{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,27]],"date-time":"2026-05-27T17:41:23Z","timestamp":1779903683095,"version":"3.53.1"},"reference-count":43,"publisher":"Emerald","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2021,4,11]],"date-time":"2021-04-11T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1618099200000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/www.emerald.com\/insight\/site-policies"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["WHATT"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2021,6,15]]},"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n<jats:title content-type=\"abstract-subheading\">Purpose<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>According to the United Nations World Tourism Organization, sustainable tourism is a form of tourism that meets the needs of present tourists and host regions, while protecting and enhancing the opportunity for the future. It aims at having a low impact upon the environment and local culture; generating income and employment; and ensuring the conservation of local ecosystems. This paper aims to examine the ways in which the development and promotion of a new tourism product based on unique rural heritage and traditions contribute to the development of sustainable tourism by relating the practices to the sustainable development goals (SDGs) 1, 8, 10, 11, 12 and 17.<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>\n<jats:sec>\n<jats:title content-type=\"abstract-subheading\">Design\/methodology\/approach<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>Drawing on a literature review on the topic of sustainable rural tourism, this paper uses a case-study methodological approach and provides an example of a sustainable rural tourism destination from the North Western development region of Romania (Cluj County, Transylvania) to depict specific sustainable tourism practices. The study uses a comprehensive desk-research based on secondary data from key industry and academic sources.<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>\n<jats:sec>\n<jats:title content-type=\"abstract-subheading\">Findings<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>The research findings show that sustainable rural tourism can greatly support the development of rural destination and makes a significant contribution to the sustainable development of the Romanian tourism industry, in general, and rural economies in particular, as shown in the case examined in the paper. S\u00e2ncraiu represents an example of sustainable tourism practices that contribute to poverty reduction (SDG1 \u2013 Target 1.A), provide decent work and ensure economic growth (SDG8 \u2013 Target 8.9), help reducing inequalities (SDG10 \u2013 Target 10.3), protect and safeguard the world\u2019s cultural and natural heritage (SDG 11 \u2013 Target 11.4), promote responsible consumption and production (SDG 21 \u2013 Target 12.b) and last but not least this destination demonstrates that development is only possible when partnerships are forged (SDG 17).<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>\n<jats:sec>\n<jats:title content-type=\"abstract-subheading\">Social implications<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>This paper illustrates that fostering unique rural heritage and traditions can contribute to the sustainable development of destinations. Sustainable tourism practices contribute not only financially to a destination but also to its social infrastructures, jobs, nature conservation, adoption of new working practices and the revitalisation of passive and poor rural areas.<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>\n<jats:sec>\n<jats:title content-type=\"abstract-subheading\">Originality\/value<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>This paper examines and depicts sustainable rural tourism development as a transformative strategy contributing to the long-term viability of a rural destination. The research findings can be viewed as an example of good practice, which may be applicable to other geographic regions with similar contexts.<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1108\/whatt-08-2020-0088","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2021,4,12]],"date-time":"2021-04-12T06:15:14Z","timestamp":1618208114000},"page":"124-138","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":22,"title":["Transformative rural tourism strategies as tools for sustainable development in Transylvania, Romania: a case study of S\u00e2ncraiu"],"prefix":"10.1108","volume":"13","author":[{"given":"Oana Adriana","family":"Gica","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Monica Maria","family":"Coros","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ovidiu Ioan","family":"Moisescu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Anca C.","family":"Yallop","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"140","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2021,4,11]]},"reference":[{"issue":"3","key":"key2021061507503410100_ref001","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"191","DOI":"10.1080\/09669589808667311","article-title":"National strategies for rural tourism development and sustainability: the polish experience","volume":"6","year":"1998","journal-title":"Journal of Sustainable Tourism"},{"issue":"7","key":"key2021061507503410100_ref002","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"847","DOI":"10.1080\/09669582.2019.1619748","article-title":"A critical framework for interrogating the United Nations sustainable development goals 2030 agenda in tourism","volume":"27","year":"2019","journal-title":"Journal of Sustainable Tourism"},{"issue":"1","key":"key2021061507503410100_ref003","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1080\/09669582.2017.1251689","article-title":"Twenty five years of sustainable tourism and the journal of sustainable tourism: looking back and moving forward","volume":"25","year":"2017","journal-title":"Journal of Sustainable Tourism"},{"issue":"2\/1","key":"key2021061507503410100_ref004","first-page":"64","article-title":"Traditional crafts and folklore as a means of economic development in the land of C\u0103lata","volume":"2","year":"2017","journal-title":"Territorial Identity and Development"},{"issue":"6","key":"key2021061507503410100_ref005","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"629","DOI":"10.2167\/jost607.0","article-title":"Information and empowerment: the keys to achieving sustainable tourism","volume":"14","year":"2006","journal-title":"Journal of Sustainable Tourism"},{"key":"key2021061507503410100_ref006","volume-title":"Managementul Cererii \u0219i Ofertei Turistice","year":"2015"},{"key":"key2021061507503410100_ref007","first-page":"7","article-title":"Sustainable tourism a viable alternative for Romania\u2019s economic development","volume-title":"Romanian Rural Tourism in the Context of Sustainable Development","year":"2016"},{"issue":"5","key":"key2021061507503410100_ref008","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"504","DOI":"10.1108\/WHATT-07-2017-0033","article-title":"Innovative and sustainable tourism strategies: a viable alternative for Romania\u2019s economic development","volume":"9","year":"2017","journal-title":"Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes"},{"key":"key2021061507503410100_ref009","unstructured":"DaVincze Tours (2020), \u201cDaVincze tours travel agency\u201d, available at: www.kalotaszeg-davincze.ro (accessed 23 April 2020)."},{"issue":"2","key":"key2021061507503410100_ref010","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"17","DOI":"10.25145\/j.pasos.2012.10.023","article-title":"Local community involvement in rural tourism development: the case of kastamonu, Turkey","volume":"10","year":"2012","journal-title":"PASOS. 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