Evolution and Cyclicality in Rural Tourism •

Abstract

Tourism is one of the fastest-growing economic sectors in the world, and any settlement that can harness and promote its potential can benefit from it. It is not only the prerogative of cities but can also make a significant contribution to the survival and development of smaller settlements. The development of tourism in a given area is not a sudden, rapid process, but usually takes place over several decades, through cyclical phases. Our research is based on the different hypothetical models of the stages of tourism developed by Noronha (1977) and Butler (1980), the applicability of which was examined in rural areas through the example of the Inner-Őrség. Nowadays Őrség (Guard’s Country) is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Hungary, where the small settlements of the area have built on their natural, architectural and cultural assets and they have been able to exploit their potential by using the right marketing techniques. The villages of the Inner-Őrség have developed at different rates since their discovery as tourist destinations, and depending on their role in the settlement network, their accessibility and tourist values, the different phases of tourism development took place at different speeds in their territory. Therefore, the intensity and impact of tourism varies in each village despite the strong interaction between them. In the present study, we seek to identify the trends and characteristics of the development of tourism in the examined area by using the results of the available statistical data, in order to obtain a more accurate picture of the role of tourism in the settlements concerned.