Certification system
AER considered of critical importance to create the Ecotourism Certification System as a mechanism for putting into practice the basic principles of ecotourism, in order to ensure nature conservation and sustainable development of local communities through tourism. This is an important step in the wider context given that since March 2003 the World Tourism Organization has recommended governments to support the initiatives that promote the certification in sustainable tourism.
The Ecotourism Certification System developed by AER has adapted the international experience to the Romanian context. It is based on the Nature and Ecotourism Accreditation Programme promoted by the Australian Ecotourism Association (NEAP is the first accreditation system in ecotourism) and on Nature’s Best developed by the Swedish Ecotourism Association (the first accreditation system in ecotourism in the northern hemisphere).
