CAPDR organized the VIA MOLDAVIA Working Meeting dedicated to the Bicaz micro-destination – where nature becomes an experience

The Centre for Regional Development Analysis and Planning – CAPDR organized, on September 3, 2026, the second VIA MOLDAVIA Working Meeting within the Northern Route, dedicated to the “Bicaz” micro-destination

The meeting was part of the process of configuring and operationalizing the VIA MOLDAVIA tourist micro-destinations and aimed to identify, structure and connect the area’s tourism resources into a coherent and integrated offer.

The meeting dedicated to the Bicaz – RN-01 micro-destination continued the series of working meetings through which CAPDR is pursuing the gradual development of the VIA MOLDAVIA Northern Route, starting from the specific characteristics of each territory and the tourism resources that can contribute to the development of routes, experiences and tourism products.

The indicative territorial area of the micro-destination includes Bicaz, Bicazu-Ardelean, Bicaz-Chei, Tarcău, Ceahlău, Hangu, Grințieș and Durău, bringing together a territory with significant potential for the development of nature-, landscape-, leisure- and local-experience-based tourism.

Representatives attending the event:

• Ion ȘTEFANOVICI, President, C.A.P.D.R.
• Iulian MATASA, Mayor, Bicaz City Hall
• Manole-Dănuț FÎRȚALĂ, Mayor, Tarcău City Hall
• Adrian ȘTEFAN, Councillor, Tarcău City Hall
• Gabriela RUSU, Administrator, Ancora by the Lake
• Mihai AMARIEI, Director, Adora Complex
• Marta ROSU, Representative, Vizit Bicaz
• Ioana TATARU, Manager, Piatra Corbului Motel
• Ana-Maria ARDELEANU, Administrator, Grădinile Romane Bicaz
• Daniel BALINT, Owner, Blue Paradise
• Alexandru ROGIN, Owner, Casa Rogin
• Nadia HÎNCU, Network Manager, C.A.P.D.R.
• Andreea CUCOȘ, Manager, C.A.P.D.R.

Bicaz – from tourist attractions to an integrated micro-destination

During the discussions, participants emphasized the need for the Bicaz area to be promoted as an integrated micro-destination, where natural attractions, heritage, gastronomy, leisure activities and local events are connected into a coherent offer.

“Bicaz should not be merely a transit point towards other tourist attractions, but a territory where tourists can find enough reasons to stay, discover the area and return,” stated Iulian MATASA, Mayor of Bicaz

Bicaz Lake – developing water-based experiences

Participants highlighted the need to make more extensive use of Bicaz Lake through tourism and leisure activities. In this regard, the existence of an authorized location for boat access to the lake was mentioned, an element that can be integrated into the future tourism products of the micro-destination.

“The lake must become a tourism experience in its own right, not merely a landscape feature. Organized access and water-based activities can contribute to diversifying the offer and extending tourists’ stays,” declared Gabriela RUSU, Administrator, Ancora by the Lake

Tourist routes – connecting the territory

Another important topic of the meeting was the development and promotion of routes capable of connecting the localities and attractions within the micro-destination. The Queen Marie Route, a County Council project, the Monasteries Route, as well as connections to Toaca Peak, Red Lake and other mountain points of interest were mentioned.

“Routes must be viewed as tools for connecting the territory. It is not enough to have valuable attractions if tourists do not know how to discover them in a logical sequence,” stated Ion ȘTEFANOVICI, President, C.A.P.D.R.

The axial road to Durău – a strategic tourism axis

The meeting highlighted the role of the axial road to Durău in connecting the area’s tourism resources. It can facilitate access to several experiences and attractions, including Păstrăvăria Bistra Montana, mountain trails and connections towards the Red Lake area.

“Access infrastructure needs to be correlated with the tourism offer. A road can also become a tourism axis when it connects experiences, attractions and services that tourists can enjoy along the same route,” stated Ana Maria ARDELEANU, Administrator, Grădinile Romane Bicaz

Buhalnița – local gastronomy as a tourism experience

Local gastronomic points in Buhalnița were identified as resources that can contribute to the development of an authentic tourism offer. Gastronomy can complement nature and leisure experiences and can represent an important element in differentiating the micro-destination.

“Tourists are not looking only for a place to visit, but also for a local experience. Gastronomy can be one of the most direct ways for them to come into contact with the community and the identity of the place,” said Ioana TATARU, Manager, Piatra Corbului Motel

Heritage and royal heritage – Bicaz and Queen Marie

During the discussions, it was highlighted that Bicaz City Hall operated as a former Royal House, thus creating an opportunity to capitalize on the town’s connection with Queen Marie. This component can be correlated with the development of the Queen Marie Route and transformed into a storytelling element of the micro-destination.

“Heritage should not be presented merely as historical information. It can become a story that connects places and gives tourists an additional reason to discover the territory,” emphasized Manole-Dănuț FÎRȚALĂ, Mayor of Tarcău

Local events – reasons to visit and return

Participants identified events such as the Tarcău Marathon, a national-level sporting event, and the Ceaunelor Festival as elements that can be integrated into the tourism calendar of the micro-destination.

“Events can bring tourists to the territory during a specific period and can become the starting point for discovering other attractions and experiences within the micro-destination,” emphasized Mihai AMARIEI, Director, Adora Complex

Active tourism and nature experiences

The area’s natural resources provide favorable conditions for the development of active tourism through mountain trails, lake activities and nature experiences. Among others, Piatra Corbului, the Ceahlău area and trails leading to Toaca Peak were mentioned during the discussions.

“Nature is one of the main resources of the micro-destination, but its tourism value increases when it is transformed into accessible, well-signposted experiences that are easy to book or explore,” reiterated Marta ROSU, Representative, Vizit Bicaz

Via Mioritica – connecting Bicaz to a national route

The opportunity to connect the area to Via Mioritica was also presented, a project associated with Daniel Balint – Grup Paradise, which crosses the territory of Romania and includes the voluntary involvement of the Buhalnița community.

“Connecting to routes that extend beyond the boundaries of the micro-destination can bring Bicaz into a broader tourism circuit and facilitate access to new categories of tourists,” added Daniel BALINT, Owner, Blue Paradise

Educational tourism – children, foreign languages and Romania–Republic of Moldova exchanges

Participants identified the possibility of developing children’s camps with an English-language component, as well as projects through which children from Romania and the Republic of Moldova could interact and learn Romanian within educational partnerships.

“The micro-destination can also be a space for education and exchanges between generations. Camps and projects for children can create tourism experiences with a strong educational and intercultural dimension,” said Alexandru ROGIN, Owner, Casa Rogin

Tourist information – from non-functional points to accessible information

The meeting highlighted the situation of non-functional tourist information points, as well as the need to develop an information point for the Valea Muntelui area. Participants emphasized the importance of tourists being able to quickly find out what they can visit, what activities they can undertake and what services are available.

“It is not enough for information to exist. It must be available to tourists exactly when they need it,” explained Adrian ȘTEFAN, Councillor, Tarcău City Hall

Signposting experiences – “What can I do here?”

An important proposal was the creation of signs and signposting elements indicating the activities and experiences available at each point within the micro-destination.

“Signposting must answer a simple question from the tourist: ‘What can I do here?’. The experience must be built around this question,” noted Iulian MATASA, Mayor of Bicaz

Digital promotion and visibility of the micro-destination

Participants highlighted the need for more active promotion in the digital environment, including through platforms and networks used by tourists. Tripadvisor was mentioned, as well as the need to promote local resources through social networks, including the educational offer.

“A tourism resource that tourists cannot find online is, in practice, a resource that does not exist for a significant part of the market,” declared Ana-Maria ARDELEANU, Administrator, Grădinile Romane, Bicaz

Destination management – building a common structure

The process of establishing a Destination Management Organization at county level was mentioned, a structure that is to be established. Participants emphasized the importance of connecting local initiatives to the future county-level tourism management and promotion mechanism.

“The development of a destination cannot be carried out separately by each locality. A common structure and vision are needed to highlight the value of the entire territory,” noted Gabriela RUSU, Administrator, Ancora by the Lake

Bicaz – a micro-destination built through collaboration

In conclusion, participants emphasized that the potential of the Bicaz – RN-01 micro-destination results from the diversity of its resources and, above all, from the possibility of connecting them: lake, mountains, heritage, gastronomy, routes, events, education and local experiences.

“VIA MOLDAVIA must transform the resources we already have into an offer that tourists can understand, choose and purchase. Bicaz has the resources; the next step is to connect them and transform them into experiences,” added Ion STEFANOVICI, President, C.A.P.D.R.

Bicaz – a micro-destination built around nature and the tourism experience

Within VIA MOLDAVIA, the development of a micro-destination starts from identifying existing resources and determining how they can be connected into an accessible and attractive tourism experience.

For the Bicaz area, the proposed territory brings together localities and points of interest that can contribute to shaping an integrated tourism offer, with an emphasis on nature, landscape, leisure and experiences.

Bicaz and the localities within the micro-destination area can therefore be viewed not merely as individual points on the region’s tourism map, but as elements of a territory that can be discovered through connected routes and experiences.

From this perspective, developing the micro-destination involves capitalizing on local resources and identifying the relationships between them, so that tourists can benefit from a diversified experience and continue their journey towards other micro-destinations along the Northern Route.

VIA MOLDAVIA – a new perspective on tourism development

The VIA MOLDAVIA program proposes an approach based on the development of tourist micro-destinations connected within a regional network.

According to the program concept, the micro-destination builds the local offer, the route ensures regional connectivity, the network contributes to its validation, while the VIA MOLDAVIA application transforms the offer into a tourism experience that is easy to discover and use.

Within this model, working meetings in the territory represent a tool through which tourism resources are identified, analyzed and prepared for integration into a common offer.

The Bicaz meeting is part of this approach, aiming to move from an approach based on individual attractions towards one focused on connecting the territory and building a complete tourism experience.

Mapping the micro-destination – the first step towards an integrated offer

One of the central elements of the VIA MOLDAVIA methodology is micro-destination mapping.

The process starts from a central point – which may be a locality, an accommodation unit, an attraction or another relevant point – and builds the offer within a standard radius of 20 kilometres. Subsequently, actual distances, travel time and access methods are analyzed.

For the Bicaz area, this methodology allows for the identification and structuring of existing resources within the micro-destination area, as well as the analysis of the links between them.

The offer is monitored through six main components: accommodation, gastronomy, attractions, events, experiences and services.

This structure is important because a micro-destination does not mean only tourist attractions.

A territory becomes a destination when tourists find within the same area places to visit, activities to undertake, experiences to enjoy, available services, accommodation and gastronomy options, as well as the information needed to plan their journey.

Nature and landscape as components of the identity of the Bicaz micro-destination

The specific characteristics of the Bicaz micro-destination allow for the development of an offer in which nature and landscape play an important role.

The proposed area includes Bicaz, Bicaz-Chei, Ceahlău, Durău and the other localities in the analyzed area, creating the conditions for connecting several types of experiences within a single territory.

Within the VIA MOLDAVIA framework, these resources must be analyzed not only through their individual value, but also through the possibility of integrating them into routes and tourism products.

The tourist experience can thus be built around discovering the landscape, nature and leisure activities, complemented by local services and the cultural and community elements of the territory.

This approach creates the possibility of developing tourism products tailored to different categories of visitors, from tourists interested in nature and outdoor activities to families and people seeking relaxation and discovery experiences.

Connecting localities into a single experience

An important objective of the meeting is connecting the resources within the micro-destination.

The VIA MOLDAVIA methodology aims to establish core attractions, identify complementary attractions and build links between them. At the same time, connections with neighboring micro-destinations and regional routes are analyzed.

For Bicaz, this approach makes it possible to view the entire territory as a network of mutually complementary points.

Thus, an attraction or experience does not necessarily have to represent the final destination of the journey, but can become a stage within a broader route.

Tourists can enter the micro-destination through a particular point, discover several experiences during the same day or stay, and subsequently continue towards another micro-destination along the Northern Route.

The Northern Route – a network of connected territories

VIA MOLDAVIA starts from the principle that a micro-destination is not a tourism island.

After internal mapping, resources are analyzed in relation to neighboring micro-destinations, entry and exit points, main routes and secondary connections that can feed into the route.

This perspective is particularly important for the Northern Route, where the meeting calendar proposes a succession of micro-destinations covering territories with different identities and resources.

Following the meeting in Târgu Neamț on September 1, Bicaz represents the second micro-destination included in the official calendar of VIA MOLDAVIA – Northern Route working meetings.

Subsequently, the process continues through other territories along the Northern Route, allowing each micro-destination to be analyzed individually as well as in relation to the others.

From local experiences to tourism products

One of the major objectives of VIA MOLDAVIA is to transform existing resources into clear, testable and marketable tourism products.

For this purpose, the program uses the following workflow:

SELECT → VALIDATE → BUILD → TEST → SELL.

For each tourism product, elements such as the route, included services, capacity, period, indicative price, target audience and sales channel are monitored.

For the Bicaz micro-destination, this approach creates the framework for developing experiences lasting several hours or one day, as well as tourism products of 2–3 days, built by combining several local attractions and services.

At a higher level, these products can be integrated into regional circuits connecting several VIA MOLDAVIA micro-destinations.

The tourist as the reference point for product development

The development of a tourism route must start from the way tourists organize their journey.

VIA MOLDAVIA proposes analyzing concrete elements: the tourist’s departure and arrival points, available time, budget, preferences and mobility.

This perspective allows the micro-destination offer to be designed for different situations.

A tourist on a one-day trip will have different needs from a tourist planning a two- or three-day stay. At the same time, preferences for nature, leisure, family, adventure or relaxation may lead to different routes and products.

Therefore, developing the Bicaz micro-destination involves not only identifying resources, but also understanding how these resources can respond to real tourism needs.

Local collaboration – essential for developing the micro-destination

Building a micro-destination requires the participation of several categories of local stakeholders.

Within VIA MOLDAVIA, representatives of local public administrations, destination management organizations, tourist information centres, accommodation and HoReCa operators, administrators of attractions and leisure facilities, cultural and religious institutions, travel agencies, guides, local producers, the business community and event organizers are taken into consideration.

Each of these stakeholders can contribute to shaping a complete offer.

Therefore, the working meeting also serves as a space for exchanging information, identifying collaboration opportunities and connecting local resources.

Ultimately, the value of a micro-destination is determined not only by what exists within the territory, but also by the ability of local stakeholders to work together to transform these resources into an offer accessible to tourists.

From mapping to promotion

The VIA MOLDAVIA process continues after the territorial meeting through the structuring and validation of information.

The offer is entered by members or operators within the network, after which the information and images are profiled, verified, prepared for translation and integrated into the VIA MOLDAVIA application. Subsequently, the data must be updated to keep the information relevant and accurate.

Through this mechanism, the tourism resources of the Bicaz micro-destination can move from the level of local information to that of an organized tourism offer accessible within a regional network.

Preparing the offer for the VIA MOLDAVIA Tourism Fair

Territorial working meetings are connected to a subsequent stage of promotion and engagement with the market.

The VIA MOLDAVIA International Tourism Fair, scheduled for October 26–28, 2026, at the Palace of Parliament in Bucharest, is planned as an opportunity for presenting, establishing business relations and contracting the products and destinations developed within the program.

For this stage, the selection of representative products and packages, the preparation of presentation materials, the identification of B2B meetings and the presentation of destinations to agencies, operators and partners are envisaged.

Thus, the work carried out in the territory has a concrete outcome: creating an offer that can be presented, promoted and connected with the tourism market.

VIA MOLDAVIA meetings continue along the Northern Route

The meeting dedicated to the Bicaz – RN-01 micro-destination, held on September 3, 2026, represents the second stage of the official calendar of VIA MOLDAVIA – Northern Route working meetings.

The calendar continues with Valea Trotușului – spa tourism, nature, heritage, leisure, on September 8, followed by Ariniș and the Gura Humorului ski area, on September 10, Suceava Fortress – Suceava Municipality, on September 14, and Valea Bistriței, on September 18.

Subsequently, meetings dedicated to Drumul Talienilor, on September 21, TransRarău and the ski area, on September 25, Ținutul Mănăstirilor, on September 28, Bazinul Dornelor, on October 2, and Piatra Neamț, on October 6, are scheduled.

For Botoșani cultural – memorial houses and cultural heritage, Iași – business tourism, city breaks and religious tourism, and Red Lake, the dates of the meetings are currently being confirmed.

Through this sequence, the VIA MOLDAVIA Northern Route is being developed in stages, with each micro-destination being analyzed based on its own resources and, at the same time, in relation to neighboring territories.

Bicaz, part of a new regional tourism network

The working meeting dedicated to the Bicaz micro-destination thus marks a new stage in the process of developing the VIA MOLDAVIA Northern Route.

By connecting localities, natural resources, experiences and tourism services, the territory can be transformed into an offer capable of responding to diverse tourist profiles and contributing to longer stays and a more diversified tourism experience.

Within this approach, Bicaz is not viewed merely as a point along the route, but as a micro-destination that can become part of a broader regional experience.

And this is one of the essential objectives of VIA MOLDAVIA: developing destinations that capitalize on their local identity, but do not stop at the boundaries of their own territory, instead connecting with other micro-destinations to form a coherent, accessible and market-oriented tourism network.

Each micro-destination is built locally, connected regionally, validated through the network and transformed into a tourism experience through VIA MOLDAVIA.