**1. Introduction**

Tourism has many positive effects and influences directly and indirectly to the economic development of the areas that have tourism sights. Tourism may, also, contribute to the development of areas that are not rich in economic resources, but with natural and anthropoid resources [1]. According to OECD (The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development), tourism will follow four major development trends by 2040: (1) evolving visitor demand, (2) sustainable tourism growth, (3) enabling technologies, and (4) travel mobility [2]. In terms of changes in the profile of tourists, there are also drastic changes that will affect the evolution of this field in the medium and long term. On the one hand, it is about demographic change, which, especially in European countries, is becoming apparent. Their impact on the economy can bring about significant changes in business models. On the other hand, it is even about changing tourists in terms of how they choose to spend their lives and how they want to ge<sup>t</sup> old. Today's tourists are increasingly concerned about their health, the place they choose to spend their holidays, the shift from mass tourism to the niche [3]. Some of the most popular tourist locations in Europe are the big cities. It can be appreciated that these are compulsory destinations for tourists, and they can be considered advertisements for a country. Cities and metropolitan areas are important for tourism because they represent residences of national or regional governments, they possess monuments and important buildings; they are places that host important events and various ceremonies; they are businesses and commercial centers, they host nightlife and provide multiple possibilities for fun. They are preferred because theyprovidealargevarietyofentertainmentsandfullservicesinarelativelysmallarea.

 During the last decade, the tourism industry has undergone important transformation stages, because of a complex of economic, social, and cultural factors. Lately, the attractive-

ness of rural tourism has increased. All of these have led to the separation of an important part of the tourist activities from the area of standardization of products, services, behaviors, and assumptions considered typical for tourism and the orientation towards the horizons of return to nature, with everything that involves. It can be assumed that most tourists go to the countryside to take a break from the city bustle, but in the countryside, they require appropriate comfort-not only bathing and flush toilets, but also swimming pools, whirlpools, internet connection, parking spaces, and the like. In this situation, rural municipalities must decide to become ecologically oriented and may benefit from being specific, while others will focus on commercial tourism. Therefore, we consider that downshifting and permaculture may represent opportunities to address these new challenges in rural tourism development.

Considering downshifting to sustainable living, deciding what is a good lifestyle is the first step to finding, planning, and developing the ideal self-sufficient small farm [4]. Permaculture, ancient traditional farming, and nature herself is the base of this kind of farming. The downshifting principles are applied in every aspect of a downshifting follower's life.

Rural tourism begins to be more and more appreciated by tourists from all over the world. Inside this form of tourism, the phenomenon of downshifting [5] can harmonize, defined as a social behavior or trend in which individuals lead a simple life to escape materialism and obsession to reduce the level of stress that can accompany this obsession. Permaculture, ancient traditional farming, and nature herself is the base of this kind of farming. As Holmgren [6] mentions, they tend to choose to retrofit instead of new construction, allowing permaculture downshifters to focus on food production, water systems, home-based livelihoods, and community resilience rather than sinking all their efforts into state-of-the-art eco-housing. The downshifting movement is marked, painstakingly around the notions of "penury" of time and loss of connection with the world and with yourself. In rural areas, tourists are invited to alternate uneasy peasant labor and serene outdoor recreation. This fact allows tourists to appreciate the holiday in a much deeper and sensitive way, giving them the possibility to return to origins which is the basis of downshifting. Rural tourism is a kind of tourism, which presupposes rest in the rural wilderness, far from the city rush and noise, where you can experience a journey imbued characterized by a stay in one place for a long period of time and where you can see things that are close to your soul.

However, the relationship between tourism, permaculture, downshifting, and rural development is complicated. There seems to be no single path and rural communities should choose the direction in which to focus their development regarding the potential of tourism.

Therefore, this research aims to identify to what extent permaculture and downshifting are perceived by local stakeholders as sources of development through rural tourism in Bras,ov County, Romania. In this sense, the authors have established the problem statement as to what extent involved stakeholders are familiar with/have knowledge of the concepts of permaculture and downshifting and whether they use them in rural tourism activities. Therefore, the researchers conducted qualitative research with the aim of answering the following questions: How are permaculture and downshifting perceived as tools in rural tourism?; In what particular way permaculture and downshifting have an impact on tourism activities in the rural tourism area of Bras,ov County?; What is the importance of other elements that might influence rural tourism, especially in connection with permaculture and downshifting?; What are the specific elements in organizing the rural tourism networks?

The research brings some elements of novelty, by trying to identify a connection between downshifting and permaculture (both in theory and practice), to what extent they might contribute to rural development and, also, by integrating the elements that define permaculture and downshifting as sources of tourism development in rural areas from Bras, ov County.

The present paper is structured into five sections. The first section introduces the concept of rural tourism development and the potential influence that permaculture and downshifting might have on it. The second section is dedicated to the literature review, while the third section describes the research context and methodology. The fourth section presents the main findings of the research and the fifth section includes the researchers' own interpretation and integration of the results. Finally, a series of conclusions are highlighted, as well as implications for different categories of stakeholders from rural destinations and the main limitations of the study.

## **2. Literature Review**

#### *2.1. The Importance of Rural Tourism in the Development of Rural Areas*

Conceptual approaches and practice in tourism areas highlight an essential aspect which consists in the existence of a harmonious relationship with the environment that is necessary to create tourism services, including the related tangible elements, with direct effects on maintaining and improving the tourist experience. At present, the well-known expression "a beautiful and friendly destination" is no longer enough, as tourists want more and more to visit places that disconnect them from the usual rhythm of life, to awaken their interest and passion, to captivate them and to entertain them, to offer education and lasting memories–all of them in the context of environmental care and respect for the resident population of the visited area.

Tourism is a driving force in rural development. Rural development can be operationalized at the level of the individual farm household. At this level, rural development emerges as a redefinition of identities, strategies, practices, interrelations, and networks [7]. Moreover, following Heal [8] and Weitzman [9], it is argued here that rural development can be enhanced, by achieving optimal diversity of economic activities in the rural communities. Tourism activities may become an excellent source of economic diversity in rural areas.

Rural tourism is not a new phenomenon in EU countries, such as Romania. It has been practiced for a long time either spontaneously or organized, as a tourism activity in the rural environment. In recent years, rural areas have undergone a significant social and economic change, largely due to the powerful restructuring processes imposed by globalization and, by the financial crisis [10–13] and, also, because of man's actions, especially the over-exploitation of natural resources and unsustainable farming methods [14].

The role of tourism in rural areas is pivotal for the integration and Valorisation of territorial resources and it is strengthened by the capacity to promote local community participation in development processes. Capturing the distinctive feature of rural development, and its appeal in terms of tourism lies in knowing how to rethink drivers of development through specific actions, such as: promoting the coexistence of inclusive processes to regenerate social capital; building and strengthening existing networks between the rural territory and external areas (particularly between rural areas and urban centers); job creation; and, finally, economic growth. In the same way, a balanced model of rural development must also be based on coherence between the rural area's ability to attract external resources and its ability to generate internal opportunities, ensuring that actions for rural development meet the collective needs of the territory [15].

From an economic perspective, rural tourism has been regarded as an effective strategy for sustainable social and economic development [16]. Moreover, through tourism, rural villages have a chance to revitalize their communities by using and commodifying existing local resources [17]. So, tourism development is important for the rural space, both economically and socially. Thus, rural tourism contributes to the economic development of localities by means of the following [18]:


#### *2.2. Permaculture and Downshifting, Sustainable Sources of Development in Rural Areas*

In rural areas, there are specific tourism assets that can provide economic and social wealth, local experiences that tourists seek, as well as the spaces suitable for ecological tourism services, which leads to the holistic sustainable development of these areas through community-based tourism initiatives [19–21]. The purpose of these tourism assets is to provide regenerative economic and social wealth, but they also include environmental, ecological benefits. For these reasons, rural communities represent suitable places for permanent agriculture (permaculture) and downshifting,

Permaculture represents a holistic, environmentally friendly approach in designing and developing human settlements, assuming a harmonious and sustainable integration of landscapes and people [22]. The concept was introduced by Bill Mollison and David Holmgren in the 1970 and it refers not only to a simple return to nature but also to a system of sustainable development based on natural principles, a way of using nature to increase the sustainability and quality of life [23]. As people and their livelihoods depend on the environmental health and productivity and their actions play a critical role in maintaining the health and productivity of the ecosystem [24–26], permaculture appears as a planned system that imitates the model and interactions established in nature by integrating sustainable managemen<sup>t</sup> practices [27].

The ethics and principles of permaculture are transposed in a concise and comprehensive statement [28]. In the absence of a global ethical strategy regarding the environment, permaculture provides a convincing relationship between ethics and environmental wellbeing [29,30] through the three ethical orientations—earth care, human care, and fair action—, by setting some boundaries for consumption and by adapting those orientations to the research context, as follows: clean, ethical, and healthy [31].

The first ethics "earth care" (Clean) relates to all the aspects of permaculture. It focuses on the fact that ecosystems must be maintained based on the idea that human beings cannot develop harmoniously without a healthy Earth. The second ethical guideline "human care" (Ethical) refers to fulfilling the essential and existential requirements of people so that people can live their life at a reasonable quality. The third and the last ethical orientation, "fair action" (Healthy) is a combination of the first two ethical guidelines. According to this orientation, human beings must share all the renewable and non-renewable resources with other living organisms and save resources for future generations [32,33].

The term "downshifting" (known, also, as "off the grid") emerged based on the refusal of people from Western societies to consider material values, hierarchical position, and money as defining elements of their existence, by preferring the idea of the quality of life, the intelligent way of spending the time, without becoming a slave to labor [34]. Its origin consists in the term of "voluntary simplicity", a concept of religious origins appeared in the XIX-th century [35].

The first use of the term "downshifting" was attributed to Gerald Celente from the New York Trending Research Institute in 1994, who emphasized it as the most fundamental change in the way of life from the economic crisis [35]. Downshifting means connection–to life, family, food, and place–and, also, balance–in personal, work, family, spiritual, physical, and social life [36]. Until now, studies regarding downshifting are focused only on a small part of the population, so its representativity in the world is not known enough about [37].

Under the influence of this concern of slowdown, "finding an appropriate balance between work and personal life, embracing life with fewer financial resources, and opting for a simpler, greener and happier life" [38], more and more tourists from all around the world are currently looking for green destinations, supporting local communities, trying to reduce the negative impact on the environment. Once more here, for them, the idea is to enjoy the destination and make the most of it. By making the most of their stay in a destination, it is not said to collect a series of must-see buildings, running from a spot to another. These kinds of tourists' holidays are to chill, relax and enjoy, feel the atmosphere of the destination they visit and immerse themselves completely in the local environment. This active global movement of individuals, groups and networks working to create the world they want, by providing for their needs and organizing their lives in harmony with nature is often linked with permaculture.

Permaculture is also a worldwide network and movement of individuals and groups working in both rich and poor countries on all continents. Largely unsupported by government or business, these people are involved in contributing to a sustainable future by reorganizing their lives and working around permaculture design principles. In this way, they are creating small local changes that act in the wider environment, through organic agriculture, appropriate technology, communities, and other movements for a sustainable world [39]. As tourists, people concerned about permaculture in their journey to downshifting are seeking the same philosophy of living in a sustainable economy. They search for "solution partnerships" instead of wild market competition. They appreciate models from nature, show and apply them into economics to create sustainable business models [40].

Permaculture challenges people to take responsibility for themselves and the economy that sustains them by designing and practicing permanent, sustainable cultural and agricultural systems created in accordance with environmental knowledge [41]. In some cases, this responsibility means taking into consideration the permaculture's opportunities and providing a more holistic framework for moving organic agriculture certification forward, to stay ahead of the marketers and regulators driving a pack of more conventional food and forest product certification schemes [42].

Permaculture and downshifting are in interaction, and this aspect has been highlighted in the literature by the concept of permaculture downshifters [28]. A sustainable lifestyle, everyday life but also holidays, based on these two concepts, is a realistic, attractive, and powerful alternative to dependent consumerism.

#### **3. Materials and Methods**

#### *3.1. Research Context-Bras, ov County, a Destination with Rural Tourism Potential*

Romania is one of the countries with a remarkable rural potential, so rural tourism could become a country brand. The natural landscapes, the fresh air, the folk architecture, along with centuries-old customs and the gastronomy are just a few of the elements that make up the Romanian village [3].

Romania has an impressive rural heritage that could be successfully included in an attractive tourism product at the international level [43]. Romanian villages have always been an attraction for tourists and, for that reason, some attempts to organize tourism activity started in the 1960s. Romania represented a good example which showcases that a close relationship between agriculture, food and tourism might become the key to long-term development, profitable both for the involved stakeholders and for the local community. However, the lack of legislation and the low interest from the authorities have delayed the development of a specific infrastructure to support this niche. Thus, there were no coherent tourism products in rural areas until 1990 [44].

The Romanian rural household is the socio-economic unit for which the farming activity continues to be the main source of income or at least of supplementing incomes in the form of self-consumption; thus, most rural households overlap the agricultural household farms/peasant farms/small-sized farms [45]. In Romania, agriculture employs most rural inhabitants, and most farms are under 5 hectares. There are 3.9 million farm holdings in Romania, the majority of which are family farms of extensive semi-natural grassland pastoral systems and mixed farming systems [46]. These semi-natural small-scale farmed landscapes are of significant economic importance. For example, the 1 million holdings between 1 and 10 hectares (3.1 million hectares, 20% of Romania's agricultural area) are classed as semi-subsistence farms producing for home consumption, local sales and for their extended families [46].

Romania is one of the Central and Eastern European countries for which the development of rural tourism is a viable option for sustainable economic development [2]. The importance of rural tourism for the Romanian economy is recognized in its national tourism strategies. To support the niche of rural tourism, some associations have been developed over the past three decades in Romania, such as The Romanian Villages Association (created in 1988–1989), The Romanian Mountain Development Federation (1990), The National Rural, Ecologic and Cultural Tourism Association from Romania (1994), The Configuration and Innovation Centre for Carpathian Development (CEFIDEC) (1994), The Romanian Agritourism Agency (1995), ANTREC (National Association for Rural, Ecological and Cultural Tourism in Romania) (2007) [47].

Romanian rural tourism is highlighted by its tourist resources and by the non-abolition of the Romanian villages that have kept their uniqueness, both in terms of architecture and habits. In addition, the Romanian rural area where this niche tourism activity is suitable is in the vicinity or even overlapping with the localities or areas that are listed on the UNESCO list of monuments. In 2019, Romania had six cultural sites listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List and 2 natural sites [48].

However, the right question in developing sustainable rural tourism in Romania is the danger of over-tourism. If the limits are exceeded, the devastation of the rural landscape or its change to semi-urbanized may mean the end of tourist interest. The example of Czech villages in the Romanian Banat is also interesting [49]. Thanks to the ethical and religious separation of the surrounding Romanian villages, the traditional way of life, which has already disappeared in the Czech Republic, has been maintained in these villages. Therefore, after 1990, these villages were frequently visited by Czech tourists. However, revenues from tourism have enabled locals to improve the appearance of their villages, the quality of living and to adapt to global trends, so the main motivation for visits has disappeared. It may therefore be that the development of tourism, albeit initially permaculturally, may eventually engulf itself or change into a commercial one.

Bras, ov County is one of the most varied areas in Romania in terms of tourism potential, due to its natural resources (nature monuments, natural reserves, national parks) as well as its cultural-historical resources (cities, castles, churches, museums, etc). The mountains and hills represent almost half of the county's surface [50], this natural resource offering one of the most intact biodiversity in Europe, as well as the possibility of forming ecological tourism packages.

According to the Tourism Development Strategy in Bras,ov County 2020–2030, rural tourism is one of the most effective solutions for harmonizing tourism requirements with the principles of environmental protection and sustainable development. Also, Bras, ov County occupies the first place concerning accommodation capacities approved by ANTREC. The beauty of the rural area and cultural conservation make this area attractive for both domestic and international tourism. In recent years, rural tourism had a spectacular development [51]. According to the same source, rural tourism finds its followers among those interested in retreating in nature, the absence of mechanized environment and noise pollution, the return to authenticity and traditions. Agritourism is practiced especially around Bran villages (Fundata, Moieciu, Bran) and in Poiana Mărului—areas with a special natural, historical and tourist potential—as well as in the Săcele-Tărlungeni area, located in the immediate vicinity of Bra¸sov. This specific form of rural tourism is based on providing—within the peasant household—accommodation, meals, leisure, and other services complementary to them, being practised by small landowners in rural areas, usually as a secondary activity. Guests can enjoy an authentic rural experience in the villages of Viscri, Crit, Bunesti: traditional architecture and furniture, natural food, traditions, crafts, and the unique experience of the rural lifestyle. Traditional Saxon gues<sup>t</sup> houses retain the original furniture and authentic, traditional architecture with minimal interventions to

achieve contemporary standards of hygiene (bathroom, etc.). In addition to fortresses and fortified churches, guests can enjoy nature, with various hiking trails available. For those who want a complete experience, visits to craftsmen, cart rides, waiting for the herd of cattle, and visits to the sheepfold are organized [52].

## *3.2. Research Methodology*

The purpose of this research is to find if the stakeholders involved in rural tourism (primary producers of ecological goods, tourism service providers, and tourists, as carriers of the demand for tangible products and ecological services) are concerned with integrating the principles and values of sustainable tourism through elements that define permaculture and downshifting. With this aim, exploratory qualitative research was carried out, aimed at understanding the attitudes, opinions, beliefs and behaviors of individuals or groups of people regarding the importance of permaculture and downshifting characteristics in developing rural tourism and rural areas.

The choice for this type of research was determined by previous results obtained through similar research, as the qualitative research is adequate to the purpose and objectives formulated by several authors. For example, in a study on the perception of sustainability in Turkey, qualitative research highlighted the fact that companies do not pay attention to sustainability, even though they have stated that sustainability matters, without being considered an essential ingredient for the tourism industry [53]. In choosing the type and methods of research it was considered that qualitative research helps to appreciate the nature, history, and socio-cultural contexts of specific cases. Thus, as presented in the literature, qualitative research deals with a system of action rather than an individual or a group of individuals [54], facilitating research that seeks to understand the interactions of stakeholders more than their voice and perspective [55], the tourism offer being approached mainly as a cluster problem [56].

The research method was the interview, the investigation techniques were the indepth interview and observation. The used procedure was the semi-structured interview, respectively the analysis of the data from secondary sources. The interview guide was used as an investigative tool. By the observation method, the research units that formed the sampling base were identified.

The sampling base consisted of 383 agritourism guesthouses and 236 classic and traditional restaurants in areas with ecological potential in Bras,ov County as well as 345 guides with a certificate in mountain tourism, ecotourism and natural habitat selected from the official lists published on the website of National Tourism Authority, within the Ministry of Economy, Energy and Business Environment [57]. The researchers opted for the quota method in the sampling process, as it has several advantages in the qualitative method [58]. Regarding the sample, a concept developed in the literature was adopted, according to which, at a certain level of experience, an approximation of the size and an evaluation can be made during the research, without it being possible to determine the sample size through a formula [59]. The sample included 33 subjects chosen by the research team, based on an analysis of their characteristics and compatibility with the general purpose and the objectives of the research. After randomly establishing the environmentally friendly tourism service providers (five agritourism guesthouses, three restaurants, and five guides) that would be part of the sample, the "snowball" method was used to complete the sample with other categories of participants. The representatives of the tourism companies were asked to recommend some suppliers of ecological products (primary producers of ecological goods), as well as tourists with ecological orientation. In this way, the sample was structured in three categories of interviewed people (P–primary producers, B–services providers from "business category", and T-tourists) from Bras, ov and the surrounding rural areas (Table 1).


**Table 1.** Sample structure in qualitative research.

Note: Pi–primary producer; Bi–services provider from the" business" category; Ti–tourist.

> A rural configuration deals with the semi-coherent set of rules that orient and coordinate the activities of the rural stakeholders. On the one hand, stakeholders enact, instantiate, and draw upon rules in concrete actions in local practices; on the other hand, rules configure stakeholders [60].

> In the case of rural tourism, producers and services providers are part of this rural configuration designed to satisfy tourists needs. Most producers and services providers

are small or medium-sized businesses (mostly small farms or family businesses) [61]. These stakeholders are usually people who love farming and who have a strong desire to continue with it, to renew it, to make it match new societal demands and be viable for the next generation [62].

Tourists are becoming stakeholders involved in the creation of tourism products [63]. Whilst "experiential" has become a buzz word in tourism marketing, tourism professionals are stressing the need to meet tourists' expectations with a provision that is based on a total and sincere commitment that goes beyond the classic boundaries of business and pleasure [64]. Rural tourism is not an exception. That is why one of the most important stakeholders in rural tourism are tourists.

An interview guide was developed, taking into consideration the main aspects that are defining the two phenomena and their impact in rural tourism in the considered area–care for the earth, fair sharing, care for people, the balance between material and spiritual values, integration in nature and ecological lifestyle, the value of local culture, ecological certification, and communication. To let the interviewed people express themselves in a free manner, the researchers established, also, a section where the participants were permitted to identify and explain other elements that they consider important in their opinion (see Figure 1—The interview guide flowchart).

The interview guide was designed using the stair-climbing technique [65], the questions being asked in a logical sequence that exhausts all the aspects closely related to the investigated subject. The interviews were conducted at the participating locations. The duration of the interviews ranged from 50 to 60 min. The interviews began with an introductory discussion in which the aspects of confidentiality were presented, the way the interviews were recorded, from each participant the informed consent was obtained verbally, and the purpose of the research was stated. During the interviews, the research participants were urged to provide detailed information on all the discussed topics [66] until the researchers considered that a thorough understanding of the topic had been reached.

For data analysis and interpretation, we used content analysis, summarizing the answers through keywords. The analysis of the vertical content helped to determine the way in which each participant approaches the aspects related to ecology, offering a clear image of each entity. The horizontal analysis offered the possibility to analyze the answers on each topic and to draw important conclusions regarding the design of profiles within which the "stakeholders" involved in the eco-value chain in the tourism field can be included.

As Figure 1 shows, the qualitative research focused on the aspects that give the essence of the two concepts considered as important sources of the development of rural tourism in Bras,ov County: permaculture and downshifting. From the interview guide flowchart, the common elements and the interaction between permaculture and downshifting also emerge. Therefore, these elements confirm the validity of the concept of permaculture downshifters [28]. The interview participants were not explicitly introduced to the concepts of permaculture and downshifting, these concepts resulting from the authors' analysis of the content of the interviews. By processing the answers to the questions asked, the Results section will highlight the key issues related to permaculture and those related to downshifting.

**Figure 1.** The interview guide flowchart.
