Rural Tourism

Problems and Prospects for Community-based Tourism in the New South Africa: The 2010 FIFA World Cup and Beyond

by John Nauright

Published in African Historical Studies (2010), co-authored with Andrea Giampiccoli

Mega-events such as the FIFA World Cup or the Olympic Games are promoted widely for the economic, tourism and social... more Mega-events such as the FIFA World Cup or the Olympic Games are promoted widely for the economic, tourism and social benefits they bring to host nations. The relative ‘benefit’ of such events has been widely debated. However, even when positive benefits are achieved they are vastly uneven within host nations. The Olympic Games are held in one city with occasional events located elsewhere, while the World Cup is usually held in several cities within one nation. The common denominator is that these events are focused on large urban centres, and this leaves rural areas behind and can heighten the development divide between haves and have nots, particularly in the areas of tourism and economic development. This is a particularly relevant issue for developing societies such as South Africa. This article critically examines the ‘development dreams’ promoted through the 2010 FIFA World Cup and similar events and contends that these dreams are illusory for millions of South Africans while economic and political elites embrace a global neo-liberal economic philosophy. In particular we argue that community-based tourism strategies that are important to a better distribution of wealth and democratic decision making in local communities across the country are put at greater risk by a mega-events strategy that is firmly centred within the global neo-liberal economic framework shaped largely outside of South Africa.

Managing Tourist Space in Pueblo Villages of the American Southwest

by Alan A. Lew

Prepublication version. Published in In Singh, Tej Vir, ed., Tourism Development in Critical Environments, pp. 120-36. Elmsford, NY: Cognizant Communications Corporation.

Keywords: Tourism, Pueblo Indians, Acculturation, Village Design, Tourist Behavior, Environmental Management
more Keywords: Tourism, Pueblo Indians, Acculturation, Village Design, Tourist Behavior, Environmental Management

First paragraph:

Acculturation is defined as the process of culture change that occurs when a society with superior technological sophistication comes into contact with one of inferior technological sophistication.  The latter is most likely to become an acculturated society, experiencing dramatic shifts in social structure and world view.  The North American experience has largely been one in which American Indians have experienced pressure to change under the expanding influence of European settlers (Bodine 1972).  Societies can react in a variety of ways under pressure of this kind (Lew 1989).  In general, these reactions can be classified into two types: innovation diffusion, and cultural adaptation.

L'Estudi de la Masia Catalana. Difusió dels resultats d'una recerca

by Josep Font Sentias

"Revista d'Etnologia de Catalunya". núm. 38 feb. 2011. Departament de Cultura. Generalitat de Catalunya

Review of: Rural Tourism Development – Localism and Cultural Change

by Niels C. Nielsen

manuscript of review for Tourism Management (published in vol. 31, no. 6, 2010)

Based on several years of combined experience with planning and implementation of community development projects, the... more Based on several years of combined experience with planning and implementation of community development projects, the authors of this inspirational book address a number of fundamental issues relating to tourism development in rural, less favoured and peripheral areas.  The book is part of a series on “Tourism and Cultural Change”, where it fits in naturally, and the focus is on tourism in non-agricultural communities in rural areas, though not on agricultural or farm tourism as some might expect from the title and the front image. In general, in the theoretical parts as well as in the case descriptions, focus is more on community development than on tourism, and in brief, it can be said to be about “how not to harm the goose that lays the golden eggs”.

TOURISM ENTREPRENEURS IN NORTHUMBERLAND: The role of in-migrants

by Gary Bosworth

Annals of Tourism Research 2011, Vol. 38(4) pp1474-1494. Co-authored with Dr Helen Farrell, University of Lincoln

Tourism is viewed as an increasingly important component of rural economic potential, especially in peripheral regions... more Tourism is viewed as an increasingly important component of rural economic potential, especially in peripheral regions of the UK. As a sector, however, it is dominated by low skilled employment, seasonal demand cycles and perceived low levels of innovation and entrepreneurship.

In this paper we explore the role of in-migrant owners of small tourism firms (STFs) in promoting entrepreneurship and developing competition in the tourism economy of Northumberland. We hypothesise that through a combination of extra-local networks and local embeddedness these business owners are not only succeeding for themselves but they are stimulating other local businesses by increasing local trade, heightening competition and raising standards and aspirations among all STFs.

URBAN-RURAL AREAS: CREATIVE STRATEGIES TO COMPETE

by Alessio D'Auria

Using attribution theory to explain tourists' attachments to place-based brands

by Cristina Santini

Published on the Journal of Business Research

Abstract
Assuming a holistic view of attribution, the paper presents hypotheses regarding the mediating role of... more Abstract
Assuming a holistic view of attribution, the paper presents hypotheses regarding the mediating role of brand related attributions in the relationships between tourists' experiences (pleasure, arousal, satisfaction) and their emotional attachments to place-based brands. Testing the hypotheses involves a sample of 3460 visitors to fifteen international regions and examining wine (e.g., regional umbrella brands such as Bordeaux, Rioja, Tuscany, Napa, and Western Hills) as the tested stimulus. Results suggest that brand related attributions fully mediate the influence of pleasure and satisfaction on brand attachments, whereas arousal has a direct effect; prior place attachment and place to brand associations enhance effects of the tourism experience.

Keywords: Arousal; Attachment; Causal attribution; Pleasure; Tourism; Wine

Andriotis, K. (2011). A Comparative Study of Visitors to Urban, Coastal and Rural Areas - Evidence from the Island of Crete. European Journal of Tourism Research, 4(2): 93-108.

by Konstantinos Andriotis

http://ejtr.vumk.eu/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=126%3Av4i2rp93-acomparativestudyofvisitorstourbancoastalandruralareasevidencefromthe-island-ofcrete&catid=34&Itemid=68

Taking as a case three diverse geographical locations, the coastal resort of Amoudara, the city of Heraklion and the... more Taking as a case three diverse geographical locations, the coastal resort of Amoudara, the city of Heraklion and the village of Archanes, all of them within the border of the Prefecture of Heraklion on the island of Crete, the aim of this study has been set to provide a better understanding of differences between urban, rural and coastal tourists based on the attributes of the place they visit. Although due to various limitations results cannot be generalized beyond the study population, it was intriguing to find differences in motivations and preferences of urban, rural and coastal tourists which are a consequence of socio-demographic, motivation and travel-related variables. Based on these differences, this study provides implications for future decision making to target specific market segments.

Keywords: urban, rural, coastal tourism, behaviour, preferences, motivations, Crete

Dualchas Aig An Oir – Heritage At The Edge: The History Brief - Developments in the History and Heritage Sector in Caithness and Sutherland 2009

by Issie MacPhail

Study to assess and describe current local history group activity; consider how best to develop appropriate synergy between this local level activity and the UHI Centre for History developments and explore the potential for Summer Schools bringing this sector together and delivering economic and educational impacts for the local areas. 

This work was commissioned by Caithness and Sutherland Enterprise - part of the HIE network. 

Executive Summary
Caithness and Sutherland enjoy an enormously active local history sector boasting at least 47... more Executive Summary
Caithness and Sutherland enjoy an enormously active local history sector boasting at least 47 groups carrying out research, events and exhibitions of different sorts. The nature of these groups varies a great deal from modest but hugely active and energetic parish level organisations, with no staff and almost no money, to large operations managing buildings, staff and outreach programmes. In the 2007/08 financial year the following jobs and spend were achieved:
• 32.9 FTEs
• 161,963 visits/ trips1
• direct revenue spend in the local economy by these groups in 2007/08 of £1,194,958.24
• if Caithness Horizons’ capital costs are included it is a direct spend in that financial year of £5,194,958.242
• 41,837 voluntary hours, most of them in skilled work, which if costed at a very modest £10/hour, is an ‘in-kind’ contribution of £418,370.00 in that year

It should be noted that significant building and renovation work tends to be ongoing within this sector. Caithness Horizons opened in December 2008 after a £4 million redevelopment. In spring 2009 Timespan reopened after a full ‘refit’. Many groups are seeking to re-use or care for old buildings and so are constantly engaged in repairs, dyke work, path building, stonework, painting, rethatch, grass cutting and general maintenance which generates considerable work for the construction sector in the area. The levels of direct spend indicate the significant leverage this sector achieves in bringing money into the area.

The mode of operation varies widely:
• 10 of these groups have no building but 17 have at least one rented or owned and in some cases several buildings
• 5 have Museums, Libraries, Archive (MLA) accreditation
• 12 have no staff and no short contract workers and rely 100% on voluntary input
• 4 organisations have created jobs, contract work, residencies or workspace which as resulted in 8 graduate in-migrants and/or return migrants in recent years (there may be more which have not been reported) plus 3 small business start-ups and 1 new facility run by AOC Archaeology (2 full-time jobs there and expansion is likely)3

The history sector in Caithness and Sutherland makes an enormous and pivotal contribution to the tourism product and also generates significant economic impacts for the local area through this work. As in the rest of Scotland it is very difficult to quantify and track the full extent of those impacts but some illustrative examples are possible. For instance conferences organised by Caithness Archaeological Trust between 2003 and 2008 generated direct spend in the local economy of £317,698.00. The development of The UHI Centre for History in Dornoch has generated further in-migration and economic impacts:

• 6.8 FTEs created in Dornoch, bringing 4 new people to live there and
• ‘bringing home’ 2 return migrants – all to graduate jobs
• a further 1.8 FTEs and 7 part-time contracts outwith the study area
• 5 students moved into the area to study from Canada, USA, Italy and
• England in combination with the development of The North Highland Hospitality and Tourism Centre in Dornoch this represents a total spend of £7.2 million

The history sector in this area makes a very important contribution to cultural and social life too and creates opportunities to learn new skills. The work of the history sector is important for health, well-being and preventative medicine. The substantial contribution made by museums, events, exhibitions and research to the tourism product and economy is often undervalued and overlooked and it is to be hoped that this will become better understood.

Groups and individuals working and volunteering to work on historical and archaeological topics also work very closely with the region’s arts and crafts workers. Work of this type tends to stem from a fascination with the stories and puzzles of the local area, be they set in stone or in words. This adds to the dynamism and quality of what this sector can achieve and offer to both locals and visitors. A very high percentage of visitors to museums and participants in activities are local residents but no data is currently collected on this aspect via the standard Scottish level visitor attraction monitoring.

This impressive capacity and experience would make it possible to develop the tourism product, including Summer Schools, far more in the future. The first need though is to achieve improved profile beyond the local area. This can best be achieved collaboratively, for the entire area rather than one or two groups, in order to avoid duplication of effort and as a way of minimising costs.

1 These are 2008 attendance figures except for Caithness Horizons for which figures for Dec
2008 till Nov 2009 have been used since this facility only opened in December 2008. It’s two
busiest months in terms of attendance figures were December and August.
2 Accounts for the year ending March 2008 were used.
3 These 2 jobs are counted in the total of 8.

French Book Towns: Exemplary Models of Sustainable Rural Development and Tourism?

by Audra Merfeld-Langston

An Ecological Approach to Contemporary Rural Identities: The Case of Tourism Farms in South-East Estonia

by Maarja Kaaristo

Understanding the relationship between push and pull motivations in rural tourism

by Juho Pesonen

Benefit segmentation of potential wellbeing tourists

by Juho Pesonen

El turisme com a estratègia de desenvolupament local. Introducció al turisme de proximitat

by Inma Díaz

Director: Joan Carles Llurdés
Treball de recerca del Master en Estudis Territorials i de la Població.

Tourism has traditionally been considered as the activity that allows people to live non-usual experiences in... more Tourism has traditionally been considered as the activity that allows people to live non-usual experiences in non-usual places through mobility. Nowadays, when landscape is understood as every place perceived as it by a community, when the globalization of information makes easier the knowledge of further places than usual ones, and when sustainability is the new politics framework, also in tourism, a tourist offer to closer and, at the same time, unknown places seems relevant in order to beat tourism’ seasonal constraints and increase the value of usual environments. This last goal is an essential step forward to a development from local scale and, for this reason, this paper tries to study how endogen resources appreciation from a tourist activity can encourage an integrative and participative development process.

Representation of transport: A Rural Destination Analysis

by Janet Dickinson

Dickinson, J.E., Robbins, D., Fletcher, J. 2009 Representation of transport: a rural destination analysis, Annals of Tourism Research, 36, 103-123.

Moscovici’s social representations perspective is applied to a study of transport in a rural destination. The... more Moscovici’s social representations perspective is applied to a study of transport in a rural destination. The principles are demonstrated using empirical data from a questionnaire survey, developed following in-depth qualitative research. The data analysis strategy was founded on inductive reasoning, by employing cluster analysis and correspondence analysis.
A social representations analysis demonstrates how individuals draw on socially accepted explanations of transport where they have little or no direct knowledge or experience of the actual transport modes (notably the alternatives to the car). By so doing, ideas are further perpetuated. Importantly there is ambiguity surrounding responsibility to take positive action
yet a key to addressing transport issues is acknowledgement of responsibility.

Representations of tourism transport problems in a rural destination

by Janet Dickinson

Dickinson, J.E., Robbins, D. 2008 Representations of tourism transport problems in a rural destination, Tourism Management, 29, 1110-1121.

Within the tourism impacts literature, car travel is regularly cited as a main contributor in destination areas. This... more Within the tourism impacts literature, car travel is regularly cited as a main contributor in destination areas. This study questions the nature of the problem by analysing key stakeholders’ representations of the tourism transport problem and tourists’ travel behaviour at a rural tourism destination in the UK. Exploratory research involving in-depth interviews with residents identified a typical emphasis on local travel problems and identified tourist arrivals by car as a major contributor. Data compiled using travel diaries and a survey, however, revealed car-based visitors had fewer concerns. Problems were seen to be minor with little or no need to modify behaviour to cope in any way. Analysis suggests perceptions of problems are to a large extent context contingent and are socially constructed and
reproduced with consequent implications for destination management.

A comparative analysis of rural tourism development in Hungary and Greece

by Anestis Fotiadis

African Journal of Business Management Vol. 5(19), pp. 7954-7963, 9 September, 2011
Available online at http://www.academicjournals.org/AJBM
ISSN 1993-8233 ©2011 Academic Journals

In the present paper we study Greek and Hungarian villages which have different levels of rural tourism development.... more In the present paper we study Greek and Hungarian villages which have different levels of rural tourism development. Through the use of personal field research, interviews of entrepreneurs occupied in rural tourism, we evaluate the similarities and differences that we discovered in our research, and we suggest the positive and negative steps for each country. We examine the way in which rural tourism is developed in the two countries which can be employed in the future by the public policy offices as a useful tool. By establishing the differences and the similarities, we can recommend the positive elements and eliminate the negative ones in each country’s rural tourism development ways.

Key words: Rural tourism, rural tourism development, similarities and differences, Hungary, Greece.

English Rural Church Tourism: A Visitor Typology

by Graham Busby

Co-authored with Janet Brice and Paul Brunt, Acta Turistica, 15 (2) 144-162, 2003.

Tourism policy innovations of an Indian state (Haryana) and their implications

by Chanchal Sharma

Trilhos Pedestres e Turismo: Análise Exploratória ao mercado dos Trilhos Pedestres em Portugal

by Áurea Rodrigues

2005, Revista Politécnica, 11