Showing papers on "Rural tourism published in 2014"
TL;DR: In this paper, the effect of the experience economy on place attachment and behavioral intentions through emotions and memory was explored using a self-administered questionnaire distributed to individuals experiencing rural holidays in the South of Portugal.
408 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, a literature review of the research on destination competitiveness with a focus on the roles of different stakeholders is presented, followed by a narrative about rural tourism development, the competitiveness of rural destinations and the role of entrepreneurs in establishing successful destinations.
277 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors identified four distinct segments of tourists in The Gambia: heritage & nature seekers, multi-experiences seekers, mult experiences & beach seekers, and sun and beach seekers.
171 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the effects of marketing decisions by rural lodging establishment owners (i.e., price and advertising expenditures) on electronic word of mouth (eWOM) and business performance were investigated.
124 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors identify the factors that have determined successful territorial dynamics (STD) in rural areas of Andalusia during economic expansion periods, and analyzes their stability in the current context of economic crisis.
120 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors explore the emergence of community-based tourism in Thailand and examine the case study of Mae Kampong, a village in the Northern Thai province of Chiang Mai that is renowned nationally as a showcase community tourism destination.
Abstract: The dominant narrative regarding tourism in Thailand centers on the various negative social and environmental consequences of rapid growth, but in the midst of this explosive expansion of conventional tourism, a less recognized story has recently emerged. Due to the efforts of researchers, environmental activists, non-governmental organizations, and public officials, community-based tourism (CBT) has become in the past decade an important component of the domestic tourism market, and signifies trends that are more encouraging than those associated with more conventional forms of tourism in Thailand. While it is true that some rural communities in Thailand struggle to plan, initiate, and sustain CBT projects, it is nevertheless possible, with the right combination of circumstances, to pursue successful CBT. The paper explores the emergence of CBT in Thailand, and examines the case study of Mae Kampong, a village in the Northern Thai province of Chiang Mai that is renowned nationally as a showcase C...
103 citations
TL;DR: Wu et al. as discussed by the authors investigated the online rural tourism destination image of Wuyuan, Jiangxi, a town said to have "the most beautiful countryside in China" and identified a set of themes found in the destination image.
Abstract: This qualitative study investigates the online rural tourism destination image of Wuyuan, Jiangxi, a town said to have “the most beautiful countryside in China.” The study focuses on domestic rural tourism and identifies a set of themes found in the destination image of Wuyuan: resources , rewards , and expectations . Wuyuan׳s rural destination image is connected to common representations of rurality in tourism and rural imaginaries. Several ideological influences are found in the construction of Chinese rural destination images and imaginaries. Although similar, the Chinese rural image displays slight differences from the global image of idyllic rural life. This study has practical implications for the online marketing of rural areas and microblog marketing.
93 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, an evolutionary economic geography (EEG) framework is applied to the case study of rural tourism in Tuscany and the authors argue that the rural transition towards a tourism development was fostered by the weakness of the established rural configuration and its heritage of a large availability of empty buildings, which has been a primary input for tourism development.
87 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors focus on the identification and explanation of rural residents' perceptions toward the impacts of tourism development and their grouping with respect to these attitudes, and find that local people value the tourism in ways consistent with the social exchange theory.
Abstract: This paper focuses on the identification and explanation of rural residents' perceptions toward the impacts of tourism development and their grouping with respect to these attitudes. Data from 262 households are used in the empirical analysis. Because of emerging stages of tourism development in the study area, most residents expressed a quite strong support for tourism development, although some social and environmental concern was expressed. The results revealed that respondents most value economic objectives, but the community was not homogeneous in its views. Education, gender, age, income, employment and a high degree of community attachment were found to be the major factors affecting the attitudes of residents. Findings of this study indicate that local people value the tourism in ways consistent with the social exchange theory. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
76 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examined why tourists travel and what is the main motivation in choosing their destinations, and applied other motivation models in tourism, such as Plog's psychographic or Iso Ahola's model of the social psychology of tourism.
61 citations
TL;DR: Wang et al. as mentioned in this paper explored the spatial-temporal pattern of land use changes in Gougezhuang village from 1986 to 2010, and suggested the unsustainability of current land use patterns, which are manifested in the severe conflict between increasing tourism land use and limited village construction land, irrational land usage, irregular expansion, and damages to rural traditional culture and the eco-environment resulting in the loss of rurality.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors explored the characteristics of tourism entrepreneurs and their connections to the destination community, their roles as community leaders and the overall outcomes of tourism development for the host community.
Abstract: This study addressed contradictions in the tourism development literature about the importance of locals versus outsiders and the role of entrepreneurs. More specifically, it explored the characteristics of tourism entrepreneurs and their connections to the destination community, their roles as community leaders and the overall outcomes of tourism development for the host community. This exploration was conducted through a qualitative analysis of 47 case studies of rural tourism development and used concepts from the new mobilities paradigm and community well-being framework to examine how entrepreneurs could be connected to tourism development outcomes. The results suggested that the local–outsider distinction was not a useful way to classify actors in tourism development, that community entrepreneurs were the most successful at supporting positive outcomes for both tourism and the destination community, that social and human capital were more important than financial and built capital for commun...
TL;DR: In this article, a self-administered survey applied to a sample of 180 tourists, and four clusters were identified: relaxer cluster, which comprises individuals attracted by opportunities to relax and recharge batteries, are the most dominant, suggesting that the sector mimics, to a large extent, the mass tourism sector.
Abstract: Rural tourism has been promoted as an effective catalyst for growth in rural areas severely hit by the rural structuring process. However, with regard to islands, rural tourism has been mainly advertised and promoted as a counterpoint to mass tourism. While in most Western countries rural tourism has been in place for decades, islands have been pursuing a rural tourism agenda only since the 1990s. Consequently, we face a dearth of research regarding motivation factors that attract tourists to the rural hinterland on islands. The purpose of this study is to segment and profile rural tourists based on benefits sought in order to gain a better understanding of the current demand trends. The data collection procedure were based on a self-administered survey applied to a sample of 180 tourists, and four clusters were identified. The relaxer cluster which comprises individuals attracted by opportunities to relax and recharge batteries, are the most dominant, suggesting that the sector mimics, to a large extent,...
TL;DR: In this article, the authors studied how nature-based tourism entrepreneurs perceive the private forest owners as stakeholders of their business and what kind of stakeholder management strategies they have developed in order to maintain their activities.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examined the impact of multi-environmental components towards development of tourism destination competitiveness from local communities' perspective, and found that both cultural heritage attractions and natural resources found to have positive impact towards the development of destination competitiveness.
TL;DR: In this paper, a review of international scholarship on agritourism is presented and its potential implications for LED planning in South Africa is explored, where policy suggestions are offered for strengthening agritours as a driver for LED in South African.
Abstract: The role of tourism for local economic development (LED) is a topic of critical importance for geographers. In the case of South Africa tourism is a priority sector for national economic development. The significance of research issues around tourism and LED is underlined by the ‘developmental’ mandate of local governments. Although tourism has received attention in a growing body of LED writings on South Africa issues around agritourism so far have been overlooked. Agritourism represents an evolving form of rural tourism which is targeted at mainly urban consumers. Against the background of a review of international scholarship on agritourism this article explores its potential implications for LED planning in South Africa. A national audit of agritourism is presented which shows its uneven geographical distribution. Agritourism is of special significance for small town economic development in South Africa’s intermediate tourism spaces. Policy suggestions are offered for strengthening agritourism as a driver for LED in South Africa.
TL;DR: In this paper, destination management and marketing organizations (DMMOs) from the context of rural tourism are identified and developed, in order to achieve mutual benefits which include management of resources, marketing of tourism products, positioning, host community well-being, brand building and tourist loyalty to the rural destinations.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors analyze how the opportunities created by the rural tourism can be used as a vector to promote the growth of farms and territory in the Sicilian territory. And they show that direct sales, associated with the co-ventional sales, can represent a growing opportuni ty for farms and whole rural community, leading to an improvement of business economic performances, an increase of investments and a creation of new job opportunities.
Abstract: Tourism has an important role modifying rural communities in their environmental, economic, social and cultural structures, processes and dynamics. In thi s context rural tourism plays a primary role becaus e it is not the rural product that reaches the consumer in the purchase point, but it is the consumer (tourist ) that has to move towards tourist destination to enjoy the pr oduct. So, the aim of this study is to analyse how the opportunities created by the rural tourism can repr esent a vector to promote the growth of farms and territory. Specifically, through a telephone survey conducted among the Sicilian entrepreneurs which j oin to the national network Campagna Amica, it has been analysed how the direct sales in the farm can contrib ute competitiveness to business and therefore to the pe rmanence of man in the territory. The empirical ana lysis has shown that direct sales, associated with the co nventional sales, can represent a growing opportuni ty for farms and whole rural community, leading to an improvement of business economic performances, an increase of investments and a creation of new job o pportunities. This hightligted that agriculture can play a positive role on many components of the territorial system in which it operates.
TL;DR: This paper explored how urbanite guests and peasant hosts imagine and experience China's countryside and how this articulates with diverse social processes, discursive systems, and material and symbolic forces in the rapidly changing field of meanings and rural-urban power relations in post-Reform China.
Abstract: A unique form of rural tourism has been booming over the past two decades in China. This Chinese version of rural tourism, popularly called nongjiale, involves peasant families hosting urbanite guests in their farm guesthouses, providing them with rustic food and lodging that symbolize something quintessentially rural, familial, authentic, eco-friendly, healthy, and traditional. The space of nongjiale farm guesthouses provides a significant locus of rural-urban encounters, social-boundary making, and identity politics between peasant hosts and urbanite guests. Focusing on the space of nongjiale farm guesthouses, this article explores how urbanite guests and peasant hosts imagine and experience China’s countryside and how this articulates with diverse social processes, discursive systems, and material and symbolic forces in the rapidly changing field of meanings and rural-urban power relations in post-Reform China.
TL;DR: In this paper, a discussion of the community participation construct, within a rural tourism perspective, is presented, and the methodological characteristics of community participation's theory and measurement and its association to rural tourism environment.
TL;DR: In this paper, tourism destinations in peripheral areas are often large regions established by centralised government agencies to encourage collaboration between dispersed communities and foster innovation, and travel destinations in these regions can be classified into three categories:
Abstract: Tourism destinations in peripheral areas are often large regions established by centralised government agencies to encourage collaboration between dispersed communities and foster innovation. Relat ...
TL;DR: In this article, the role of HandMade in America, a regional economic development organization, in cultivating the change-agent components of social movements (consciousness-raising, networking, and self-efficacy) in seven tourism-reliant communities was investigated.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examined the influence of three general factors related to the business and the entrepreneur on performance, measured as occupancy, prices, sales, and profits, in a rural Spanish region.
Abstract: Different programs designed to develop rural areas in Europe grant significant funds to support several economic activities. In particular, rural lodging establishments have been key recipients of many development investments. Therefore, identifying the determinants of business success for these establishments is important for authorities, who must allocate their funding accordingly. The establishments themselves can benefit from such knowledge as well. This article examines the influence of three general factors related to the business and the entrepreneur—product, knowledge, and promotional tools—on performance, measured as occupancy, prices, sales, and profits. A survey conducted in a rural Spanish region produces results that largely confirm the proposed hypotheses.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examined tourists' perception of service quality in rural tourism destinations on satisfaction as well as the moderating effect of previous experience on this relationship and found that perceived service quality has a significant positive influence on tourist satisfaction.
TL;DR: The authors discusses some of the key challenges of rural tourism development, especially related to the integration of the tourism industry and rural communities in developing countries, and overviews the applicability and conditions of the integrated rural tourism (IRT) framework as a potential approach for rural tourism.
Abstract: In the past few decades, rural areas have experienced major socioeconomic changes. Due to modernisation and deepening globalisation, the economic and employment potential of many traditional livelihoods has decreased. Currently tourism is increasingly seen as a relevant tool for addressing rural problems in developing countries and tourism is actively used for economic diversification and opening up new ways to generate income and employment. However, many development models, such as integrated rural tourism (IRT) with emphasis on co-planning, learning and participation, originate from the Global North. This calls for careful considerations when such models are applied to the Global South's rural contexts. This research note discusses some of the key challenges of rural tourism development, especially related to the integration of the tourism industry and rural communities in developing countries, and overviews the applicability and conditions of the IRT framework as a potential approach for rural tourism...
TL;DR: Based on three case studies of rural tourism practices in suburban Beijing, China, this paper proposed a community-driven development (CDD) model in rural tourism and illustrated three principles of the CDD model: localization of supply chain, community-external investor symbiosis, and democratization of decision making.
Abstract: Based on three case studies of rural tourism practices in suburban Beijing, China, this paper proposes a community-driven development (CDD) model in rural tourism. The paper illustrated three principles of the CDD model: localization of supply chain, community-external investor symbiosis, and democratization of decision making. The three principles as a whole serve as key to understanding and successfully implementing the CDD in China. Although the three principles come from the practice of rural tourism development in China, it is hoped that theoretical implications could be derived from this paper to direct tourism planning exercises in other countries, especially those developing countries with similar economic development backgrounds to China. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors identified that the interaction of entrepreneurship with the proportion of those employed in the creative class is strongly associated with the growth in the number of new establishments and employment in those rural counties endowed with attractive outdoor amenities.
Abstract: In light of the projected long-term national economic trends, the vulnerability of rural regions, and the difficulty of small businesses to stay solvent, it is imperative to understand the critical elements within a small business' operating environment or “ecosystem” that support or thwart entrepreneurial activity. Using the 100 counties of North Carolina as a case study, the purpose of this research project was to determine which entrepreneurial ecosystem elements (E3) have the most influence on tourism and entrepreneurship, to identify spatial patterns in this relationship, as well as the extent to which entrepreneurial and tourist activity overlap regionally. Using national secondary data sources, the authors identified that the interaction of entrepreneurship with the proportion of those employed in the creative class is strongly associated with the growth in the number of new establishments and employment, particularly in those rural counties endowed with attractive outdoor amenities.
TL;DR: This paper developed a conceptual framework of terroir tourism through a review of relevant literature and a case study of the Prince Edward County (PEC) wine region, which is well positioned to market the wine experience and product based on a unique regional identity and to link the wine sector with its economic development strategy.
Abstract: Wine tourism is a growing industry in Ontario that can be a boon to regional economic development in rural areas. Increasingly, rural economies are based on the commodification of regional resources that can be environmental, cultural, symbolic, or human. Little research has investigated these characteristics in relation to the distinctive terroir that may be promoted by regional wine sectors to attract and maintain wine tourism. This article develops a conceptual framework of terroir tourism through a review of relevant literature and a case study of the Prince Edward County (PEC) wine region. Findings indicate that PEC, though having a fledgling wine industry, is well positioned to market the wine experience and product based on a unique regional identity and to link the wine sector with its economic development strategy.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors explore the role of collaboration and partnership among public, private, and voluntary sector agencies in formulating a product brand which is coherent, asset-based and community-led.
Abstract: This paper outlines the challenges of destination development and branding in rural tourism destinations, for example a lack of coherent destination propositions, lack of iconic structures, lack of differentiation in their tourism product portfolio and a high incidence of micro-businesses. Such factors mean that the creation of a coherent destination brand is often difficult and yet, at the same time essential, for such destinations. This paper explores the role of collaboration and partnership amongst public, private, and voluntary sector agencies in formulating a product brand which is coherent, asset-based and community-led. Using a case study of the Made in Monmouthshire (MiM) brand, an Adventa-led initiative which serves as a quality benchmark for food, drink, arts and crafts produced within and around Monmouthshire, the article demonstrates the role of collaborative development in the creation and development of a destination brand.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors measured factors affecting rural tourists' satisfaction in relation to different aspects of a destination and to increase the likelihood of revisitation and recommendation, and found that tourists’ satisfaction was high when people mainly gained tourist information through formal government sources, word-of-mouth and Internet advertising.
Abstract: To encourage the sustainability of rural tourism and to achieve success in the tourist industry, an understanding of the factors by which tourists are motivated to visit rural areas is required. This study aims to measure factors affecting rural tourists’ satisfaction in relation to different aspects of a destination and to increase the likelihood of revisitation and recommendation. This study also attempts to examine differences in relation to satisfaction depending on the information source preference. Overall satisfaction was influenced by physical infrastructure, service quality and satisfaction level with tour programs. However, the quality of services was more related to tourists’ intentions to revisit and recommend, suggesting that its qualitative improvement can contribute to vitalizing stagnant domestic tourism. The findings revealed that tourists’ satisfaction was high when people mainly gained tourist information through formal government sources, word-of-mouth and Internet advertising, suggesting that the positive correlation between tourists’ satisfaction and information sources reflects the reliability and credibility of those sources.