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By Kostas E. Sillignakis
INTRODUCTION
TOURISM
Tourism is the fastest growing industry in the world. According to the World
Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) tourism is the world’s largest industry
generating 12% of the global gross national product and it employs around 200
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million people worldwide (WTTC, 1995). The current growth rate is 4%, but it is
the natural areas tourism which is the most rapidly growing segment of tourism
and the WTO estimates it generates approximately 20% of all international travel
expenditures (WTO, 1998b).
Tourism in the 21st century will be the biggest industry of the world. Tourist
arrivals are estimated to reach 1 billion by 2010 and 1,6 by 2020, and people will
holiday more often, maybe two to four times per year (Pearce, 1995). Tourist
arrivals are predicted to grow by an average 4,3% a year over the next two
decades, while receipts from international tourism will climb by 6,7% a year
(WTO, 1999). Along with this great growth, the tourism industry will also have to
take on more responsibility for its wide impacts, on the economy, on the
environment, on societies and on cultural sites (Dowling 2001).
TYPES OF TOURISM
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TOURISM
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Cater et al. (1994) notes that alternative tourism comprises small scale, locally
owned activities. She suggests that these contrasts with mass tourism, which is
often characterized by large-scale multinational concerns, which repatriate the
profits to offshore countries. Other characteristics of alternative tourism include
its minimal negative environmental and social impacts, and also help to develop
other sectors of the local economy as agriculture. Finally, alternative tourism also
fosters the involvement of local people in the decision making process and
includes them in the tourism development process. Using these criteria,
alternative tourism exceed purely a concern for the physical environment that
typifies green tourism, to include economic, social and cultural considerations.
“Thus alternative tourism can be viewed as being synonymous with the concept
of sustainable tourism development” (Holden, 2000, p137).
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CONSERVATION
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RURAL TOURISM
Rural tourism is among the most polymorphous of all forms of Special Interest
Tourism (SIT). The diversity of attractions included within rural tourism embrace:
Indigenous and European heritage sites
Such diversity represents major opportunities for rural areas that have turned to
tourism as a means of supplementing diminished incomes (Douglas, 2001).
Product-related definitions:
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The most influential statement on the social and cultural impacts is Bouqeut and
Winter’s (1987) diverse anthology of studies on the conflict and political debates
associated with rural tourism. They consider the relationship between tourism,
politics and the issue of policies to control and direct tourism and recreation in
the countryside in the postwar period.
In contrast, Neate (1987) considers farm-based tourism in the Scilly Isles in
relation to attempts to diversify the economic base of family owned farms in the
climate of declining profitability in agriculture.
Vincent (1987) argues that rural tourism development requires that close-knit
communities adapt to the incursion of capitalism in the expansion of tourism,
where family independence, traditional values and cultural traditions may be
adversely affected.
The role of women in rural tourism has also belatedly attracted interest as a
highly seasonal and unstable economic activity, since tourism is one of the few
opportunities taken up by women but also contributes to the marginal status of
women in the rural workforce.
Increasingly, native people are becoming involved in tourism to help meet their
own goals of independence and cultural survival, yet tourism development
carries specials risks for them. There are also special problems related to
obtaining financing for projects, training with cultural sensitivity, attitudes towards
work and service, and making decisions communally (Smith, 1997).
In communities with low economic activity and low tourism development there will
be high hopes and expectations of tourism (Johnson et al., 1994). It has also be
notedthat long term residents of rural areas are much more likely to support
growth and change than newcomers, usually because the newcomers moved
there for amenities which they do not want changed (Getz, 1994).
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The economic impact of rural tourism has been a fruitful area for research among
a range of social scientists, often emphasizing or challenging the role of tourism
as a panacea for all the economic and social ills of the countryside (Getz, 1981).
But Butler and Clark rightly acknowledge, tourism in rural areas is not necessarily
the magic solution to rural development, given its:
“Income leakages, volatility, declining multiplier, low pay, imported labor and the
conservatism of investors. The least favored circumstance in which to promote
tourism is when the rural economy is already weak, since tourism will create
highly unbalanced income and employment distributions. It is better supplement
for a thriving and diverse economy than as a mainstay of rural development“
(Butler and Clark, 1992: 175).
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Overall
1. Better educated
2. More discerning in their demands
3. More interest in “green” issues
4. More health conscious
5. Greater interest in specialty food (Tourist Commission, 1995)
“ Identifying and segmenting the rural tourism market is probably the least
researched and understood process in the rural tourism system” (Page and Getz,
1997: 17)
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Also, “The true dimensions of the rural tourism market are difficult to assess
because of the nature of statistical definitions” (O’Hollaran, 2000: 129)
O’Halloran (2002) provides important insights into the motives of those visiting
rural destinations that may well reflect those of domestic visitors. Visiting friends
and relatives in the region and “word of mouth recommendation” accounted for
almost 50% of the responses analysed. About 12% of those surveyed had an
interest in visiting rural areas with a slightly smaller percentage listing nature-
based activities as their reason for visiting. In terms of future growth potential, a
number of O’Halloran’s respondents reported being on a return visit. However,
for these and other rural visitors improvements in shopping facilities and
merchandise would enhance their visit (O’Halloran, 2000).
CONCLUSIONS
Rural tourism could be a strategy for sustainable development for rural areas and
also could be a tool for product differentiation for area that are at stagnation
stage of the Destination Life Cycle model of Butler (1986). Although, Tourist
commission advises that:
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Rural tourism is a good opportunity for agricultural based communities but the
setting of objectives and the final tourism development plan needs caution. For
better results the whole range of the stakeholders have to participate in the
planning stage. Slow and stable steps needs for this kind of planning in order
conflicts and mistakes to be avoided.
REFERENCES
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