The Eibenthal Initiative: Sustainable Development Through Responsible Tourism
摘要
In recent years, the issue of sustainable development through responsible tourism has been at the forefront of global trends, with both theoreticians and practitioners looking for solutions to integrate the opportunities offered by tourism development in a sustainable way. Looking for examples of good practice, one seeks to identify models of intervention in terms of both specific means of implementation as well as regulations or possible directions for development. One such example is the Czech village of Eibenthal, a small settlement in the Almăj Mountains (Banat, Romania), which has become, in recent years, a reference for sustainable development through responsible tourism. Established during the nineteenth century by Czech settlers as part of a network of Czech villages in the Banat Mountains, Eibenthal and its people were deeply affected by the closure of the nearby coal mine in 2006. However, in recent years, Eibenthal has been going through a revival phase, with a number of projects currently being developed by the local community in order to attract tourists, enhance a resilient economy, and promote local values and heritage. In doing so, the Eibenthal Initiative adheres to the principles of the New European Bauhaus—with surprising results, as well as innovative functioning mechanisms.