ISSN 11222211–11227733, E-ISSN 22006655–33440099 Article no. 228811111133–776677 [621676]

AAnnaalleellee UUnniivveerrssiittăățțiiii ddiinn OOrraaddeeaa,, SSeerriiaa GGeeooggrraaffiiee Year XXXXVVIIIIII, no. 11//22001188 (June), pp. 113311–113377
ISSN 11222211–11227733, E-ISSN 22006655–33440099 Article no. 228811111133–776677

http://istgeorelint.uoradea.ro/Reviste/Anale/anale.htm

TTOOUURRIISSMM AANNDD LLOOCCAALL DDEEVVEELLOOPPMMEENNTT.. SSTTUUDDYY CCAASSEE:: BBĂĂIILLEE
FFEELLIIXX–BBĂĂIILLEE 11 MMAAII TTOOUURRIISSMM SSYYSSTTEEMM,, BBIIHHOORR CCOOUUNNTTYY,, RROOMMAANNIIAA

GGrriiggoorree VVaassiillee HHEERRMMAANN**
University of Oradea, Department of Geography, Tourism and Teritorial Planning,
University St., 410087, Oradea, Romania , e-mail: [anonimizat]

DDaanniieell PPEEPPTTEENNAATTUU
University of Bucharest, Faculty of Geography, 1, Nicolae Bălcescu Avenue, Bucharest, 1st district, 010041,
Romania . Research Center for Integrated Analysis and Territorial Management, University of Bucharest, 4 -12
Regina Elisabeta Avenue, 030018 Bucharest, Romania , e-mail: [anonimizat]

VVaassiillee GGRRAAMMAA
University of Oradea, Department of Geography, Tourism and Teritorial Planning,
University St., 410087, Oradea, Romania, e -mail: [anonimizat]

RRaadduu–DDaanniieell PPIINNTTIILLIIII
University of Bucharest, Faculty of Geography, 1, Nicolae Bălcescu Avenue, Bucharest, 1st district, 010041,
Romania . Research Center for Integrated Analysis and Territorial Management, University of Bucharest, 4 -12
Regina Elisabeta Avenue, 030018 Bucharest, Romania , e-mail: [anonimizat]

Abstract : The study presented has the purpose of highlighting the role and importance of
tourism in the development of the local economy of th e touristic system Băile Felix – Băile 1
Mai, Bihor County, Romania. This fact is concluded from the results of several analyses and
corelations between the following factors : the numbers of companies, employees, fiscal value
and recorded profit between t he years 2000 -2014 .

Key words: tourism, local development, companies, employees, fiscal value

INTRODUCTION
One of the most dynamic economic sectors with durable development responsible for the
local economy is tourism (Drăghici et al., 2015; Dumitru, 20 07; Herman et al., 2017; Ilie et al.,
2017). An important part of it is represented by curative and recreational tourism. Optimal
conditions for the appearance and development of such activity have been met in the tourist system
Băile Felix – Băile 1 Mai ( Ilieș et al., 2011, 2013). A big role in this was played by the existence of

* Corresponding author

Grigore Vasile HERMAN, Daniel PEPTENATU, Vasile GRAMA , Radu -Daniel PINTILII
132
curative natural factors such as geothermal water, mud and the climate. Explored since older times
(Borovic and Markovic, 2015), geothermal water is an important factor in tourist ic motivation,
being a source of health and well being (Kapczynski and Szromek, 2008; Joppe, 2010; Kosic et al.,
2011). Alike thermal water, the beneficial effects of therapeutic mud have been known and used
from the oldest times (De Vos, 2010, Khiari, 201 4). The mud used in the curative therapy is
”extracted from Băile 1 Mai, has the consistency of natural paste, care which was born from long
geologic and biologic processes,from the mixture with water of organic and inorganic insoluble
microparticles” (Mu nteanu et al., 1979, p. 43). ”Climate is one of the geophysical elements that
make up geographical space, contributing to the environmental conditions that facilitate or hinder
human settlement. People seek to settle in those spaces that offer the greatest comfort and
possibilities of survival in terms of climate. Tourism, as a human activity, is also governed by
these same imperatives. Therefore, climate is an important criterion for locating tourism centers,
helping to determine how an area is to be used” (Martin, 2005, p. 573).
The local curative factors are beneficial ”for treating a wide range of health conditions:
“inflammatory rheumatic disease rheumatoid arthritis, rheumatic diseases degenerative cervical,
dorsal and lumbar spondylosis, polyarthrose s; post -traumatic post -traumatic post -traumatic joint
disorders, post -operative posture in joints, bones, fractures, sprains, sprains; central and peripheral
hemiparesis neurological disorders at least 6 months after occurrence, parapareze at least 3 month s
after myelitis, after surgery on the marrow, after vertebral trauma, various paresis and paralysis;
chronic gynecological chronic underlying conditions, minor puberty or menopause disorders;
associated diseases metabolic and nutritional diseases, type II diabetes, endocrine diseases, gout
with localized joints”, using the following procedures: ”diadinamic and interferential currents;
magnetodiaflux; ultrasound; ultrasounds; ionization; aerosols; thermotherapy; therapeutic baths
with thermal mineral water in bathtubs and pools; galvanic baths; underwater shower; manual
segmental massage; physical therapy at the gym”. 1
Based on this, the role of the study of the importance of tourism in the develpopment of
economy is mandatory, for durable development of t he Bihor society, the obtained results being
used by public authorities, local population, tourist service providers, tour operators, tourists etc.
The local economy is tied to the concept of local development which also means the
development of the societ y starting from what is specific to the area. They are defined, among
others, by the natural setting, which had a big role in the shaping of the local socio -economic
system (Pires et al., 2015; Bercu, 2015; Kisman and Tasar, 2014; Rogerson, 2015; Lu et al. , 2016;
Boccella et al., 2016).

1 http://www.tratamentbalnear.ro/baile -1-mai

Tourism and Local Developmen. Study Case: Băile Felix -Băile 1 Mai Tourism System…
133
The touristic system Băile Felix – Băile 1 Mai is located in Sânmartin, Bihor County, ”in
the west part of Romania, right near Romania’s state border with Hungary, at the contact between
the morphological units of Tisa Plai n (subunit of the Western Plain) with the Carpathian
Mountains (The Occidental Carpathians), in the hydrographic basin of the Tisa River, tributary on
the left of the Danube River” (Herman et al., 2017, p. 266 – 267) ( figur e 1).

Figure 1. Spațial locati on of the Felix – 1 Mai spa tourist system

”From the tourism point of view, the valorization of specific resources in this area dates
back to the XV -XVII centuries when around the localities Băile 1 Mai and Băile Felix it began the
exploitation for curati ve purposes of the mineral waters and vegetable slime extracted from the
lake in the locality” (Herman et al., 2017, p. 267).
The appearance and development of tourism in the area of the touristic system Băile Felix –
Băile 1 Mai, which ”includes all objec ts, processes and facts related to the tourist activity of Băile
Felix, 1 Mai -Haieu, Sanmartin, Cordau and Rontau within its structure” was a slow process, of
long continuance, whose evolution is far from being over (Herman and Tătar, 2015, p. 116).
Sitting at the base of this evolutional process is a series of posivite aspects, that have to do with the
natural and antropic setting. Thus, this is the context that the study imposes, having as purpose the
highlighting of the relationship between specific asp ects of curative and recreational tourism and
the local economy .

Grigore Vasile HERMAN, Daniel PEPTENATU, Vasile GRAMA , Radu -Daniel PINTILII
134
WORK METHODOLOGY
To highlight the role tourism has in the development of the local economy, several
bibliographic and field researches have been made, followed by analysis and corelations bet ween
the number of compan ies, employees, fiscal value and profit recorded between the years 2000 –
2014, regarding the touristic system of Băile Felix – Băile 1 Mai, Bihor County, Romania
(Drăghici et al., 2015; Herman et al., 2017; Ilie et al., 2017; Pintilii et al. 2014; Stoian et al. 2014).

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS
Evolution of the number of companies, employees, fiscal value and profit, at the level of
the tourism system B ăile Felix – Băile 1 Mai, between 2000 and 2014, saw an upward trend
(marked by some oscillations specific to 2010, 2012), each indicator analyzed, recording
significant increases as follows: the number of companies increased from 177 firms in 2000 to 646
firms in 2014; the number of employees increased from 1711 employees in 2000 to 2375
employees in 2014; the f iscal value increased from RON 40 888 100 in 2000 to RON 430 247 981
in 2014; the profit increased from RON 1 335 795 in 2000 to RON 33 972 086 in 2014 (Figures 2,
3, 4 and 5). As for the comparisons between the obtained results, at the level of studied a rea and
the results obtained in a similar study carried out at the Bihor County, one can observe the
existence of similarities and differences at the same time (Herman et al., 2017).
The time analysis of the share of tourism in the analyzed indicators rev eals the existence of
some time fluctuations for each indicator. In 2000, the situation was: the number of companies
(19% of services, 16% of the total); number of employees (69% of services, 59% of total); the
fiscal value (39% of services, 33% of total); profit (58% of services, 43% of total) (Figures 2, 3, 4
and 5). In 2014, the situation was: the number of companies (16% of services, 13% of the total);
number of employees (56% of services, 44% of total); the fiscal value (32% of services, 17% of
total); profit (36% of services, 17% of total) ( figures 2, 3, 4 and 5).
The analyzes of the comparative evolutions of the above -mentioned indicators, by sectors
of activity, showed growth tendencies in all three sectors of activity during the analyzed period,
thus, between 2000 and 2014, the number of primary sector companies increased by 525%,
followed by those in the secondary sector (509%) and tertiary (340%), the number of employees in
the primary sector increased by 589.4%, followed by those in the secondary sector (163.8%) and
tertiary (128.5%), the fiscal value in the primary sector increased by 4301.9%, followed by those
in the secondary sector (2056.5%) and tertiary (678.2%), the profit in the primary sector increased
by 83906.9%, followed by the ones in t he secondary sector (2763.4%) and tertiary (1614.4%)
(figures 6, 7, 8 and 9).

Tourism and Local Developmen. Study Case: Băile Felix -Băile 1 Mai Tourism System…
135

Figure 2. Touristic system Băile Felix – Băile 1
Mai correlation between the evolutions of number
of companies in tourism, services and total number
of firms between the yea rs 2000 -2014 Figure 3. Correlation between the evolutions of the
number of employees in tourism, services and the
total number of employees between the years 2000 –
2014

Figure 4. Correlation between the evolutions of
turnover in tourism, services and the total turnover
between the years 2000 -2014 Figure 5. Correlation between the evolutions of
profit in tourism, services and the total profit
between the years 2000 -2014

Figure 6. Correlation between the evolutions of the
number of companies in p rimary, secondary and
tertiary sectors between the years 2000 -2014 Figure 7. Correlation between the evolutions of the
number of employees in primary, secondary and
tertiary sectors between the years 2000 -2014

Figure 8. Correlation between the evolu tions of the
turnover in primary, secondary and tertiary sectors
between the years 2000 -2014 Figure 9. Correlation between the evolutions of
profit in primary, secondary and tertiary sectors
between the years 2000 -2014

Grigore Vasile HERMAN, Daniel PEPTENATU, Vasile GRAMA , Radu -Daniel PINTILII
136
Nevertheless, from the analysis of the evolution of the weight of the number of companies,
the number of employees, the fiscal value and the profits per sectors of activity, between 2000 and
2014, is remarkable the predominance of the share of those in the tertiary sector, followed by the
secondary and the primary sector. For instance, in 2014, the activity by business sectors of the
indicators analyzed was: the number of companies (primary sector 3%, secondary 18%, tertiary
79%); number of employees (primary sector 5%, secondary 15%, terti ary 80%); the fiscal value
(primary sector 26%, secondary 20%, tertiary 54%); profit (primary sector 27%, secondary 25%,
tertiary 48%) ( figures 6, 7, 8 and 9).

CONCLUSIONS
The mutations happening on a social, economic and mental level of our society,
characterized by a change of the existential values of people which led to the identification of new
niches when it comes to local development. One of these niches, implying its structure and
functionality, is tourism in general, curative and recreational ones especially. From a historic point
of view, it has its roots even from previous centuries, today, we can notice somewhat of a
refreshment of this activity, acknowledging its positive effects on the human body that is being
affected by the exhausting rhytm of today’s global society. In this context, we can highlight that
the analysis and comparative correlations between the number of companies, employees, fiscal
value and profit recorded, in time, on a local level, constitutes a prime indicator when it come s to
the purpose of tourism in the development of the local economy specific to the touristic system
Băile Felix – Băile 1 Mai.
To support this afirmation we have the conclusions of the study presented:
– the increasing number of companies, employees, fisc al value and profit, in the tourist
system Băile Felix – Băile 1 Mai, between 2000 – 2014, has been ascending, (with some
oscillations in the years 2010, 2012);
– from the study of number of companies, employees, fiscal value and profit in the touristic
area we notice the existence of some oscillations in time for each indicator and the prevalence of
the activities specific to tourism;
– the analysis of the comparative evolutions of the previous indicators, on activity sectors,
have shown tendencies of incr easement in all 3 activity sectors, in the time interval 2000 -2014 ;
– the analysis of the evolution of the number of companies, employees, fiscal value and
profit on activity sectors, between the years 2000 -2014, highlight the dominance of the tertiary
sector, followed by the secondary and primary ones.

Tourism and Local Developmen. Study Case: Băile Felix -Băile 1 Mai Tourism System…
137
Acknowledgement
This work was supported by a grant of the Romanian National Authority for Scientific
Research and Innovation, CNCS – UEFISCDI, project number PN -II-RU-TE-2014 -4-0835.

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http://www.tratamentbalnear.ro/baile -1-mai

Submitted: Revised: Accepted and published online
December 15 , 201 6 September 03 , 201 7 June 20, 2018