings; Diversity of religious rites and celebrations; Weaknesses Poor integration of the destinations in tourism products; Poor infrastructure for some of the destinations; Lack of investment in the cultural monuments this putting them in a continuous state of degradation; No interrelation with other kinds of tourism; Low level of promotion through marketing; Lack of information on potential destinations.
Opportunities Increase in the awareness of the people and institutions over the potential of the religious cultural assets; Beautiful environment suitable for more than one type of tourism; The presence of Pilgrimage Centers; Possibility to create integrated tourism products, due to the presence of a large pool of destinations; Funding for the promotion and rehabilitation of such destinations is available through different objectives of the Structural Funds; Monasteries provide certain services for visitors mainly at no cost. Increasing number of tourists in Religious Tourism Threats The lack of funding for the rehabilitation of the cultural religious destinations; The working schedule of such destinations differ from one to another so it makes it hard to get from one objective (destination) to the other; Continuous degradation through human interaction and natural elements; The lack of interest in the area of cultural assets; Private interest for the cultural assets which could hinder their integration in a route; Increase in transportation costs;
Final Report Synthetic summary of the Strengths and Opportunities The potential of the cultural religious assets is still untapped, as some of the assets are isolated thanks to poor infrastructure; one could find himself surrounded in a peaceful atmosphere that is granted due to the natural environment, this bringing an added value to the cultural-religious destination. The history, the folk culture and traditions bring a new light to the importance of this assets, as their development offers the tourists new experiences, and also gives back to the area a source of income that could develop not only the church/monastery/museum, but also the community around it, thus further increasing the awareness of the people and bringing a more fulfilling experience to the tourist. The whole pool of the cultural religious assets have a historical importance in the way that most of the religious assets were built by the rulers of the age and they came to be buried on the churches/monasteries premises. Also the churches and monasteries have always been a promoter of culture and a safe keeper of important religious and cultural relics, historical documents(chronicles, royal edicts, unique books etc.), unique paintings, icons and other priceless artifacts. The existence of organized religious tourism through Pilgrimage Centers is a plus as it could create further touristic products which appeal not only to local tourists but also to the international tourist market. Approaches to be taken to overcome shortcomings and constraints and possible disadvantages The approaches that could be taken to overcome the disadvantages are : - Starting projects that would bring added value to the cultural religious heritage and develop the area in which the objectives reside as in the restoration and conservation of monuments, buildings and archeological sites, the marking of the important routes, sites, buildings and
monuments and the creation of maps and information material for the purpose of attracting tourists. - The inclusion of public institutions in the protection, development, and marketing of the cultural religious sites; - The development an association of Cultural Religious Sites which would try to raise awareness over the importance of these assets; - The creation of linkages between cultural and religious objectives; - The creation of a favorable development environment in the way that laws should be passed that would ease the access to funding for the religious cultural assets; - The promotion of cultural religious events as a complete package with the assets they relate to; To overcome shortcomings regarding the cultural religious assets, there also should be more support from the responsible institutions through the allocation of a larger budget from which each point of interest (religious or cultural) could promote, rehabilitate and bring themselves into the tourism market. The development of infrastructure to the touristic objectives should be a priority in all sectors, routes, information, transport, accommodation and so on.