Role of tourism in the development of peripheral countryside. Case studies of Eastern Moravia and Romanian Banat

Abstract

As the local agriculture in the era of globalization is often no more competitive, it cannot serve as the main source of local population's income. A relatively intact nature of peripheral regions together with other attractions creates a suitable basis for tourism, which can partly substitute agriculture and bring some capital for local development in rural areas. However, in the Central and Eastern Europe the development of tourism meets serious limits, such as seasonality, insufficient infrastructure, lower quality of human capital, lack of investments etc. The situation is documented on the cases of Eastern Moravia (Bojkovice micro-region) and Czech villages in Romanian Banat. Conditions for tourism development in rural periphery are discussed.