SCĂRIȘOARA ICE CAVE GEOMORPHOSITE – EVALUATION AND TOURIST CAPITALIZATION

Abstract

The present study assesses the attractiveness potential of karst forms which exist in Bihor Mountains, focusing on Scărișoara Ice Cave. This cave is considered by researchers as one of the most important tourist attractions in Romania, due to the accumulation of qualitative and quantitative factors, which contribute to its inclusion in the category of geomorphosites. In the scientific literature, the notion of “geomorphosite” refers to a landform or a geomorphological process which possesses multiple scientific, cultural, economic, scenic, historical and aesthetic values. All these values are the result of the researcher’s subjective perception, acquired over time. The better known these values are, the more tourists are interested in the landform. This research was accomplished by applying specific research methods, which were acknowledged both at national and international level. The findings of the research highlight the special scenic value of the landform analyzed, as well as its high tourist attractiveness.

Keywords

• geomorphosite, Scărișoara Ice Cave, tourist potential, capitalization, Pralong Method.