AER has identified a series of benefits that can be brought by implementing the Ecotourism Certification System, such as:
- helps clients to better identify those products that can offer awesome nature and rural culture experiences,
- raises the level of trust in the Romanian ecotourism product on the international tourist market,
- becomes a marketing tool for tour-operators and guesthouse owners,
- enhances the quality of the ecotourism services,
- contributes actively to nature conservation and leads to sustainable local development,
- supports local administrations of protected areas for development of low impact tourism,
- offers a platform for common activities between the business sector and nature conservation entities.
The Ecotourism Certification System addresses two different categories of applicants:
- ecotourism programmes / tours provided by tour-operators (i.e. eco-tours of maximum 15 participants),
- small-scale accommodation structures in rural and natural areas (eco-lodges and guesthouses of maximum 25 rooms).
