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Who is consuming the countryside? An activity-based segmentation analysis of the domestic rural tourism market in Portugal
Abstract
As a result of a well-debated set of transformations, rural areas are increasingly perceived as consumption rather than productive places, mainly associated to leisure and tourism. This paper aims to analyse the heterogeneity of domestic tourism consumption of rural areas. Based on a cluster analysis derived from a sample of the Portuguese population (N = 866) four clusters based on activities carried out in Portuguese rural areas were obtained – The Active Visitors, The Passive Nature Observers, The Inactives and The Summer Family Vacationers. These clusters of domestic market show diversity in the ways rural areas are perceived and consumed. They also differ regarding familiarity with rural areas, travel behaviour and sociodemographic profile. Results reveal the importance of offering different rural tourism products to these groups, thereby improving rural destination management and marketing.
... Agrotourism offers an opportunity to restore and maintain the wellbeing of rural areas and to solve social problems (employment, health, education, leisure). Eusébio, C. et al. (2017) in their research, also examined rural tourism in the Portuguese interior, which has many similarities with the rural space in Hungary. Based on the activities of tourists in the countryside, 4 clusters were formed: 1) Active visitors; 2) Passive nature observers; 3) Inactives, and 4) Summer family vacationers. ...
... Mostly, the results may not be generalizable to the population as a whole. Nevertheless, such surveys can provide valuable insights for theory-building, especially regarding the evolution of representations and consumption patterns in rural areas (Eusébio, C. et al. 2017). They underline the importance of the sought activities as a relevant segmentation basis for visitors (Mumuni, A.G. and Mansour, M. 2014;McKercher, B. et al. 2023b). ...
... In line with Bel, F. et al. (2015), and Eusébio, C. et al. (2017) findings there is an independent cluster for gastronomic orientation. The locally provided specialities do attract some demand but much less than originally expected. ...
This study examines the changing preferences of rural tourists in Western Transdanubia, Hungary, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
... Agrotourism offers an opportunity to restore and maintain the wellbeing of rural areas and to solve social problems (employment, health, education, leisure). Eusébio, C. et al. (2017) in their research, also examined rural tourism in the Portuguese interior, which has many similarities with the rural space in Hungary. Based on the activities of tourists in the countryside, 4 clusters were formed: 1) Active visitors; 2) Passive nature observers; 3) Inactives, and 4) Summer family vacationers. ...
... Mostly, the results may not be generalizable to the population as a whole. Nevertheless, such surveys can provide valuable insights for theory-building, especially regarding the evolution of representations and consumption patterns in rural areas (Eusébio, C. et al. 2017). They underline the importance of the sought activities as a relevant segmentation basis for visitors (Mumuni, A.G. and Mansour, M. 2014;McKercher, B. et al. 2023b). ...
... In line with Bel, F. et al. (2015), and Eusébio, C. et al. (2017) findings there is an independent cluster for gastronomic orientation. The locally provided specialities do attract some demand but much less than originally expected. ...
This study examines the changing preferences of rural tourists in Western Transdanubia, Hungary, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. We aim to uncover how rural tourism has changed and identify the new winners of the shifting demand. In 2021, we conducted a comprehensive survey with 925 participants and introduced a novel activity-based segmentation of rural tourists, revealing a strong preference for complex service packages. Practically, our findings highlight that village caterers who have strategically segmented the market have emerged as winners, successfully attracting different age groups and genders with customized packages. Cluster analysis revealed a segment of rural tourists who, without exception, were enthusiastic about diverse activities. In particular, our cross-cluster analysis points to a significant amount of potential demand among middle-aged tourists. These findings help practitioners develop a targeted product mix and marketing strategy to meet the changing demands of rural tourism.
... However, despite the generally positive findings in earlier research, organising cultural festivals in rural areas may only sometimes benefit local communities. Eusébio and colleagues [12] describe cultural festivals as a consumptive way to use the countryside. Marsden [13] explained that the countryside has been transforming from a place for production to a place for consumption and leisure. ...
... These optimistic expectations of the benefits of cultural festivals for rural areas rely on the involvement of local citizens. Eusébio and colleagues [12] warn that festival visitors and organisers can consume the countryside rather than develop it. As Figure 1 shows, rural practices can benefit areas by creating jobs, social benefits for the community, cultural benefits, or attracting new and young residents [19]. ...
... Hence, the festivals' contribution to Oldambt follows a neoendogenous understanding of rural development [15]. The results suggest that the festivals and their visitors are not just "consuming" the countryside, as Eusébio and colleagues [12] suggested. Instead, the festivals invoke engagement between visitors and local people and help to sustain rural livelihoods while tapping into and maintaining existing local resources [15]. ...
The Oldambt area, in the northeast of the Netherlands, has recently suffered from depopulation and a negative image. However, four high-quality cultural festivals have been developed in or moved towards the area during the last decade. The festivals have different organisational models. This paper assesses how they contribute to rural regeneration through semi-structured interviews with stakeholders around the festivals and local youth. It adds to the existing literature by introducing the concept of rural regeneration, stemming from neo-endogenous rural development, into festival research and by conducting multiple case studies in one area. The paper investigates the festivals’ local legitimacy, rootedness, and ability to create interconnectedness. The findings suggest that the festivals are locally supported, use local resources, and benefit the area, notwithstanding their organisational model. The festivals also help to establish networks within and outside of Oldambt, and there is thus a positive effect on regeneration. The recent more positive developments in Oldambt may be related to the organisation of the festivals.
... By targeting specific segments, accommo-https://doi.org/10.17221/56/2021-AGRICECON dation owners, restaurants and leisure activity providers could differentiate their establishments and services and create additional value (Eusébio et al. 2017). ...
... The second class, named 'leisure activist', is similar to the active visitors from Eusébio et al. (2017) and active rural customers from Molera and Albaladejo-Pina (2007). Customers belonging to the second class are characterised by nature and outdoor activities. ...
... This segment is connected with ecotourism (Hearne and Salinas 2002;Hearne and Santos 2005;Chaminuka et al. 2012;Fernández-Hernández et al. 2016) and presents promising economic implications. Since their members are more concerned with environmental issues and sustainable development, they can generate a larger economic impact in these areas (Fernández--Hernández et al. 2016;Eusébio et al. 2017). ...
This research aims to analyse customers' preference heterogeneity for rural tourism in Spain and explore their preferences' personal and socio-demographic factors. To achieve this purpose, latent class analysis with the best-worst choice modelling has been applied through conducting a survey on 452 customers in Madrid and Barcelona. The results show that there are five classes in the Spanish rural tourism market: 'all-around seeker', 'leisure activist', 'culture explorer', 'comfort-driven user', and 'basic value pursuer'. The contribution of this investigation is that it is the first study that applied the latent class analysis with best-worst choice modelling to explore customers' preference heterogeneity for rural tourism.
... Market segmentation provides a useful perspective to delve deeper into different market segments and develop products, "targeting a market segment characterized by expectations or preferences that mirror the destination strengths leads to competitive advantage" (Dolnicar, 2002, p. 2). The usefulness of employing market segmentation methods for guiding destination marketing and management has been constantly demonstrated in academic and industry literature (Eusébio et al., 2017;Park & Yoon, 2009;Pesonen et al., 2011). ...
... Among tourism markets, rural and natural tourism have been a constant interest among scholars, as evidenced in numerous studies in the leisure and tourism field. In rural and natural environments, tourists have been distinguished and profiled according to motivation-based segmentation (Park & Yoon, 2009;Pesonen, 2012;Rid et al., 2014), benefit-based segmentation (Almeida et al., 2014) expenditure-based segmentation (Oh & Schuett, 2010), and activity-based segmentation (Eusébio et al., 2017;Mumuni & Mansour, 2014). Specifically, by applying a surveybased approach, Rid et al. (2014) classified tourists into distinct market segments that relied on tourist motivations for rural tourism activities in The Gambia. ...
... One of the rural tourism studies employing expenditure-based segmentation was conducted by Oh and Schuett (2010) that provides a lens on the use of spending behaviour for segmenting tourism markets. Eusébio et al. (2017), meanwhile, applied a factor-clustering method based on tourism activities carried out by domestic tourists, thereby analysing the heterogeneity of rural tourism consumption. ...
This study identifies those market segments that frequent state parks in Florida and, in particular, determines those segmentation "clusters" with a best fit for frequency of visitation, accommodation, and age. Two-Step Cluster Analysis and CHAID approaches to the determination of market segmentation are used. This study demonstrates the precision and multi-tree nature of CHAID analysis in that it offers additional levels of variation and distinctiveness for those marketing and managing tourism generally, and in the specific context of state parks. Rather than managing a homogenous "rural tourist", through CHAID analysis, state parks can benefit from the fine-tuning of marketing messages, the more effective provision and location of accommodation stock, and enhanced efforts to attract out-of-state visitors. ARTICLE HISTORY
... Rural tourism refers to tourism that occurs in rural locations and links with the local environment and community resources. It is characterised by small, widely dispersed villages and low population density (Eus ebio et al., 2017;Lwoga and Maturo, 2020). In Malaysia, the government has long supported the economics of rural tourism through community-based tourism (CBT) homestay programmes, which are a prominent feature of this rural tourism (Azmi and Ahmad, 2022). ...
... Relaxation is a common factor that has been used as a motivator in several tourism studies (Adruce et al., 2021;Eus ebio et al., 2017). Park and Yoon (2009) discovered a significant relationship between relaxation and motivation to engage in rural tourism in Asia, as well as in a study in Southern Africa study (Vuuren and Slabbert, 2011). ...
Purpose
This study aims to investigate the factors affecting the intention to visit community-based homestays among young adults in a developing country during the pandemic by incorporating the mediation effect of perceived values and moderation effects of safety and health concerns.
Design/methodology/approach
Data from young adults were gathered via a self-administered questionnaire, and 268 sets of surveys were analysed using partial least squares structural equation modelling.
Findings
The perceived value of community-based homestays among young adults is positively affected by relaxation, learning and entertainment. Perceived value also mediates the relationship between each of the three said motivational push factors and the intention to visit a community-based homestay. The relationship between perceived value and intention to visit community-based homestays among young adults is unaffected by safety and health concerns.
Research limitations/implications
The analysis reveals that relaxation, learning and entertainment are key drivers of intentions to visit rural community-based homestays and that perceived value mediates links between them.
Practical implications
This study benefits the tourism authorities and marketers by enabling them to promote community-based homestays in the country among the young adult market.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the literature by using the motivation theory and model of goal-oriented behaviour to investigate the moderating effects of health and safety concerns on young adults visiting intention. Young adults’ perceived value was also examined to study its mediating effects on visiting intention.
... Source: own processing 289/345We were also interested in what the reason for visiting South Moravia was. Despite the claims of the authorsEusébio et al. (2017) that the motivation for visiting rural areas is heterogeneous, our research shows very clearly that there is no great heterogeneity in the motivation to visit South Moravia.Figure 3shows that the main reason for visiting South Moravia was relaxation, leisure and vacation. This reason significantly exceeds other reasons for the visit in all three segments examined. ...
... This reason significantly exceeds other reasons for the visit in all three segments examined. However, these findings are consistent with findings of several authorsEusébio et, al. 2017; Lewis and D'Alessandro, 2019). Relaxation, spending leisure time and vacation were mainly stated as the reason for the visit by the segment "groups with children". ...
The Covid-19 pandemic has undoubtedly influenced tourism and has led to a change in the consumer behaviour of tourists. The purpose of the study was to find out how the profile of the visitor of the rural area had changed in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic. The quantitative survey with 1026 visitors was conducted and its results were analyzed within three main segments of visitors – groups with children, couples and the others (without children). The results of the research confirm the persisting fact – due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the demand in tourism is shifting from urban areas to rural ones, but overall tourists in research rural area can benefit from the fact that it is a relatively small area and can get the best of both rural areas as well as of near cities in the area. Visiting rural areas is generally a shorter-term option for all visitors, which does not require long-term planning. The findings confirmed that rural areas are a great opportunity for domestic tourism. The results bring a deeper and actual insight into the consumer behaviour of tourists in rural areas and at the same time the findings show the possibilities for service quality improvement. Both can be beneficial for service providers as well as destination managers.
... A necessidade de aproximar o Interior português, nomeadamente os seus territórios mais rurais das externalidades positivas da atividade turística está amplamente retratada na literatura (Amaral, 2019;Bordonaro, 2020;Eusébio et al., 2017;Lopes et al., 2016;Pereiro, 2018; (ii) Atuar na minimização do impacto das alterações climáticas; ...
... Que é compatível com a capacidade de carga do território e de cada recurso em particular e que gera rendimento direto ou indireto para as populações, contribuindo para a sua emancipação e para a sua qualidade de vida. Isto vai ao encontro de vários estudos que refletem sobre a pertinência de aproximar o meio rural português das externalidades positivas da atividade turística (Eusébio et al., 2017;Pereiro, 2018;Amaral, 2019;Bordonaro, 2020 Entre os concelhos e entre cada uma das localidades em particular, existem algumas diferenças na quantidade e qualidade de recursos, porém, este recurso patrimonial que lhes é comum pode facilitar a sua competitividade turística e a da região, de forma geral. ...
The present research aims to identify the typology of creative tourism as a driver for sustainable tourism development in inland regions, so rich in socio-cultural terms. The entire empirical component of the research was built with the objective of studying in depth the community's understanding towards the creation of creative based tourism activities, from the Masked Performers Intangible Cultural Heritage, as well as analyzing the potential of a creative tourism plan for the tourism positioning and competitiveness of the Terras de Trás-os-Montes region. Objective: The overall objective of this dissertation is to understand how the Masked People's Intangible Cultural Heritage can be converted into creative based tourism products, highly strategic and of added value for the region Terras de Trás-os- Montes, taking into consideration the superior interest of the community and its sustainable tourism development. Methodology: Three themes were considered for the literature review: inland regions, sustainable tourism development and creative tourism, in this sequence. For the empirical study, considering that the problematic required a theoretical and in-depth study, the qualitative approach was chosen, with the combination of two techniques, the collective interview of the focus group type and the individual semi-structured interview type. Having applied three focus groups (1) Municipalities; (2) Tourism agents; (3) Residents and three interviews. Results: The results that emerge from this research intend to provide a rich understanding about which guidelines and which action strategy the region should follow to enhance its sustainable tourism development, from the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Masquerades. The results showed that it is possible to find harmonious ways of boosting this cultural asset through tourism, namely through creative tourism activities. Limitations: The Tradition of the Masquerades, especially its dynamics in rural communities, is already quite complex, so some issues may not have the proper depth. Regarding the instruments of data collection, either in the focus groups or in the interviews, it was not possible to include all the potential participants and interviewees, mainly due to scheduling issues. Also, the fact that only the qualitative approach was chosen may have limited the presentation of the results, highly dependent on personal interpretation. Practical Implications: The implications presented are divided into three parts: A) Sustainable development of the tourism activity; B) Betting on the Creative Tourism typology; C) Strategy of valorization and exploitation of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of the Masquerades. These implications intend to be a contribution for the development of a creative tourism strategy in the implicated localities and, in a general way, in the region. They are of particular interest to political decision-makers, regional entities, economic agents, and all the stakeholders interested in the sustainable tourism development of these places. Originality and value: The region under study still presents low indexes of scientific production that points paths and concretizes proposals of creation and structuring of differentiated tourist supply. In this sense, the value of this dissertation is based on a proposal for the tourism management of one of the main icons of the region's cultural identity, the Intangible Cultural Heritage of the Masquerades, which has not yet been properly considered for regional tourism projects.
... Rural tourism is an important tool for promoting the upgrading of rural industries and realizing economic transformation and has made an important contribution to the prosperity of rural industries and the employment and income of farmers. In recent years, China has introduced a series of policies to support and guarantee the development of rural tourism, and with the awakening of people's awareness of healthy living, the simple, natural, and ecologically beautiful countryside is more attractive than ever and the rural tourism market will maintain a good growth momentum [1][2][3][4]. Although the development of rural tourism has many advantages and potential, it also faces some challenges and problems. ...
The digital economy is a part of the current industrial reform that should not be ignored. Moreover, rural tourism is an important way to realize rural revitalization and common prosperity, and the correlation and interaction between the two are crucial to rural development. In this paper, we explore the interactive influence between the two, use the entropy value method, kernel density function, global spatial autocorrelation analysis, and other measurement methods to measure the comprehensive development level of the two, and accordingly establish the coupling and coordination model for the high-quality development of digital economy and rural tourism. The spatiotemporal characterization of the high-quality development of the digital economy and rural tourism in 30 provinces in China is carried out, and the coupled and coordinated development of the digital economy and rural tourism in 16 cities and towns in Yunnan Province is explored as an example, according to which suggestions for the corresponding development paths are put forward. The digital economy development index of China’s seven major geographic regions during the five years of 2019-2023 is the highest in South China (0.473) and the lowest in Northwest China (0.219). Southwest China (0.518) has the highest rural tourism high-quality development index value, while Northwest China (0.386) has the lowest value. The degree of coupling and coordination of digital economy and rural tourism high-quality development in Yunnan Province increased by 0.0903 during the 5 years. The coupling and coordination of digital economy and rural tourism high-quality development in Yunnan Province in 2014, 2016, 2018, and 2020 Moran index was -0.0885, 0.0916, 0.1527, 0.1729, with the Z-value showing an increasing trend and the P-value showing a decreasing Trend. The coordination between the digital economy and rural tourism development in Yunnan Province has improved.
... With the continuous development of modern society, the living conditions of the public have gradually improved, and the past home entertainment and urban entertainment methods have been insufficient to meet the actual needs of the people, followed by a strong pursuit of leisure and vacation methods close to nature and returning to the true nature, and more and more attention to rural tourism, which promotes the long-term development of China's rural tourism industry [15]. Literature [16] summarized the leisure sports-related research and tried to explore from the perspective of leisure sports professional practitioner standards, aiming to provide a reference for the cultivation of leisure sports specialists. ...
At this stage, along with the rapid development of science and information technology, the era of artificial intelligence is gradually coming. This topic takes the travelogue text of leisure sports and rural tourism as the research object, uses the improved TF-IDF algorithm for keyword extraction, and analyzes tourists’ image perception of leisure sports and rural tourism. Then, we combine the tourists’ perceptions with the selection of relevant variables, set the fixed effect and moderating effect models, and use the OLS method to carry out regression analysis and heterogeneity analysis to verify the role of artificial intelligence in the development of leisure sports and rural tourism. The perception of tourist attractions (48.33%) and tourist facilities (20.87%) in leisure sports and rural tourism was the most impressive to tourists. It confirms that AI has a significant inverted “U”-shaped effect on the development of leisure sports and rural tourism. The development of leisure sports and rural tourism should conform to the new pattern of “AI+Sports Tourism”, highlight the “characteristics” of leisure sports and rural tourism, and let “AI+” become a “help” for the development of leisure sports and rural tourism. Let “Artificial Intelligence+” become a booster for the development of leisure sports and rural tourism.
... Although some attention has been given to motivations in rural tourism, Portuguese rural areas (e.g. Eusébio et al., 2017;Kastenholz et al., 2018) and nature-based tourism activities (Marques et al., 2017), little attention has been paid to the motivational drivers for visiting Portuguese PAs. One of the exceptions was a study conducted by Marques et al. (2010) that identified six motivational factors for visiting Portuguese PAs: 'participation in traditional events', 'enjoyment of nature', 'sports', 'social influence', 'personal fulfilment', 'proximity and convenience', and 'participation in planned events'. ...
Understanding visitor motivations is crucial for developing sustainable tourism strategies in protected areas (PAs). However, the literature often overlooks the role of visitor motivation research in enhancing place-based collaborative governance within PAs. This study focuses on the Alvão Natural Park (PNAL), a mountainous Portuguese PA currently implementing a new co-management model. This represents a significant change, considering that the governance of the PA has shifted from a single state entity to a collaborative model that prioritises tourism as a key factor in local development. This study seeks to address the research gap regarding motivation-based segmentation studies in mountainous natural parks, while exploring the innovative aspects of conducting such a study within the framework of a new governance model. By surveying 351 PNAL visitors, factor analysis revealed four motivational dimensions with emphasis on connection with nature and relaxation. However, cluster analysis identified only one segment primarily motivated by connecting with nature, while the largest segment is motivated by convenience and social environment interactions. The results suggest the importance of involving the local community in governance and decision-making processes, and the need to prioritise ecotourism as a key focal point in PNAL's tourism policies, strategic planning, and development. Our findings contribute to theoretical knowledge and inform policy-making, providing valuable guidance for the successful implementation of co-management in PNAL and potentially other similar PAs.
... During the pandemic, domestic travel emerged as a viable alternative for locals and residents, offering a means to reduce psychological fatigue (Lee & Han, 2023) and fulfil their travel desires, which international trips traditionally met. This shift towards domestic tourism catered to various motivations, including relaxation, enjoyment, escapism, and deeper aspirations such as self-growth and development (Fakfare et al., 2020;Eusébio et al., 2017;Davison & Ryley, 2016). Although there have been previous efforts to understand domestic tourist markets, the pandemic has highlighted the pressing need for a more comprehensive grasp of domestic tourism dynamics and its resilience (Falk et al., 2022). ...
This study examines the critical role of domestic tourism as an alternative market to international tourism post-pandemic. It analyses travel motivations alongside perceived risks and safety to assess their impact on trip fulfilment and revisiting intentions. Data from 846 respondents in China, South Korea, and Thailand revealed patterns. Integrated Generalized Structured Component Analysis (IGSCA) and Fuzzy Set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA) were used to discern the relationships influencing the desire to return. Findings highlight 'arousal' and 'social sharing' as essential for low-level fulfilment, while 'self-actualization' and 'social sharing' are key for high-level fulfilment. 'Perceived safety' significantly affects both levels of fulfilment, which in turn affect the intention to revisit. FsQCA identified specific necessary conditions and configurations predicting the two types of fulfilment and the intention to revisit domestic destinations.
... It effectively balances tourists' and rural communities' needs (Ammirato et al., 2020). Eusébio et al. (2017) discuss the growing demand for rural tourism, which has led to the emergence of economic development, population growth, and increased stress in everyday life. As such, there is an increased number of tourist accommodations and small types of businesses located near the site to assist the needs of tourists. ...
Addressing social and environmental concerns can minimize risks and provide employment opportunities. Implementing water and energy conservation and providing educational programs can also benefit agritourism. Sustainable practices are crucial for protecting sites from tourist activities and addressing economic, societal, environmental, and institutional issues. The study aims to identify the sustainability practices of agritourism farms in Diffun, Quirino. Various studies ought to determine different practices of agritourism farms to retain customers. In contrast, this study aims to improve sustainability by exploring the perception of agritourism based on the experience of farmer’s owners and farm workers. This cross-sectional study involves a sample of 296 farm workers participants using convenience sampling from two agritourist destinations in Diffun, Quirino. Primary data collection was done using self-administered questionnaires, and the data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The study reveals that effective governance frameworks, policies, and implementation of sustainable practices and awareness of these farms will effectively preserve natural resources while promoting social equity and economic profitability. The study found no significant difference between the two agritourism farms’ sustainability approaches, indicating a shared understanding of key factors contributing to sustainability. Stakeholders focus on monitoring and evaluating agricultural practices, and farmers believe societal demands are related to environmental performance. Further research should collaborate with the host community and local government unit to validate the results of findings and develop the potential of agritourism activities in their municipality.
... Agricultural policy is managed from the European level [18] and is focused more on landscape maintenance and multifunctional agriculture [19]. The quality of the rural landscape is significant for tourism [20] and for the lives of those working in cities or at home for remote companies. This circumstance overshadows the importance of some characteristics of rural development. ...
This paper maps the causes of the demographic, economic and social decline of a selected border micro-region during the last century. The decline occurred due to the location being remote, lacking natural resources and having an unsuitable industrial structure. Historical events associated with the post-war deportation of the German population and efforts to create a classless society also played a role in the decline. The results are an 87% population decrease, the demise of most companies, a very low level of human capital and unemployment reaching up to 5%. In order to comprehend the current state of the border micro-region and predict future development, it is necessary to understand the development that has occurred since approximately the middle of the nineteenth century. The European countryside is certainly not homogeneous, and different regions have shown unique mixes of positional, natural, economic and political factors. Some hope has been raised in relation to the transition to a post-productive economy, a transition that turns the remoteness of the region into an advantage. This is confirmed by the positive migration balances of the smallest municipalities in the last decade.
... In marginal areas, characterized by high-quality landscapes, horse tourism could have a great potential for growth in the presence of other factors, i.e., infrastructure (Mastronardi et al ., 2017). As stressed by several authors (Cristóvão et al., 1999;Baum et al., 1999;Eusébio et al., 2017;Kastenholz et al., 2008;Wilson et al., 2008), one of the most popular non-traditional rural development strategies has been tourism and complementary businesses, such as recreational activities, arts and crafts. A network of routes and historical itineraries are essential for the development an d promotion of rural tourism, as they promote forms of sustainable mobility in rural areas, particularly in mar ginal ones. ...
A form of rural tourism in expansion is horse tourism. Equitourism is a form of hiking that allows for an intimate and natural use of landscapes and local territories. Equestrian tourism today no longer represents a small elite market niche, as it has become a true form of pastime for an increasing number of users. Trail planning and management need to consider the changes that are already occurring, as well as those that are predicted to lie ahead. The key trends that are expected to have an impact on recreational horse trail planning and management are highlighted in this research. Many of these trends have been emerging over decades and have rapidly increased due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. In recent years, in many Italian regions, especially in Tuscany, thanks to the enhancement of the Tuscan equestrian routes, projects for the promotion of equestrian tourism have been developed. In this work the methodology applied was based on the identification of an appropriate database created in the GIS context and specifically coded for equestrian tourism. The aim is to guarantee the creation of an innovative and functional product to meet the needs of this sustainable tourism sector, providing information capable of facilitating the end user, who, through their GPS, georeferenced images and maps, will have the possibility of planning and traveling the horse trail in complete safety. The final result of this research (the first case study in Italy) is the creation of a modern and complete information database of a horse trail that can be managed using GIS.
... It should be mentioned that Song, Robinson and Bardsley (2020) Although agritourism has been criticized, during the past years, whether or not it has had any true positive effects on rural areas, lately we see a growing interest not only in the EU but in other areas as well (Diareme and Tsiligirides, 2018b). Scientific works of the past years (Eusébio et al., 2017;Hüller et al., 2017;Zasada et al., 2017) emphasised the interest in agricultural tourism and the value of providing various rural tourism goods to various demographic groups. Kamariotou and Kitsios (2022) state that in Greece, the contribution of agritourism to economic growth has increased during the last decade. ...
Agriculture has a significant impact on a global scale, shaping economies, societies, affecting the environment, and is the primary source of food, income, and livelihood for a large portion of the world's population. Agriculture also contributes to global trade providing food and raw materials for industries worldwide. Moreover, it affects the population in rural areas not only by providing employment but also promoting cultural heritage and enhancing social interactions. Agritourism or tourism in rural areas has been promoted, and is until today, as a means of boosting rural economies, encouraging the diversification of economic activity, promoting local products and SMEs, ultimately improving the quality of life in rural areas, and avoiding depopulation. Today, digital transformation in agriculture and rural areas is a global policy priority. In this paper, applications of Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) in tourism in rural areas and current tends are explored.
... Residents and tourists, for diversification, competitiveness, and equal opportunities for and for all. Normally associated with leisure and tourism, rural areas are increasingly seen as places of consumption and not as productive places, mainly associated with leisure and tourism (Eusébio, Carneiro, Kastenholz, Figueiredo & Silva, 2017). ...
The tourism sector has faced many challenges in recent years, and technology, more specifically through digital approaches, is becoming a valuable ally. This paper aims to understand how the use of digital tools in rural territories may empower local communities in activities such as cultural mapping with the aid of open-access platforms and in close connection with current trends in e-tourism. The research conducted and presented debates the challenge of drawing a collaborative and participative framework to engage and promote the tourism supply and demand ecosystem in these rural territories. Fontoura, situated in the Minho region of the Northwest of Portugal, is studied to understand how its historical, traditional, and cultural patrimony may promote the territory as a tourist destination. The research presented, which is still underway, resorts to a participative and collaborative design approach involving the rural community and is further supported by an extensive literature review. This comparative study includes the analysis of a small sample of similar projects conducted with rural communities, quantitative and qualitative data collection, and the development of participative and collaborative activities with the local community. Results achieved so far indicate that enabling the community members to participate in the process – through surveys (for tourists, visitors, and residents), interviews and focus groups (with the senior segment) – contributed to the building of a sense of community, unity, and a sense of belonging. These feelings drive the community members to provide the project with content for Fontoura’s cultural mapping and the other project’s expected results, such as the proposal of a framework for promoting collaborative design with a concern with InfoVis approaches when dealing with georeferenced tangible and intangible heritage and other tourism-related resources. Results also suggest that the proposed framework may contribute to similar actions in other rural territories seeking to discover and fuel their potential as tourism destinations. The work presented is in tune with current debates regarding the design of guidelines and recommendations suitable for rural communities in their quest for sustainability, digital transformation, and cultural and natural mapping.
... Tourism has undoubtedly become one of the largest industries in the world over the past few years. Nowadays it is often developed using the transition post-productive process [12]; therefore, the question of sustainability and sustainable tourism arises much more often. Culture is one of the key concepts of a post-productive society [13]. ...
The contribution of this paper is a discussion on the role of cultural life and the potential of cultural tourism in the small town of Choceň in Eastern Bohemia, which is not one of the first-class tourism localities in the Czech Republic. Despite this fact, there is a richness of natural and cultural attractiveness and the organization of varied cultural events. The goal of this research was to determine the assumptions of tourist attractiveness from the point of view of local actors, based on the hypothesis that the attractiveness of the city is closely linked to the attractiveness of tourism. Local actors are the ones who can recognize the genius loci of the place, which should have been considered in development planning. The literature review is mainly devoted to the role of culture, cultural tourism, and rural tourism. This research works with primary and secondary data, with the secondary data being based on location, selection, and implementation assumptions for tourism. The primary data were obtained using a quantitative questionnaire survey method for two target groups—local visitors and local entrepreneurs. This research shows that local actors are aware of their destination’s potential and support tourism development. However, cultural events are more likely intended to meet residents’ needs, not visitors. It is clear that small industrial towns are rather marginally devoted to the development of tourism. Yet, all local actors need to cooperate for further rural (and tourism) development.
... Therefore, possible support for lagging microregions must be decided from lower levels (from the level of administrative regions) while considering the bottomup approaches expressed by the LEADER method (Ballesteros and Source: Own elaboration Hernández, 2019). Despite the diversity of their conditions, endangered microregions must reflect the transition to a post-productive economy (Eusébio et al., 2017) and to a related way of life. This trend is usually realised through the development of rural tourism. ...
... Tourist typologies (e.g., Uysal & McDonals, 1989;Plog, 2001;May, Bastian, Taylor & Whipple, 2001) and segmentations (e.g., Eusébio et al., 2017;Qu et al., 2018;Terzić et al., 2020) are helpful to understand the interactions of tourists with destinations or travel motivations. For instance, expenditure based segmentation takes into account the visitors' expenditure (e.g., Mok & Iverson, 2000;Laesser & Crouch, 2006;Lima et al., 2012) most of which use threshold values to segment tourists based on their expenditure level at a destination (Mortazavi & Lundberg, 2020). ...
To develop appropriate strategies through classifying the tourist markets is an important issue to increase the tourism revenue. In this study, a tourist market typology was developed. Tourist markets were divided into eight groups in terms of their average daily expenditures, average length of stay, and their contribution to the tourism revenue of destination. Typology of tourist markets was applied using the Turkish tourism data of 2018. It gives concrete recommendations about which strategy to be pursued for each markets in order to maximize the tourism revenue while controlling the cost that associated with the tourism operations.
... The superiority of Physiography has always been an important business card in Jiangxi, and many studies have confirmed this view (Xie et al., 2017;Nie & Zhou, 2019). The research of Eusébio et al. (2017) also shows that rural tourists are more concerned about the natural environment of the destination. ...
Against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, the development of short-distance rural tourism has ushered in important opportunities globally. Improving tourist loyalty has become one of the most effective ways to develop rural tourism due to its low cost. In recent years, China's rural tourism has made great achievements under the role of administration, and the practice is worth learning from. This study takes Jiangxi Province, a well-developed rural tourism province in China as an example, to evaluate the impact of administration on destination attributes and tourist loyalty behavior towards rural tourism. As a quantitative research, this study used a validated and reliable instrument to conduct an anonymous survey in a snowball manner through an online platform, and finally obtained valid data on 779 people from 29 provinces in China who have experienced rural tourism in 11 prefecture-level cities of Jiangxi Province. The results show that the respondents have a strong desire and loyal behavioral intention to travel to rural areas. They agreed with the attributes of rural destinations and preferred physiography. Respondents agree with administration towards rural tourism, and are more likely to perceive central administration. The study confirms that pairwise significant correlations between the three variables of destination attributes, tourist loyalty behavior and administrative perception towards rural tourism. Based on these, a rural tourism development framework that is conducive to improving tourists' loyalty behavior is proposed, and some development recommendations for different stakeholders are given to better promote the current development of rural tourism.
... As the studies before the 1980s discussing the concept of rural tourism were reviewed individually, it was observed that the concept was never examined as a concept of tourism on its own (Edwards et al., 2008). Examining the studies carried out on the concept of rural tourism since it first emerged, the following subjects stand out as the most common: nostalgia (Christou, Farmaki, & Evangelou, 2018), sustainability (Amir et al., 2015;Bravi & Gasca, 2014;Campón-Cerro, Hernández-Mogollón, & Alves, 2017;Cucari et al., 2019: p. 105;Farmaki, 2013;Fons et al., 2011;George, 2010;Su et al., 2019), marketing (Adeyinka-Ojo, Khoo-Lattimore, & Nair, 2014;Eusébio, Carneiro, Kastenholz, Figueiredo, & da Silva, 2017;Falak, Chiun, & Wee, 2014;Zhou, 2014), tourism potential (Aytuğ & Mikaeili, 2017), the effect of local administrations (Situmorang, Trilaksono, & Japutra, 2019;Wang & Yotsumoto, 2019), regional/economic development (Bălan & Burghelea, 2015;Gao & Wu, 2017;Guzman-Parra, Quintana-García, Benavides-Velasco, & Vila-Oblitas, 2015;Rid, Ezeuduji, & Pröbstl-Haider, 2014;Snieška, Barkauskienė, & Barkauskas, 2014), stakeholder cooperation (Jesus & Franco, 2016), micro-macro environmental factors (Barkauskas, Barkauskienė, & Jasinskas, 2015;Gao & Wu, 2017;Kelliher, Reinl, Johnson, & Joppe, 2018;Paresishvili, Kvaratskhelia, & Mirzaeva, 2017), rural transformation (Ashworth & Page, 2011;Gilbert & Hancock, 2006;Gotham, 2007;Li, Ryan, & Cave, 2016), innovation-technology (Cosma, Paun, Bota, & Fleseriu, 2014;Zhang, Yu, Wang, & Gao, 2018), local community perspective (Christou & Sharpley, 2019;Falak et al., 2014;Prabhakaran, Nair, & Ramachandran, 2014;Zheng, Ritchie, Benckendorff, & Bao, 2019), the relationship between rural tourism and mass tourism (Hernández et al., 2016), and visitor perception and satisfaction (Campón-Cerro et al., 2017;Christou & Sharpley, 2019). Sub-themes of the studies carried out on the concept of rural tourism are presented in Figure 1 below. ...
This study aims to explore the tourism potential of Altındağ in the light of the tourism values embraced by Altınköy which is one of both rural and recreational tourism areas, and to reveal the perspectives of local community and visitors on the rural tourism area in the region. In addition, to reveal in which leisure timeframe the visitors and staff in Altınköy are involved within the framework of the Theory of Leisure time by Dumazedier, who is one of the leisure-time theorists, is among the recreation-based purposes of the current study. The study was conducted in Altınköy located in Altındağ, Ankara, which is considered to be one of the potential rural tourism areas in Turkey, a qualitative interview technique, with 103 individuals in total. The findings obtained as a result of the analyses point to important results supported by the suggestions in the conclusion section on the contribution to the development of rural tourism in the region, the promotion and branding of the region. According to research results, the staff in Altınköy are “half-free time” users according to Dumazedier's leisure time theory. On the other hand, Altınköy visitors meet the four basic characteristics highlighted in Dumazedier’s leisure time theory and acts following the characteristics of “free time” user during recreational activities.
... Rural tourism plays an important role in sustainable development (Kranjcěvić J. et al., 2020). Can segmentation analysis of the domestic rural tourism market (Celeste E. et al., 2016) become the driving force of their impulsive consumption behavior? Rural tourism lets foreign tourists enjoy the visual impact and the impulse of production and consumption (Yang, 2020), and consumption has the twin characteristics of "situational consumption" and "impulse consumption." ...
This book is rich in content and novel in perspective, as the
authors analyze and describe different aspects of Xi Jinping’s
development strategy for China in the new era. Despite the efforts
made during the writing process, the content contained in this book cannot provide a comprehensive picture of China’s development under
Xi Jinping’s leadership is due to various reasons. We are showcasing the
ongoing efforts and brilliant achievements of the Chinese Communists
in leading the Chinese people to realize the dream of the great
rejuvenation of the Chinese nation under Xi Jinping’s Thoughts on
Socialism with Chinese attributes in the new era.
... In the literature relevant to CBT, market segmentation has been studied in many countries using a number of variables, including socio-demographic (Rid, Ezeuduji, & Pröbstl-Haider, 2014;Xie, Costa, & Morais, 2008), geographic (Cai & Li, 2009;Cai, Liu, & Huang, 2008), benefit sought (Almeida, Correia, & Pimpão;Wu, Ho, Lam, Ip, Choy, & Tse, 2016), and tourist behavior (Eusébio, Carneiro, Kastenholz, Figueiredo, & Soares Da Silva, 2017;Kastenholz, Eusébio, & Carneiro, 2018;Pesonen & Tuohino, 2017). Travel motivation has also been used in some studies, such as the study of Dong, Wang, Morais, & Brooks (2013), Pesonen (2012), Park & Yoon (2009) ;Rid, Ezeuduji, & Pröbstl-Haider, (2014). ...
Journal homepage : http://jmss.dusit.ac.th The primary purpose of this study is to classify domestic tourists visiting community-based tourism destinations in Thailand according to their travel motivation. This study employed quantitative research as a main research method to achieve the purpose. An online self-administered survey was conducted on 384 tourists and the primary data was analyzed using the cluster analysis method. The study found three tourists' clusters include 'learning tourists,' 'leisure tourists,' and 'want-it-all tourists.' These clusters were distinct from each other regarding travel motivation, socio-demographic profile, and online behavior. This knowledge contributed notable implications for academics and practitioners, allowing them to understand the differences among the tourists and to develop more appropriate marketing strategies for community-based tourism destinations and each segment. In addition, there are significant differences among the three clusters in terms of age and gender; hence, segmenting CBT tourists using age and gender should be researched in the future.
... From an economic point of view, rural tourism represents an important source of income for the local population, as well as an opportunity to further develop the often-lacking infrastructure that characterizes rural areas concerning their urban counterparts [128]. From an environmental and social perspective, rural tourism has the power to increase environmental conservation efforts and is a way to expand the awareness of local religious beliefs, as well as cultural traditions [129,130]. According to the United Nations World Tourism Organization [131], rural tourism plays a key role in promoting the sustainable development of the local community and will be vital to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). ...
Rural areas are exposed to severe environmental pollution issues fed by industrial and agricultural activities combined with poor waste and sanitation management practices, struggling to achieve the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in line with Agenda 2030. Rural communities are examined through a “dual approach” as both contributors and receivers of plastic pollution leakage into the natural environment (through the air–water–soil–biota nexus). Despite the emerging trend of plastic pollution research, in this paper, we identify few studies investigating rural communities. Therefore, proxy analysis of peer-reviewed literature is required to outline the significant gaps related to plastic pollution and plastic waste management issues in rural regions. This work focuses on key stages such as (i) plastic pollution effects on rural communities, (ii) plastic pollution generated by rural communities, (iii) the development of a rural waste management sector in low- and middle-income countries in line with the SDGs, and (iv) circular economy opportunities to reduce plastic pollution in rural areas. We conclude that rural communities must be involved in both future plastic pollution and circular economy research to help decision makers reduce environmental and public health threats, and to catalyze circular initiatives in rural areas around the world, including less developed communities.
During the last few decades, the gap between the most prosperous metropolitan areas and the rural areas has widened, especially since the 2008 crisis. This gap has been particularly relevant in relation to population and employment. However, the bi-directional links in terms of population and employment between rural places and the most urbanized areas have been partly overlooked by the literature. At the same time, recent studies have brought the plight of “left-behind” areas to the forefront, highlighting rural as well as other types of “left-behind” places as focal points of discontent. In the context of the debate on left-behind areas, and in an attempt to address the decline in population and employment that they are experiencing, this article proposes a strategy based on the spatial interactions among the different types of territories. Specifically, we develop a spatial econometric model capable of testing all interactions among different territorial typologies based on their degree of urbanization. We apply the model to 278 continental municipalities in Portugal during the period 2010–8. The model estimates have implications for understanding the dynamics of territorial interactions in Portugal, highlighting the crucial role of semi-urban municipalities. The results reveal the positive and significant connections between change in employment in semi-urban municipalities and population change in both neighboring rural and urban municipalities. The findings suggest that semi-urban/rural diffusion should be promoted as a policy approach to left-behind rural places in Portugal.
Academic studies that highlight the importance of customer engagement for sustaining organisational success have generally assumed that engaged customers are a homogenous market segment. This study provides an alternative scholarly perspective by reconsidering the multidimensionality of customer engagement and uses cognitive, affective, and behavioural elements to segment customers. A cluster analysis with data from 574 integrated resort customers in Macau, China supports the three-dimensional structure, and additional analyses show that customers can be segmented into totally-engaged, shallowly-engaged, potentially-engaged, and nonengaged groups based on their psychological investment (which consists of cognitive and affective engagements) and behavioural engagement. The findings both address the dimensional structure of customer engagement in the market segmentation context and provide some valuable theoretical and market segment-related managerial implications.
An increasing number of guests in hotels evaluate the quality by reading online reviews. A deeper analysis of the attitude and behavior of the visitors is conducted to understand the experiences of guests, considering the diverse backgrounds and needs. This study aims to analyze the selection process of family-friendly hotels by guests, using available TripAdvisor online reviews, as well as for hotel management to better understand the comments left by guests and create more organized plans and policies. A model is devised that integrates clustering and Multi-Criteria Decision-Making-VIKOR (MCDM-VIKOR) method to prioritize the attributes of hotels based on the significance within each cluster of guests. Data is collected from online reviews of guests in family-friendly hotels in Indonesia. The features used for ranking preferences are the numerical ratings assigned to four attributes on the platform. These four features included ?location?, ?cleanliness?, ?service?, and ?value?. The results showed that ?cleanliness? evolved as the most critical factor in the majority of segments for selecting family-friendly hotels. To further comprehend the behavioral trends of guests and assist in decision-making, this study proposed a model capable of analyzing online reviews and ratings provided by customers.
Specific to Portugal, CREATOUR was launched in 2016 to bolster and create tourism experiences in small cities and rural areas, focusing on the Norte, Centro, Alentejo, and Algarve regions of Portugal, where tourism has the most potential, but is underdeveloped. The main goal of CREATOUR is to develop attractive experiences in these less visited areas. CREATOUR consists of five research centers and forty pilot organizations across Portugal that research the best ways to culturally boost tourism. This chapter will discuss the success of the CREATOUR network in developing tourism centered around culture and local sustainability. Both quantitative and qualitative sources are referenced to illustrate the ability of CREATOUR to facilitate culturally respectful tourism. Through the description of CREATOUR's initiatives, it is conveyed that the network revitalizes underdeveloped tourism economies while simultaneously enriching tourists' travels by sustainably showcasing their diverse heritages.
Info-communication and participatory collaboration today in rural communities of low literacy and reduced digital competence arise in dispersed territories. The research presented in this paper is focused on understanding the ways info-communicational strategies in rural territories can become an asset for the development and promotion of a territory through the sharing of stories with the aid of collaborative digital platforms and takes place in the specific scenario of Fontoura, a small rural county in the north of Portugal. Through the application of design-based research methodologies and the double diamond framework, the information collected enabled the researchers to conduct cultural mapping activities with the aid of the local communities. Results attained have helped to: (i) analyse info-communication in rural communities with low info-communicational literacy; (ii) identify and develop a set of physical and digital activities through the construction of a collaborative framework that supports the collaborative mapping of the cultural and natural landscape, using InfoVis, to integrate residents and tourists. Future work already includes fine-tuning a framework proposal for replicating similar cultural mapping actions capable of empowering the community and participatory involvement in territories with limited Internet access and low digital competencies.
This is an exploratory study aiming to assess the fire risk perception by operators of the Vale do Guadiana Natural Park (PNVG), southern Portugal. To maximize the sample size, a questionnaire survey was distributed among 35 entities with activities in tourism, hunting, and agriculture, as well as among members of PNVG’s co-management commission. For data analysis and interpretation, quantitative and qualitative analyses were used. Survey responses revealed that the entities expressed concern about and made efforts toward the search for and improvement in mitigation strategies in the occurrence of fires. A total of 69.6% of the respondents have knowledge of the occurrence of fires in the region. The qualitative analysis highlights the concern with biodiversity, as well as with the maintenance and cleaning of the PNVG. This study verifies the degree of importance that the tourism sector should give to the impacts caused by fires. The impact of climate change favoring fires was recognized by the entities, as well as the fact that the loss of biodiversity due to fires may have a direct impact on the attractiveness of this tourist destination, indicating the importance of environmental conservation strategies for the region.
The Han culture is the Chinese national culture as well as a significant part of the world's costuming heritage. However, Han clothes (Hanfu) are little known outside of China. This research selected Xi'an, a famous historical city, as the case to collect data using the survey questionnaire method. Factor analysis explored the variables involved in the cultural tourism experiences of wearing Hanfu clothing. Two-step clustering was used to prepare a market segmentation of this form of cultural tourism. The experience of wearing Hanfu clothing was influenced by the five factors of entertainment, aesthetics, culture, escape, and cosplay (costume play). Tourists who wore Hanfu clothing while travelling were classified into the four types of immersive cultural, aesthetic experience, culturally refined, and passing tourists. These groups had dissimilar socio-demographic characteristics and experience priorities. This research expands the knowledge on Hanfu clothing and cultural tourism experiences and provides insights for the management of cultural tourism destinations.
Camping needs a strategic shift based on innovation and that competes with the current campsites. Glamping emerges as an innovative concept, capable of combining the advantages of camping, making up for the negative issues traditionally associated with it. This topic is justified by the growing trend around the world, which may serve to withdraw camping from the stagnation stage where it is. The present study aims to fill a significant lack of scientific material about glamping in Portugal and to identify the importance given to the attributes that define this concept: Nature; Accommodation; Gastronomy; and Experience. Focusing on the campsites in Porto's Metropolitan Area, data was collected through an original questionnaire, obtaining a convenient sample of 201 campers. A one-dimensional
structure was assumed in the attributes: Nature, Gastronomy and Service and a two-dimensional structure of the attributes: Accommodation and Experience. Regarding the analysed attributes, the one which collected the highest value of importance was the one related to the questions about "Nature", followed by the attributes "Service"and "Accommodation_Amenities". This finding confirms the basis of the concept of glamping. The profile of the user of this concept was suggested through descriptive analysis. The hypotheses have shown that, among the campers, there are no significant diferences between the level of experimentation and gender, which is not true for age and literacy. It was also concluded that the importance attributed to the service increases according to the amount willing to pay by the camper, per night in a glamping unit.
The theoretical research of this study contributes to improving the state of the art of studies that, from the second half of the 1980s onwards, addressed the issue of the impact of return migration on rural development in Portugal by introducing the variable tourism development. To this end, 5,157 Portuguese emigrants were surveyed with the aim of assessing the impact of their return on tourism development in rural areas of Portugal. Results showed that those between the ages of 29 and 39 who have a house in their place of origin would like to return, invest and have employment in the area of tourism, as well as have a rural lifestyle in Portugal. Considering that traditional agriculture is also a characteristic of the Portuguese rural landscape, the same emigrants could contribute to its maintenance, since they would also like to practice agriculture, as a complementary activity and mainly for self-consumption.
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Research Article
Consuming Rural Territories through Food – A Segmentation Analysis Based on the Food Choices of Urban Specialty Stores’ Customers
Elisabete FigueiredoORCID Icon,Teresa ForteORCID Icon,Celeste EusébioORCID Icon,Alexandre SilvaORCID Icon &Mónica TruningerORCID Icon
Published online: 24 Nov 2022
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https://doi.org/10.1080/10454446.2022.2150831
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ABSTRACT
The increasing interest of consumers in rural provenance food products is known to meet concerns regarding authenticity, health, safety, and sustainability and to be based on knowledge and familiarity. Based on the results of a survey to 1553 customers of 24 urban specialty shops, located in three Portuguese cities, this study aims at identifying different segments of consumers of rural provenance foods according to the criteria they value when acquiring and consuming those products. From a hierarchical cluster analysis based on shopping preferences, three clusters were identified: The Influenced, choosing the products mainly by recommendation; The Provenance Seekers, privileging provenance and related qualities; and The All-embracers, considering a multiplicity of criteria when shopping. These clusters differ in terms of socio-demographic profiles, products bought, consumption behavior, familiarity with rural areas, and images of food products and territories of provenance. Results show the mutual influence of these dimensions on food preferences.
Purpose
This paper aims to examine rural tourism preferences as an alternative niche market to mass tourism destinations. The analysis discusses the differences in perceptions and willingness to pay (WTP) for various packages of rural tourism activities in Gran Canaria Island among residents and non-residents.
Design/methodology/approach
The analysis is based on a convenience sample of potential young customers who are familiar with outdoor recreational activities in nature. This study considers a discrete choice experiment that includes the type of accommodation as well as four types of rural tourism activities: active, passive, cultural and aquatic. The degree of preference for the considered attributes is obtained from the estimation of different discrete choice models.
Findings
Results reveal that the inclusion of the investigated attributes in holiday packages increases tourists’ utility, which motivates the promotion of rural tourism for young residents and non-residents. The most significant differences in perceptions of attributes between residents and non-residents were found in the activities of diving/snorkelling and stargazing, as well as the type of accommodation and package price.
Practical implications
This study will contribute to a better understanding of an alternative tourism market which will help key stakeholders in the tourism sector to better serve this important segment of the industry and to encourage more sustainable tourism in the future.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first study evaluating the WTP for rural tourism packages as a more sustainable alternative in mass tourism destinations and taking into account resident vs non-resident perceptions.
There is a multiplicity of reasons and purposes behind the growing demand for rural tourism experiences. The personalised encounter between place, people/culture, and guests. As expected, the rural accommodation and the village context can also play a central role in the quality of the tourism experience in these areas. Experience in the tourism context is co-created and experienced by several agents, i.e., in the involvement of all stakeholders, these being: tourists, local population, and service providers in the sector. Rural tourism emerges as an excellent alternative for several tourists, whose preferences are essentially based on the sustainability of tourist spaces as the differentiating factor when planning their trips. This study aims to understand the knowledge, valuation, and sustainability strategies adopted by the owners of Rural Tourism (RT) units in the “Quadrilátero do Minho”. For these purposes, semi-structured interviews were carried out with the owners/managers of nine units of RT in the “Quadrilátero do Minho”. Results show that the owners of the RT units in the “Quadrilátero do Minho” reveal a limited view on the concept of sustainability, essentially associating it to the economic and/or environmental aspect, neglecting the sociocultural dimension. With regard to the adopted sustainability policies, the most frequently mentioned were solar panels, recycling, led lights, organic production, combustion boxes, washing management, and help in local production. Owners agreed that they believe in the benefits of this type of policy transfer to the unit, important because tourism is a key sector in the sustainable development of rural environments.KeywordsRural tourismStrategySustainability
Botswana is concerned about the continuously escalating failure rate of
children in basic education [grades 1–12], despite the introduction of technology in
some schools. The efforts made have no significant change in the performance of
children in schools. Basarwa and Bakgalagadi children l¦ive in abject poverty and
rely solely on government’s handouts such as food baskets. Inequality and extreme
poverty are prevalent in both rural and urban areas. The Basarwa and Bakgalagadi
in the Kgalagadi desert have no opportunities for employment or resources they can
utilize to change their economic status. The Kgalagadi areas are rich in wildlife,
but there is no economic gain from the available natural resources and most of their
basic needs are provided for by the government. The culture of the Basarwa is unique
in that they speak various indigenous languages and are a very closely-knit ethnic
group. Some children leave boarding schools to return home to their parents because
they miss their families, and this affects their performance. Most of the Basarwa and
Bakgalagadi parents are illiterate and do not value education. Factors leading to poor
performance have been established. This study utilized qualitative research methods
in one Basarwa settlement area as a case study to establish why Basarwa children
failed to complete their education.
The phenomenon of the urban elderly staying in rural China is an emerging lifestyle that can be viewed as a Chinese model for active ageing, which is currently an underexplored phenomenon. Furthermore, the grey market has always been underrated and regarded as homogeneous, suggesting that individuals' needs are often managed by package tours. To make initial inquiries into these issues, this study collected data for Shuikou Town, Huzhou City, and used multiple clustering methods to identify the following three subgroups: wellbeing stayers, rural-life stayers, and multi-experience stayers. The qualitative analysis results showed that unlike their Western counterparts, most of the elderly rural stayers are characterised by extensive socialising, but as Chinese parents, they cannot free themselves fully from the burden of their extended family, which, altogether, leads to their unique behavioural patterns. The study thus contributes to adding a new subcategory to the global senior tourist typology.
The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between owner-manager control and nonfamily member employees’ affective commitment in small
family business. It is frequently stated in the family business literature that family
business is different from nonfamily business, and that these differences can significantly impact outcomes. Based on this assumption, this study examines the extent to
which that is true in the case of managerial control and its relationship to employees’
affective commitment. The research design incorporated a quantitative correlational
approach using survey data. The study uses a survey with a 177-sample population of
the non-family employee who works at the small family business in the foodservice
sector located across Victoria, Australia. The results show that there is a positive
correlation between managerial capability controls, the relationship quality (LMX),
and the affective commitment.
This study aims to discover and analyze the most valued factors in rural tourism. An analysis of a sample with 9,939 comments obtained from the booking platform Booking.com on stays in rural tourism establishments located in Portugal is presented. Using text mining techniques and topic modeling in order to find the most valued factors, word clouds were obtained that allow a quick and intuitive analysis of the data. The LDA algorithm allowed to extract ten topics coherent with the word clouds. The results point out that breakfast, the friendliness of the staff, the hosts and the outdoor space are the most relevant factors for guests. These results have implications for the management of rural tourism units as they identify the factors to be taken into account by those in charge of these units.
Slovakia underwent a series of fundamental changes in the structure of society in the twentieth century and after the year 2000. The population of Slovakia in 1919 after the establishment of Czechoslovakia was 2.94 million, currently reaching 5.5 million. The social and economic structure of society has changed significantly. A large part of the population has stopped living the original rural lifestyle, and social ties in society also changed significantly. Part of the population has moved from villages to cities. Despite these changes, Slovakia is a rural country from a European perspective. Formally up to 80% of the rural population formally lives in Slovakia. However, there is the potential for the development of rural tourism for both domestic and foreign visitors. Interesting and diverse nature and traditional culture are a prerequisite for the development of tourism in the countryside. In the past, however, there was also a significant impact on the character of rural settlements in Slovakia. There are more than 60 mountains in Slovakia and the country is visually attractive, suitable for the development of rural tourism. The aim of this paper is to analyse the visitor in rural tourism in Slovakia in terms of his views on the quality of services, including the evaluation of statistical data on rural tourism in comparison with the development of tourism in Slovakia.KeywordsRural tourismVisitorTourism statisticsSharing economyTurbulent timesJEL ClassificationZ30Z32Z38
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to incorporate Chinese traditionality (CT) and patriotism (PAT) within the theory of reasoned action (TRA). It tests the moderating effect of gender with the aim to provide a deeper understanding of why Chinese tourists choose to take domestic travels.
Design/methodology/approach
Data is collected from 370 Chinese tourists. Convenience sampling is used. Structural equation modelling is used to test the proposed hypotheses.
Findings
The results of this paper show that PAT is positively related to tourists’ attitudes (ATs) and Chinese domestic travel intention (CTI). Moreover, CT is found to influence PAT, ATs and subjective norms (SNs) directly, as well as CTI indirectly. However, the positive relationship between PAT and SNs is not supported. Additionally, the influence of PAT on CTI for females is significantly higher than that for males.
Research limitations/implications
The current paper adopts convenience sampling; data is collected using an online questionnaire which may cause sample bias and even reduce the reliability of the data. Future studies may adopt quota sampling based on the population of each province to gain more reliable data. Further research can consider including more constructs to better understand why Chinese people choose to travel domestically.
Originality/value
This paper is one of the first attempts to include PAT and CT within the TRA and contributes to the pool of literature on the TRA. It provides a comprehensive understanding of CTI. Second, PAT and CT are linked to the TRA, which expands the application of PAT and CT to the context of hospitality and tourism. Finally, the moderating role of gender contributes to the knowledge regarding the moderating effect between their respective relationships.
Agricultural tourism is one of the strategies that has been proposed in recent decades to diversify the rural economy and sustainable rural development. Most countries of the world have considered this type of tourism as a new solution for socio-economic development, revitalization and reconstruction of rural areas. Organic tourism as a new industry along with organic agriculture in rural areas to earn income from side jobs in the village can occur; having creative organic tourism houses alongside organic farming can be a strategy to achieve sustainable agricultural goals. A creative house is a physical or virtual space that brings creative people together. These spaces provide a space that supports networking, business development, and the interaction of communities, workgroups, and professions, which take place between the cultural, technological, and creative sectors. The main point of this descriptive documentary study is the emphasis on creative tourism houses in rural areas so that in addition to these houses and organic tourism, the sale of products from organic agriculture can flourish and a small change in the livelihood cycle of rural farmers can occur. Accordingly, the purpose of this study is to take into account the components of sustainable rural development and the requirements and conditions to achieve it; by reviewing the sources and knowing more about these houses, its efficiency has been clarified so that such plans can be helped as much as possible.
Rural tourism (both physical and emotional experiences) has been increasingly sought after for a multitude of reasons. The personalised encounter between places, people/culture and guests, characteristic of rural accommodation and the village context, can play a central role in the quality of the experience of tourism in these areas.If so, understanding the profile of the tourist in Portuguese rural areas becomes increasingly relevant from a research perspective. In this study, using an online questionnaire with a sample size of 133, we look at the case of the rural tourism in the “Quadrilátero do Minho” Region.Findings show that the profile of the tourist in rural areas in Portugal is mostly composed of higher educated (81.2%) women (72.2%), aged 35 through 44 years (32.3%), who are not self-employed (59.4%) and that live in the Northern region (45.1%). With respect to their accommodation profile, the most representative sample of respondents are those who stay with relatives (61.7%) in rural tourism units once a year (64.7%), from 1 to 3 days (68.4%) and spend anywhere from between 50€ and 100€ per day (64.7%). The tourist in rural areas in Portugal appreciates calmness and tranquillity in a low-density populated area and contact with nature, seeking out what is genuine and endogenous to the region. Rural tourism units with a swimming pool, cultural activities and the possibility of participating in experiences stand out as the favourite attributes among the respondents/tourists.KeywordsMultidimensional experienceProfile of the rural touristQuadrilátero do MinhoRural tourism
Market segmentation based on consumer motivation has proven to be one of the most valuable marketing tools for business promotion. The current study segments the bed and breakfast (B&B) market to better understand the different characteristics and demands of visitors to B&Bs in Taiwan. Our findings can assist B&B operators to determine resource allocation in developing marketing strategies. This study methodology utilized a questionnaire survey. Four clustered segments were identified based on five motivational factors. Based on our findings, most B&B visitors were repeat customers from nuclear families. They were well-educated with low to mid-range median family incomes. Though websites and travel guidebooks were expected to be the dominant sources of information on B&Bs for such visitors, word-of-mouth was found to be the most effective advertising channel for B&B accommodation choices.
This study aims to compare activity-based segmentation and travel motivation segmentation from the perspective of information search behavior and online use behavior by comparing segment heterogeneity. The data were collected from users of three Finnish rural tourism websites with 1754 completed and usable questionnaires to create segmentation solutions based on travel activities and motivations using hierarchical cluster analysis and then comparing the results. The results indicate that travel activities are more useful than travel motivations in finding heterogeneous segmentation solutions, making the travel activity segments more heterogeneous than travel motivation segments as regards their information search behavior and Internet use. The results suggest that in this era of Internet marketing, travel activities are a better segmentation base than travel motivations in order to target different market segments as activities form more heterogeneous segmentation solutions.
The paper draws on recent debates in the study of the space economy to explicate the development of a newly differentiated global countryside. Using a case study of the Cromwell District in the Central Otago region of New Zealand, we show how a place long valued for its natural and recreational amenity has been re-assembled in recent times by new configurations of actors, some well-established in the region, and others more recent amenity migrants from within New Zealand and overseas, engaging in regionally novel combinations of investment and economic practice. These actors have exploited Cromwell District's amenity repertoire in a process of creative enhancement by putting vineyards and wine-making in a spectacular high country landscape. Importantly, the result of the early stages of these developments has been further to enhance the region's amenity repertoire, attracting more migrants and investment. Our study shows therefore how places can and do 're-resource' in processes of globalisation and amenity migration, in this case by developing new networks associated with the international wine trade, regional and global flows of domestic and international tourists, real estate development and the growth of related service industries. As a consequence we have been able to engage constructively with very recent interpretations of amenity migration and rural economic, social and landscape change in the Antipodes.
Based on the recognition of the relevance that cinematographic works may have – through its power of diffusion, manipulation of images and intersections with other artistic and cultural expressions (e.g. literature, music, science) – as means of representation and construction of social images, this paper aims to analyse the ways in which rural areas and rurality are presented in six Portuguese movies. Based on this analysis, the paper will also discuss the influence of those representations in the institution of filmed spaces as visited places.
The six films were selected mainly based on their diffusion among the general public, as well as on their multiple approaches on rural areas and rurality, during the last decade. We analysed Viagem ao Princípio do Mundo (1997) directed by Manoel de Oliveira; Coisa Ruim (2005) by Tiago Guedes and Frederico Serra; Ainda Há Pastores? (2006) by Jorge Pelicano; Dot.com (2007) by Luís Galvão Teles; Mal Nascida (2007) by João Canijo and Aquele Querido Mês de Agosto (2008) by Miguel Gomes . Through the use of a common framework of analysis, built upon the detailed operationalization of the main concepts related to rural and rurality, as well as upon specific methodological procedures for the analysis of films, we analysed the content of the abovementioned movies. The content analysis focused on the main symbols, elements and narratives used in the films in order to address the representation of rural territories and its characteristics.
Although focusing on specific and diverse themes and geographical areas, integrating distinct cinematographic genres and using different approaches, it is possible to recognize common features in the movies, as the references to the rural landscapes or to the rural ways of life, as well as to the tradition/modernity and rural/urban dichotomies. Between the films that have a particular focus on recording the rural ‘as it is’, before it disappears, therefore appealing to the audience’s nostalgia and the films that present a changing rurality, we may have found a complex myriad of alternative representations of the rural. All the images and narratives conveyed by the films seem able to affect both the social representations and the demands and consumptions regarding rural territories.
In the study outlined Visitor Employed Photography (VEP) has been used to investigate how tourists and locals evaluate the built rural landscape in five Norwegian winter destinations in the summertime. Norwegian and international tourists and some locals were equipped with single-use cameras, a log and a questionnaire with the instruction to take pictures of attractive and non-attractive elements in the constructed landscape. Despite the intention of the study to emphasize the built landscape, the selection of motives shows that tourists – especially the international ones – are more strongly occupied with the natural landscape and its attractive elements than, for instance, the outlook of buildings. The respondents value destination development where the natural, cultural and built landscape form a unity which reflect the perceived images of traditional rural environments and everyday life. On the other hand, Norwegians – and locals particularly – are more conscious about local building traditions, especially the non-attractive elements in that respect. Our findings demonstrate that VEP and public participation are useful tools in destination development and branding, and that a holistic design and approach might create competitive advantages for rural destinations trying to position themselves in the overall market place.
http://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/AdRSDNzSTzGtKFkwgauw/full
This article examines the impact associated with the making of heritage and tourism at a destination. Special attention is paid to the residents’ perceptions of the impact. The examination is focused on the rural village of Sortelha, in Portugal, where, in recent decades, a state-led programme was implemented in order to renovate the historic buildings and built fabric and to generate benefits for the local community. Based on ethnographic materials collected in 2003, 2009 and 2013, the study demonstrates that the making of heritage may give rise to two opposing impacts simultaneously – increased social cohesion and place pride, on the one hand, and envy and competition (and, hence, social atomisation), on the other hand – and that residents are entirely cognisant of the tension between the two. The study has the potential to contribute to both the theoretical and the applied literature on heritage making.
This paper aims to discuss the ways in which the rural and rurality are represented through the national tourism promotional campaigns in Portugal since the 80s. The background for this debate is the transformation of many rural areas from productive spaces to consumable places, with tourism playing a paramount role in these rural restructuring processes. In promotional materials and campaigns, rural contexts are frequently presented as ‘idyllic’, ‘authentic’ and ‘genuine’ offering a wide range of experiences to the visitor. The empirical evidence produced from the content analysis of 33 posters and 19 promotional videos issued between 1986 and 2012 by the national tourism body, reveals a significant change from a representation of the rural as ‘old’, ‘static’, ‘unchanged’ and ‘untouched’ to its current representation as ‘young’, ‘active’, ‘enthusiastic’, ‘emotional’ and ‘experiential’, much more oriented (since the middle of the 90’s) to the commodification and consumption of the countryside.
This paper aims to analyse the narratives of the main protagonists responsible for designing and implementing rural development strategies, in the last 30 years, based on the content analysis of interviews. Empirical evidence demonstrates the multiplicity of representations on the rural which have guided a set of diverse motivations and principles in the construction and application of policies. Those representations are influenced by the period in which the interviewed took part in the Government. Some differences may be identified between the narratives conveyed by the actors that took part in national Government immediately after the adhesion to EU – more oriented towards agricultural modernization – and the ones from the protagonists of rural development after the 90’s – more focused on multifunctionality.
The increasing valorization of rural areas as spaces mainly oriented to consumption derive from diverse transformation processes and factors, particularly from the ones related to the loss of social and economic relevance of agriculture. In consequence of these processes of change, in many rural areas of Portugal, tourism and related activities assume a paramount role, being frequently pointed out as local revitalization and development mechanisms. Tourism promotion, as well, constitutes a relevant aspect in the representation, consumption and reconfiguration of rural territories, contributing to the formation of the social imaginary on the rural through its frequent presentation as an idyllic space, full of recreation and leisure opportunities. Based on the content analysis of the promotional materials (textual and visual) of three Village Networks – Schist Villages; Historical Villages of Portugal and Wine Villages – this paper aims to examine the ways in which rural areas and ruralities are represented and promoted, emphasizing the symbols and narratives utilized. Empirical evidence shows that the promotional materials of the three Villages Networks mobilize the combination of local and global symbols and elements, both material and immaterial. Those symbols and elements seem to be increasingly transformed in commodified products and experiences.
Food tourism is a means to connect agriculture produce and tourism activity. Food tourism allows destinations to convey the authenticity that comes from their food heritage, which is closely linked to natural and cultural landscapes. Food and landscapes in New Zealand are strongly related to dairy production, cheese production being one of the main features. This study showcases cheesescapes in Canterbury, the largest region in the South Island of New Zealand in terms of milk production. On one hand, thanks to food tourism, the producers can explore ways to diversify their production. On the other hand, visitors are able to identify with the inhabitants of a country and ‘taste’ a portion of its landscape through gastronomy.
"Michael Woods has taken on the formidable task of giving an overview of rural places and society in advanced economies as a single author and has presented a book that rightly deserves to be called state-of-the-art."- Geographische Rundschau "For those students with an interest in rural change, this 'state of the art' book is essential reading." - Brian Ilbery, University of Coventry"With Rural Geography Michael Woods remedies the often underestimated dynamism of rural places and rural society by providing the much-needed synthesis of the European and North American literature on rural restructuring and globalization processes." - Patrick H. Mooney, University of KentuckyRural Geography is an introduction to contemporary rural societies and economies in the developed world. It examines the social and economic processes at work in the contemporary countryside - including the more traditional: like agriculture; land use; and population; as well as wider themes like: rural health, crime, exclusion, commodification, and alternative lifestyles. With a contextualising section defining the rural, the text is organized systematically in three principal sections: Processes of Rural Restructuring, Responses to Rural Restructuring, and Experiences of Rural Restructuring.Using the most recent empirical material, statistical data, and research, the text is global in perspective using comparative examples throughout. Rural Geography is a systematic introduction to the processes, responses, and experiences of rural restructuring.
Tourism is often regarded as a viable solution to economic crisis, especially for remote areas without many development options. While many tourism destinations have strong cultural or heritage assets, not all destinations have primary attractions that can bring visitors to the region. Rather than developing special interest “themes”, rural areas that do not have enough of any one type of tourism resource to act as a primary draw may consider bundling different attraction types to increase visitation. The purpose of this study is to investigate the preferences of visitors to secondary heritage sites and explore the relationship between heritage tourism and alternative, non-heritage activities in rural areas. Findings revealed that motivation to visit small-scale heritage sites consisted of two dimensions: learning and recreation. The two motivational dimensions influenced visitors’ interest in different heritage attractions and likelihood of visiting heritage tourism “scenarios”. As for alternative activities, there was a cluster of “popular” activities that were enjoyed by both learning-oriented and recreation-oriented respondents, but recreation-oriented visitors were more interested in nature-based activities and sport-related activities than learning-oriented visitors. Findings can help rural communities improve secondary attractions and diversify their tourism product by bundling heritage attractions with non-heritage activities.乡村旅游的景点捆绑旅游常常被认为是一种解决经济危机的可行办法，尤其是对那些发展选择稀少的偏远山区。虽然许多旅游景区拥有强大的文化遗产，但并不是所有的地区都有增加游客数量的主要吸引性。那些没有丰富旅游资源的乡村地区可以考虑通过与其他不同类型的景胜捆绑作为主要吸引游客的方法，而不是另去开发独具特色的``旅游主题"。本文的目的在于研究游客对次要遗产型景区的喜好，并探索乡村地区遗产旅游和可替代其的非遗产旅游之间的关系。研究结果表示，游客参观小型遗产景区的动机主要有两个：学习和娱乐。这两个动机影响了游客对不同文化遗产的兴趣和参观这些景点的可能性。而在择一活动上，学习取向和娱乐取向的受访者有许许多多的热门活动可供选择，但是相比学习取向游客，娱乐取向的游客对以自然为本以及运动相关的活动更感兴趣。本文的研究同时可以帮助农村社区提高其次要吸引力，并通过将文化遗产与非遗产活动绑定来丰富此类地区的旅游产品。
The starting point of this chapter is the discussion around rurality reinvention discourses in Portugal, from a political, cultural, and promotional perspective, in a context of supposedly generalized crisis in rural territories. Our goal is to deconstruct the origin, motivations, and values behind this disseminated and powerful discourse and to identify the rurality project it conveys, always taking its urbanity into account. Empirically, this search takes us to the city, in order to study idyllic rurality thematization spaces, aiming at an identification of the reinvention project’s frames imposed to rural territories, that is, learn about desired landscapes (and thus the dominant expectations about real territories), through scenographic materialization for urban fruition. We have analyzed two small rurality niches recreated in the two urban parks in Oporto (Portugal), and we found an educative, patrimonial, purified, and comfortable rurality, adapted to urban comfort demands and deriving from the rural idyll.
The present work tests the effect of the online differentiation strategies employed by rural accommodation enterprises (RAEs) among different segments of the tourist population. More specifically, the following aspects are identified: (1) the different tourist segments that undertake rural tourism; (2) the various online differentiation strategies adopted by RAEs; and (3) the effect of these online differentiation strategies on tourist behavior, by segment (in terms of perceived value). The results reveal that when the main motivation of tourists is to experience the destination itself, it is strategies based on convenience and rural identity that most influence perceived value; when tourists are more motivated by enjoying the services and facilities provided by the RAE, strategies based on convenience and reputation are those with the strongest influence on perceived value; and when tourists are interested in undertaking activity holidays, it is strategies based on convenience, reputation, and rural identity that most influence perceived value.
The youth tourism market has already taken on high relevance, due to its considerable size, its rising trend, resilience and likelihood to explore new destinations. Although this market is highly active during tourism trips, some heterogeneity is noted regarding the kind of tourism activities carried out. However, the research on youth visitors' segmentation based on activities has been widely neglected. This study extends the research carried out in this field, undertaking an activity-based segmentation of youth visitors. The segments identified are compared regarding tourism motivations and relevant dimensions of tourism experience (e.g. social interaction, emotions and satisfaction). A hierarchical cluster analysis was used to segment the market, and clusters were compared using ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis and X2 tests. Four clusters emerged: culture lovers, fun lovers, sun and beach lovers and nature lovers. Statistically significant differences were found among the four clusters identified concerning socio-demographics, travel motivations, interaction with locals and other visitors and other features of travel behaviour. Important implications for improving the tourism experience of youth visitors with different activity profiles are discussed. In this context, the findings provide relevant insights for creating more appealing tourism trips for the four market segments identified.
Tourism is a social phenomenon and host–guest interaction has been identified as particularly relevant in the rural tourism experience. This paper extends previous research on social interaction, rural tourism and experience marketing, by analysing, via visitor survey (N = 819), the contacts that visitors of three Portuguese villages establish with (a) residents and (b) other visitors during their stay. A cluster analysis based on interaction patterns identifies three distinct visitor groups: those showing little interest in interaction with others, those mainly interacting with other visitors and those intensely interacting with residents. Significant differences between segments reveal distinctly lived rural tourism experiences and a positive impact of socializing on these experiences. Destination management and marketing implications as well as suggestions for future research are also presented.
This paper charts the evolution of rural tourism in the developed world as an alternative tourism form, popular since the 1970s with the market and with policy makers as a rural regeneration and conservation tool. It outlines parallels with the Butler tourism area life cycle: emergence; volume growth, complexity and geographical spread; followed by problems arising from increasing competition, lack of governance and leadership, societal change and technical developments. Research responses to rural tourism's growth and change are examined, analysing 1848 articles published since 2000 by interrogating Scopus to reveal responses by subject category and geographic distribution. The papers in the Journal of Sustainable Tourism’s new rural tourism Special Issue are discussed, noting how researchers have explored the conversion of rural tourism from sightseeing to numerous experiential activities, together with papers discussing governance, leadership, networking, product development and marketing. The paper concludes by calling for the research-led creation of a New Generation Rural Tourism, based on informed destination development and management, better understanding of markets and modern marketing, and professional approaches to holistic and sustainability enhancing management. The formation of an international rural tourism research group to explore, assist and assess New Generation Rural Tourism is suggested.
The segment of visiting, friends and relatives (VFR) is one of the largest components of tourism economies. During the last two decades there emerged tourism scholarship around VFR travel, mostly in Australia, the USA and Europe. This paper examines the size, characteristics and spatial patterns of VFR tourism in South Africa. It is argued that studies of VFR travel in the global South must be linked to questions about migration. In the South African case the volume, nature and geography of VFR tourism cannot be understood without an analysis of historical migration trends. It is demonstrated that VFR travel is the largest element of domestic tourism and is dominated by black travellers. In terms of explanation, the continued role of circular mobilities in the post-apartheid period is highlighted. The geographical patterns of VFR tourism in South Africa reveal a complex of factors and most importantly the existence of split or translocal households for which VFR mobilities are critical. In South Africa, strong VFR travel occurs to large metropolitan areas and to the former homeland areas that are not considered as significant tourism destinations. Arguably, in many of these rural areas of South Africa VFR travel is the most significant driver of local tourism economies.
Critical commentators of agricultural/rural change in advanced economies have begun to refer to ‘neo-productivist’ pathways of change. However, conceptualizations of neo-productivism have so far largely failed to provide a robust analytical framework for understanding the propelling forces, processes and characteristics of complex modern agricultural pathways. This article analyses two key approaches used to conceptualize neo-productivism: an actor-oriented spatio-temporal perspective (the AOST approach) which focuses mainly on geographical and temporal-historical characteristics in the adoption of neo-productivist actor spaces, and structuralist interpretations which see neo-productivism predominantly as a response to macro-political regime change. There is an underlying assumption in both that productivist and non-productivist pathways of agricultural change can be identified in different guises and that the notion of neo-productivism can be situated in relation to productivist/non-productivist concepts. However, they differ in their temporal conceptualisations of agricultural change (i.e. neo-productivism as productivist resurgence versus productivist approaches adapted to match the new political realities of an era influenced by non-productivism), processes (i.e. non-productivist pathways forced by events ‘back’ towards productivist-dominated pathways versus neo-productivism as a shift from a state-led system of support responsible for driving stateproductivism, to market-based drivers enabled by the gradual withdrawal of the state), and spatial differentiation (i.e. complex geography of actor spaces in the adoption of neo-productivist pathways versus locked-in productivist pathways working alongside multifunctional agriculture). The article concludes with some critical thoughts about the utility of the term ‘neo-productivism’, but also argues that the term allows researchers to further nuance conceptualisations of the complex spatial, temporal and structural changes that characterise modern agriculture in any area of the globe.
Short-break holidays are a growing feature of tourism, but little research has examined their relevance to rural tourism. Based on a recent national study of short-break holidays in Australia, this paper explores the competitive situation of this form of holiday for existing and potential rural destinations. It examines the relevance of short-break holiday-makers travel habits, their priorities and preferences and how likely these are to mesh with rural economies and aspirations. It concludes that this form of tourism is a good mix with many rural situations and that its size and growth characteristics make it an attractive development prospect for many country areas.
Tourism has the potential to make a major contribution to the development of rural areas. However, empirical evidence suggests that its economic impact is limited, because rural visitors are thought to engage in few recreational activities and are seen as low spenders. This study gives new insights into the domestic demand in areas of France described as “rural”, with data extracted from the national database provided by the French “tourism demand survey”. The results of the “activity-based segmentation” of visitors' stays in three rural regions show that during the summer season, visits to friends or relatives, which involve little expenditure and no specific activities, continue to take place. However, more expensive stays are the most common. They involve activities aimed at experiencing the outdoors or enjoying local sights, based on natural and cultural amenities that are mainly located in regional natural parks. The main forms of accommodation are campsites and rural cottages. Gastronomic tourism has also emerged as an activity that attracts higher spending visitors. These findings are discussed in relation to the results of segmentation studies in other European countries. Their academic and management implications also are presented.
This paper addresses the views of the residents of two Portuguese small villages on tourism and tourists. Starting by discussing rural areas as tourism destinations, the paper aims at unveil local perceptions and attitudes regarding the impacts and the benefits of tourism activities in the communities, as well as local views on the interaction
processes with tourists. Empirical evidence demonstrates
that interaction, although appreciated, is not valued in the same way in the two villages, reflecting diverse stages of tourism development. However, perceptions on the impacts and main beneficiaries of tourism activities are quite similar in the two communities, following the main findings of literature regarding residents’ attitudes towards rural tourism and demonstrating a clear valorisation of the
economic and social over the environmental impacts. In the same sense, local residents identify the main beneficiaries of tourism positive economic impacts with the agents related to the supply of tourism activities.
http://www.apdr.pt/siteRPER/EN/revistaEN.html
This paper investigates the issue of ‘rural deprivation’ using material collected for the Rural Lifestyles Project, conducted at Saint David's University College, Lampeter. The concept of ‘deprivation’ usually deployed within the literature in rural studies is problematic, and a number of criticisms are made about existing conceptualisations of the term. One of these criticisms is based on the finding that amongst respondents interviewed for the study of lifestyles in rural areas of England, a number were highly critical of the application of the term ‘deprivation’ to rural areas. This issue is explored through an investigation of the discourses of ‘the rural’, taken to mean a system of meanings that describe English rural areas. An examination of these discourses shows how ‘deprivation’ is denied, and this is investigated through a discussion of the representation of rural areas as problem-free and ‘idyllic’ in some way; through the portrayal of ‘deprivation’ as a fault of the individual; and through the construction of ‘deprivation’ as a feature of ‘the rural's’ ‘other’, i.e. the urban. The paper concludes with a call for the attitudes and beliefs of different groups of people living in rural areas to be taken account of in the production of research into lifestyles in rural areas.
Rural tourism has been widely acknowledged for its effectiveness in contributing to rural areas’ development. With strong government support, rural tourism has developed in many countries during the last several decades. This study aims to improve the understanding regarding tourism in Korean rural areas using a segmentation approach. The responses of 442 tourists in 23 rural villages were analyzed. Four segments of tourists were identified based on the different benefits they sought for their vacation in rural establishments. The estimation of a multinomial logit model determined the socio-demographic characteristics and the preferred accommodations of a rural tourist. Discussions and implications of the detailed findings are provided in the last section. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
This paper shows the development of a tourism product in a destination that uses the night sky as its main source of attraction. Using this innovative product has helped to create a distinctive image, which is likely to attract a more diverse range of visitors and has assisted in improving economic, social and environmental sustainability. First, we present an overview about sustainable tourism and the sky as a tourism resource followed by a case study, in Portugal, that illustrates the potential of Dark Sky activities for tourism development in rural regions. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
This paper presents an analysis of the expert discourse of the rural in the period of transition in Czechoslovakia and the Czech Republic. Before 1989, the discourse was monopolised by the governing communist regime. With EU accession in 2004, the discourse became standardised to the EU programmes and policies. The period in between these two dates is referred to as “discursive no man's land” in which new meanings, functions and values were assigned to the rural. The paper concentrates on (a) how the rural was established as a public issue to be addressed by experts, (b) how the discourses of the rural changed under the influence of structural, macro-social factors and (c) what were the grounds on which state intervention in favour of the rural was perceived as legitimate. In answering these questions, the analysis identifies agriculture as a key element which provided a “function” for the pre-1989 instrumental understanding of the rural. After the collapse of the regime and the rapid shrinking of the agricultural sector in the country, the discourses of the rural took two paths. First, experts were looking for “new functions” of the rural, which came to be seen in cultural alternatives to urban modernity. Second, the figure of “rural renewal” emerged, aiming to rectify the perceived wrongdoings of the past.