ABSTRACT
Gyimes is one of the few micro-regions of the Carpathian Basin that has a truly unique character. Here, traditional homestead farming and rural lifestyle support a distinctively rich folklore that has been passed down from generation to generation in its most intact form due to the isolation of this peripherally located and inherently secluded region. Given its abundance of natural and cultural resources, this territory could be a rightful contender for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s (UNESCO) much-acclaimed World Heritage list. Zoltán Ilyés dubbed it the Folklore Museum of Szeklerland. A fairly large volume of inbound tourist traffic to Romania is made up by visitors from Hungary – 39.4 per cent in 2008 (Dávid and Bujdosó 2009). In 2000 the number of tourists from Hungary was 1.2 million. By 2004 this had increased to 2.6 million, only to see a sharp decline in following years – 1.5 million in 2005 and 1.3 million in 2006 (Institutul National de Statistica 2007). These numbers clearly indicate that besides ethnic tourism, other products need to be developed in order to stop the downward trend in guest traffic.
