ECOTOURISM CONCEPTS WITHIN THE NATURAL PROTECTED AREAS IN THE GIURGEU DEPRESSION, ROMANIA.

Ecotourism is one of the most rapidly developing new forms of the tourism industry which started to gain ground considerably by the end of the 20th century. This is the new trend in promoting a conscious and sustainable form of tourism with regards to the inherited natural environment and which promotes education, protection and preservation of the natural environment, economic growth and social development of the local communities. Thus in this paper we would like to present some of the aspects of the actual state of the ecotourism trends and forms in the Giurgeu Depression and how the natural protected areas and their ecotouristic exploitation should play a much vital place in the life of the local communities and how these are or could be integrated in the tourism offers of the area. The Giurgeu Depression is one of two intra-mountainous depressions and is located in the central part of the country and in the central-western part of the Eastern Carpathians Central Compartment. The Giurgeu Depression subunit developed on the upper course of the Mures Rives on approximatively 50 km in length and 12 km in width. It has north-west south-east orientation. Genetically the regional system Giurgeu has a very complex origin (tectonic, volcanic barrier and due to erosion), proven by the very steep slopes and lithological faults which delimit them, together with the piedmonts and low terraces from the peripheries. It has sunken compartments, segmented by the Neogene volcanic mountain chains of Căliman-Gurghiu from the crystalline-Mesozoic and flysch ranges of the Moldo-Transylvanian Carpathian mountain chains. The area being an intra-mountainous depression, has preserved many characteristics and remnants of the last glacial age, with endemic species of plants and animals. The Giurgeu Depression is very rich in such places, several of which after the year 2000 were declared by law natural protected areas. These natural protected areas are: Șugău Cave (Suseni), Piemontul Nyíres from Borzont (Joseni), Mlaștina cea Mare Swamp (Remetea), Mlaștina După Luncă Swamp (Voslabeni), Thermal Waterfall Toplița (Toplita), published in the Monitorul Oficial of Romania Nr. 152 from 12th April 2000, Law Nr.5 from 6th March in 2000. Ecotourism in the area is gaining ground and is becoming a form of tourism which will help protect the endemic and endangered floristic and faunistic wealth for which reason this area is rightfully renowned. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]