Introduction to rural tourism in Torockó

Abstract

Torocko’s rich heritage and traditions, dating back centuries, still have a significant impact on the inhabitants living there. Therefore, the present research aimed to find out how Torockó’s built heritage and tourism are related today: how Torockó’s built heritage contributes to the development of tourism, and how the municipality’s marketing activities can promote Torockó’s built heritage. The study is based on eight interview responses. The interviewees were leaders and representatives of institutions and organizations playing decisive role in the life of the settlement. Overall, the results of the study confirmed that Torockó has moved to a prominent place on the mental map of domestic tourists in Romania, whilst the tourism supply itself in the municipality has also expanded over the last decade. However, if the organization level of tourism and the basic tourism infrastructure cannot be adequately developed, Torockó could lose its attractiveness in the medium term.