FERM 2024 | Message from the tourism officer of Călimani National Park, Liviu Marian HUȚANU

„TOURISM” Panel

The 18th Edition of the Moldova Regional Economic Forum, Vatra Dornei, 2024

SPEAKER – Liviu Marian HUȚANU, tourism officer at Călimani National Park

TOPIC: “Ecotourism, Biodiversity, and Challenges in Călimani National Park”

Liviu Marian Huțanu is an IT and GIS specialist with extensive experience in network and database administration, as well as managing tourism activities and public procurement. Since September 2004, he has been working with the Administration of Călimani National Park RA in Șaru Dornei, Romania, where he manages tourism activities and public procurement, being responsible for the administration of the Windows 2003 Server network and the creation and maintenance of GIS databases.

The Specifics of National Parks

Liviu Huțanu explained the role and importance of national parks, highlighting the specifics of these protected areas according to IUCN Category II, and emphasized the main objectives of national parks, including the conservation of biodiversity and natural capital, providing recreational opportunities in line with conservation goals, and promoting ecological education.

Huțanu specified that only certain ecotourism activities are allowed in national parks, such as hiking, educational excursions, sports, and non-consumptive activities like photo-safari and bird-watching, all designed to minimize environmental impact and promote sustainability.

The Specifics of Călimani National Park and the Challenges Encountered

The Visitor Center of Călimani National Park is one of the central attractions of the ecotourism destination Țara Dornelor, designed to increase the destination’s appeal and the Park’s ability to communicate its natural and cultural values to visitors in a pleasant and engaging way. At the center, tourists will find:

• an educational exhibition about the values of Călimani National Park inside the center, and an exploration of the local landscape and culture in its courtyard;
• a corner showcasing handcrafted products made by locals;
• a themed trail specially designed for a two-hour journey into the unseen world of the Șaru Dornei peat bog.

Liviu Marian Huțanu, responsible for tourism at Călimani National Park RA, gave a detailed presentation on the specifics of Călimani National Park.

In his presentation, Huțanu emphasized the types of tourist activities allowed in national parks, stressing the importance of adhering to the primary conservation objectives. These activities are designed to minimize environmental impact and promote ecotourism, which is compatible with the parks’ protection goals.

“Călimani National Park is located in a tourist area with a long-standing tradition, characterized by extremely rich and varied natural and cultural potential,” Liviu Huțanu stated.

The region offers spectacular landscapes, remarkable biodiversity, and unique cultural resources, attracting visitors from various parts of the country and abroad.

However, tourism in this area is unevenly developed, with greater concentration in the Dorna Depression, indicating an uneven distribution of tourism infrastructure and services, which can pose challenges in managing tourist flows and ensuring a balanced and sustainable visitor experience across all areas of the park.

Visitor Monitoring

Visitor monitoring is important for assessing tourism’s environmental impact, planning infrastructure, educating the public, and optimizing the tourist experience, while the data collected enables park management to efficiently manage resources.

Liviu Huțanu presented data on visitor monitoring in Călimani National Park, highlighting trends in the increasing number of tourists and visitors.

The data presented shows a significant increase in visitors to the Park’s Visitor Center between 2019 and 2023, with a slight decrease in 2020 due to the pandemic. Moreover, the annual number of park visitors increased significantly from 2020 to 2023, following a decline between 2018 and 2019.

In 2023, the main counties of origin for visitors to the Călimani National Park Visitor Center were Suceava, Bucharest, and Cluj. As for international visitors, in 2022, 97% of visitors were from Romania, and 3% were from other countries.

Visitor Distribution

In 2023, 47% of visitors to Călimani National Park were organized school groups, 29% were families with children, and the remaining 24% were from other categories. Regarding age, 62% of visitors were children, while 38% were adults.

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