**5. Discussion**

The main responses revealed that in the case of locals (local producers and service providers) as bidders, the care for the earth is highlighted in particular by giving up fertilizers and chemicals, integrating production in nature, minimizing the amount of non-degradable waste, ensuring crop complementarities, minimizing the consumption of water and energy, the use of ecological materials of construction and arrangement, the use of renewable energy (through traditional methods), capitalizing on the local production.

Looking at intermediaries (travel agents, independent tour guides, accommodation units and food services providers), the care for the earth is expressed through the way of choosing the ecological suppliers, the interest for the ecological certification, the implementation of ecological measures and offering organic products. Fair sharing is mirrored by the way tourism services providers carry out their CSR campaigns and whether they pay their tax liabilities. Caring for people is quantified by the degree to which they provide support to other community members and employ a local workforce.

Tourists expressed their care for the earth through the way they respect the ecological values, the way they make ecological purchases, the way that they selectively collect the waste, the way that they show availability to pay extra for ecological products/services/ecological packaging, by supporting ecological causes and the fact that they report to authorities' different ecologic problems they observe. Participation in fair sharing is provided by the extent to which tourism service providers donate funds for ecological causes or participate in volunteering actions. Caring for people is manifested when they declare their membership in ecological associations/organizations or become opinion polls on ecological issues.

The research revealed certain preoccupations regarding some aspects specific to downshifting: minimizing the importance of material values and orientation towards spiritual values expressed by a minimalist design approach; re-use of objects; donations; practicing fair prices; supporting CSR campaigns; concern for spiritual life; integration in nature and an ecological lifestyle expressed by: localization in rural areas or near natural areas, use of natural materials, selective waste collection, choice of integrated suppliers in nature, purchase of natural materials products, purchase of products and services provided by bidders integrated in nature; capitalizing on the local culture expressed through: preserving local customs and traditions, preserving the traditional lifestyle, using and promoting traditional/local methods of production (gastronomic recipes, crafts, craft themes, etc.), choosing and promoting suppliers that preserve local customs, traditions and the traditional lifestyle, the use of traditional production methods, the expression of interest in local customs, traditions and the traditional lifestyle. These characteristics are present at each link of the distribution network (P, B, T).

According to the results obtained from the research, there is a significant difference between how caring for the earth and caring for people are addressed by locals (P) compared to intermediaries (B); the intermediaries, by their exposures, proved that they are more interested in these subjects than the locals. *"We organize waste-gathering campaigns often with local school students, to gather what their parents and grandparents simply throw in nature."* [#B1]. In this way, they act in several directions, such as a clean environment, a young, educated generation, a local community capable of understanding the needs of sustainable development.

In addition to permaculture values, downshifting is distinguished by minimizing the importance of material values and orientation towards spiritual values, integration in nature and an ecological lifestyle as well as capitalizing on local culture. From this perspective, Figure 2 shows a synthesis of the elements that give content to the concepts of permaculture and downshifting, as sources of tourism development in rural areas of Bras, ov County.

**Figure 2.** Elements that define permaculture and downshifting as sources of tourism development in rural areas of Brasov County. Source: Matrix developed by the authors. Notes: P–Local producers and service providers; B—Intermediaries: travel agents, independent tour guides, accommodation units and food services providers; T–Tourists.

To highlight the basic reasons and motivations that lead the interviewed subjects to share and respect permaculture and downshifting—described above—, a synthesis of the answers was performed. The research conclusions lead to the idea that, in the studied rural idea, the participants in the tourism activities respect and integrate the principles of permaculture (care for the earth, fair sharing, and care for people) and characteristics of downshifting (minimizing the importance of material values and orientation towards spiritual values, nature integration and an ecological lifestyle and valorizing local culture). In addition, applying ecological certification and communication, they may contribute to the wellbeing and development of the rural community. The summary results of this analysis are synthesized in a matrix that highlights all the discussed issues (Figure 2).

As the matrix reveals, the motivations of the interviewees are based on two categories of elements that are sources of sustainability in rural development through tourism: the ethics and the principles of permaculture and the orientation towards downshifting and spiritual values. To contribute to the sustainable development of rural areas, all these specific principles and values must be completed by other supplementary elements (such as communication and ecological certification).
