Rural Tourism Potential Research Articles

Status of Tourists and Rural Tourism Impacts in Ghalegaun, Nepal

This study presents a comprehensive analysis of rural tourism's economic effects and potential in Ghalegaun, Lamjung, Nepal. It extensively covers the region's natural allure, cultural attractions, and the positive influence of tourism on the local economy. It stresses the importance of strategic marketing and development initiatives to fully leverage the area's tourism prospects while addressing existing hurdles. The article delves into challenges like the shortage of skilled labor and the necessity for enhanced tourism activities in Ghalegaun. Moreover, it discusses available infrastructure, tourist demographics (nationality, age, purpose of visit, occupation, duration of stay, and spending patterns). Ultimately, the study underscores Ghalegaun's rural tourism potential and its significant economic impact.

Groși, Maramureș: An Attractive Destination during the Covid-19 Pandemic?

"In Romania, the COVID-19 pandemic determined the development of rural areas and consequently, the evolution of rural tourism, one of the most important contributors to sustainable tourism. The current study examines the rural tourism potential of a village in North-Western Transylvania (Romania), Groși. The main goal of this study is to evaluate the potential for sustainable growth by means of rural tourism in this commune. This assessment also considers the potential impact on the social and economic aspects of the destination, as well as the factors that could positively or negatively influence this entire process. The data was gathered using the survey-based inquiry. Therefore, a questionnaire including 32 questions, consisting of three parts in all, was developed. The first part included questions used by the researchers aimed to gather information regarding the respondents’ orientation towards remote rural destinations. The second part of the questionnaire was designed with the end goal of establishing to what extent the respondents are familiar with the resources of Groși, respectively to assess to what extent the destination can benefit from the development of hospitality services. The last part of the survey enabled researchers to collect identification data regarding the 117 respondents of the self-implemented survey. The main conclusions of the study highlight that respondents are mostly pleased or very satisfied regarding rural tourism in the region under analysis. Among the benefits that certainly are to everyone’s liking were found to be tranquility, beautiful landscapes, fresh air, important sights, and local gastronomy. In the end, the main disadvantages of the area and the opportunities of developing rural tourism in Groși commune are presented. Keywords: rural tourism, sustainability, Groși, Maramureș County, COVID-19 JEL classification: L83, Z32, L80."

Innovative Development of Rural Green Tourism in Ukraine

The purpose of the article was to investigate the potential of rural green tourism in Ukraine and to determine the main directions of its innovative development, taking into account global, national, and regional trends. SLR (Systematic Literature Review), methods of expert assessment, selective observation, and graphic method were used to achieve the set goal. The article analyzes the current state of rural green tourism in Ukraine; the tourism and recreation potential of rural areas of Ukraine was assessed; promising types of innovations that are currently relevant for implementation in the practice of providing services in the field of rural green tourism in Ukraine are defined and grouped; and the impact of global, national, and regional trends on the current stage of activity and further development of rural green tourism in Ukraine is determined. It is determined that in modern economic conditions, rural tourism serves as a stabilizing factor that will contribute not only to maintaining the normal living standards of rural residents, but also to the development of the region’s economy, service infrastructure, household services, and the social sphere. Thus, rural green tourism is the main tool for stimulating the economic and socio-cultural development of rural areas. The results of the assessment of the tourist and recreational potential of rural green tourism of Ukraine showed that the recreational and tourist attractiveness of rural areas is mainly determined by natural and ecological conditions, cultural and historical conditions, and the tourist infrastructure of the region. Financial economic, socio-demographic, and administrative management conditions negatively affect the recreational and tourist attractiveness of rural areas, resulting in the low ability of the rural population to implement innovations. It has been established that in order for the tourist business to be able to quickly adapt to the normal state, it is necessary to introduce innovative types of tourism that will make it possible to attract a larger number of people to the tourist business and establish additional income due to the introduction of innovative offers, new tours, visits to special places, and the entire range of services of the best quality, which will contribute to the accelerated implementation of online forms and digital tools in the provision of tourist services, etc. It has been proven that the introduction of innovations plays an important role in ensuring the sustainable and balanced development of rural tourism in Ukraine, contributing to the creation of new opportunities and improving the quality of tourist services.

Transformative smart rural tourism in adversity of the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond

The coronavirus pandemic has reinforced the need for sustainable, smart tourism and local travel, with rural destinations gaining in their popularity and leading to increased potential of smart rural tourism. However, these processes need adjustments to the current trends, incorporating new transformative business concepts and marketing approaches. In this paper we provide real life examples of new marketing approaches, together with new business models within the context of the use of new digital technologies. Via hermeneutic research approach, consisting of the secondary analysis of the addressed subject of smart rural tourism in adversity of the COVID-19 and 6 semi-structured interviews, the importance of technology is underscored in transforming rural tourism to smart rural tourist destinations. The respondents in the interview section were chosen based on their direct involvement in the presented examples and geographical location, i.e. France, Slovenia and Spain, where presented research examples were developed, concretely within European programmes, i.e. Interreg, Horizon and Rural Development Programme (RDP). Interviews were taking place between 2022 and 2023 in person, email or via Zoom. This two-phased study demonstrates that technology is important in transforming rural tourism to smart tourist destinations and that it ushers new approaches that seem particularly useful in applying to rural areas, creating a rural digital innovation ecosystem, which acts as s heuristic rural tourist model that fosters new types of tourism, i.e. smart rural tourism.

SOCIO-ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF THE EFFICIENCY OF IMPLEMENTATION OF THE TOURIST AND RECREATIONAL POTENTIAL OF THE ZAKARPATTIA OBLAST IN THE FIELD OF RURAL GREEN TOURISM

The article presents the results of a study of the tourism and recreational potential of small and micro-enterprises in the sphere of rural green tourism in the Zakarpattia Oblast in the context of crisis and instability. It analyses the social factors influencing the development of this sector of the state economy, identifies problematic aspects in their activities that may negatively affect the development of tourism in general, as well as the impact of such crisis phenomena as COVID-19, its consequences and martial law. The authors have identified the factors that have a destructive impact and the factors that would contribute to overcoming the crisis. The aim of the research is to conduct a socio-economic study of the development of tourist and recreational potential of rural green tourism in the region and identify ways to unlock the potential of this sphere of the region's economy, which will be effective for their practical implementation in the activities of accommodation and catering enterprises. Methodology. The study was conducted on the basis of a survey of managers and owners of rural green tourism enterprises through a personal questionnaire, as well as an analysis of statistical indicators of the performance of temporary accommodation enterprises, based on official statistics of the Zakarpattia Oblast for 2020 and 2021 and provided by the Main Department of Statistics in the Zakarpattia Oblast. The monitoring covered private peasant farms in the region, namely 90 owners of such tourist farmsteads, of whom 70% were middle-aged (36-55 years old), 58% of them combine employment in the tourism sector with their main job in the public sector, and 6% have their own business other than the service sector. The results of the study demonstrate that the activities, development and general existence of rural green tourism in the region are affected by such destructive processes as crisis phenomena such as COVID-19, political instability, martial law and other macro- and microeconomic factors, which can be overcome or at least minimised by their impact on the tourism services sector to increase the viability of small businesses, which, as is known from international practice, is one of the elements of overall economic growth in the region and the state as a whole. According to the results of the study, the factors influencing the activities of enterprises, the behavioural patterns of owners of rural green tourism institutions in the context of the crisis were identified and mechanisms for minimising and overcoming the consequences of the crisis were developed, such as: diversification of business and expansion of the types of services that can be provided to potential consumers, introduction of an effective management and marketing system, adoption of European experience in the field of green tourism and proposals for improving the legislative framework for businesses to leave the shadow economy.

Rural tourism in South Africa: A local economic development strategy

This study aims to assess the potential of rural tourism as a strategy for local economic development in three rural villages in the Thulamela Local Municipality, which falls under the Vhembe District Municipality in the Limpopo province of South Africa. Rural tourism is considered a promising industry for rural development and a popular approach to local economic growth. Sustainable rural tourism is recognised as a crucial component of rural development and is particularly important in developing nations, such as South Africa, where substantial rural populations and limited economic activity exist. The study utilised a qualitative research approach, drawing on an exploratory design and interpretive paradigm. A purposive sampling technique was adopted to select participants. Focus group discussions were conducted with the participants, and content analysis was used to analyse the collected data. The study indicates that rural tourism could effectively promote local economic growth in the three rural villages by providing residents with employment opportunities, thereby reducing poverty rates in rural areas. However, challenges remain, including the lack of funding to support small tourism businesses and the need for human capital development in local communities. The study recommends a gradual approach to knowledge and skills development within local communities to support the business aspects of rural tourism development, as well as the provision of funding assistance.

SWOT analysis of Halfeti's rural tourism potential in the context of rural development

SWOT analysis of Halfeti's rural tourism potential in the context of rural development

Local Insights into Rural Tourism: A Study of Heeloya in the Knuckles Mountain Range

With its natural attractiveness and cultural prosperity, the Knuckles Mountain Range presents an exclusive opportunity for rural tourism, which Heeloya, a village nestled within this biodiverse area, has begun to embrace. This article investigates the local community's perceptions and attitudes towards tourism, examining the meaning of tourism in their traditional lifestyle, economy, and environment. Employing a mixed-methodological approach, the study integrates qualitative interviews and quantitative surveys analyzed through qualitative descriptive analysis and descriptive statistics. The qualitative descriptive analysis enabled the emergence of concepts underlying rural tourism. These concepts were further validated with selected quotations. A concept map created using Leximancer further substantiated these underlying conceptions and clarified the interconnectedness between the concepts. The findings suggest that the community is thoughtfully optimistic about the potential of rural tourism, encouraging a participatory approach to tourism development and engagement to ensure that it remains in congruence with Heeloya’s cultural essence and the grand Knuckles Mountain Range. This research contributes to the broader discourse on sustainable rural tourism, providing valuable insights for policymakers, stakeholders, and communities considering tourism as a pathway for rural development.

Acculturation of Javanese and Chinese Culture in Rural Tourism in Desa Wisata Besani

The research paper investigates the cultural exchange between Javanese and Chinese traditions in rural tourism at Desa Wisata Besani, Central Java. Rural tourism has become popular among international travelers seeking authentic experiences and sustainable community engagement. Desa Wisata Besani, known as the "Acculturation Gate of Java-China," offers a unique blend of Javanese and Chinese influences, making it an intriguing destination. The study uses qualitative methods to understand the factors attracting tourists and the impact on the local community's livelihood and identity. The village's strengths, such as its rich cultural heritage and strategic location, contribute to its aspiration of becoming a thriving rural tourism destination and a cultural exchange hub. The rising interest in cultural tourism and China's investments present growth opportunities for the village. Integrating Mandarin language learning into the tourism experience further enhances its appeal to Chinese tourists. The study acknowledges limitations and suggests future research directions. In conclusion, Desa Wisata Besani showcases the potential of rural tourism in fostering cultural understanding and appreciation, benefiting both tourists and the local community.

Potential mapping of rural tourism clusters through application of spatial decision making system as a base of sustainable tourism planning

Indonesia is rich of nature, culture, customs, culinary, and religions spread over many regions. The majority of Indonesia territory is rural areas. The existing potentials and attractions in rural areas make a lot of villages developed into tourist villages. One region that has quite a high number of tourist villages is Semarang Regency, Central Java, Indonesia. The high number of tourist villages that belongs to Semarang Regency is actually not in line with the high length of stay of the visiting tourists. Therefore, it requires the right method to develop the rural tourism potential, which is cluster-based rural tourism development. The purpose of this research is to develop a methodology for identifying the potential area of rural tourism clusters in geographic feature. The method used is Geographic Information System (GIS) based Kernel Density Estimation (KDE). The analysis brings to a map that identifies regions with strong cluster potential to develop the informative rural tourism. The map generated clearly indicates that the regions with strong potentials to become tourist village cluster in Semarang Regency are the combined cluster areas of Ungaran and Bergas District and Sumowono District. Hopefully the generated map will be informative for the stakeholders, the policy makers, and the tourism development area organizers.

Investigation of Rural Tourism Potential of Degirmencik Village (Safranbolu)

Ülkemizin sahip olduğu doğal ve kültürel kaynaklar, turizm için yüksek potansiyel oluşturmaktadır. Ancak bu potansiyel doğru değerlendirilmediği için etkin olarak korunamamakta ve yeteri kadar kullanılamamaktadır. Turizm, doğal ve kültürel potansiyelin korunması ve değerlendirilmesinde en etkili araçtır. Özellikle kırsal alanlarda turizmin bu etkisinden yararlanarak bölge için ekonomik girdi ve istihdam sağlanabilmektedir. Bu çalışmada Karabük ili Safranbolu ilçesi Değirmencik köyü çalışma alanı olarak seçilmiştir. Alan, doğal görünümü ve geleneksel tarzda inşa edilmiş yapılarıyla kırsal turizm açısından dikkat çekmektedir. Çalışmada alanın turizm açısından taşıdığı potansiyel yerinde gözlemle incelenmiş ve GZFT (SWOT) analizi ile değerlendirilmiştir. Değirmencik köyünün sahip olduğu potansiyelin etkin koruma ve kullanımı yönünde planlama önerileri geliştirilmiştir. Çalışma alanı için kurgulanan alan kullanım önerileri, Değirmencik Köyü Kırsal Turizm Potansiyeli Planı’nda sunulmuştur. Kırsal turizmin yöreye sağlayabileceği faydalar göz önüne alındığında alan için öngörülen alan kullanım planlamasının ve turizmin geliştirilmesi için getirilen önerilerin kırsal kalkınmaya ve bölgenin gelişmesine katkı sağlayacağı öngörülmektedir.

Potential for Rural Tourism Development around Hluhluwe iMfolozi Park, South Africa: A Local Community Perspective

Rural development remains critical in developing countries, particularly in those with large rural communities with little economic activity, such as South Africa. Rural tourism is becoming increasingly popular as an alternative to urban tourism. This study aimed at assessing the potential of rural tourism in the communities around Hluhluwe iMfolozi Park (HiP), which is situated in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa. It adopted a qualitative research method that hinges on the explorative and interpretive paradigms and applied a purposive sampling method for data collection. Focus group discussions were conducted with the study participants. Content analysis was used to analyse the collected data. HiP and the surrounding communities have significant potential for rural tourism development due to the natural beauty, rich wildlife species, and major cultural and historical features that exist in this area and can attract many tourists. However, the local communities’ human capital development remains a challenge to be surmounted. The study recommends a gradual process of knowledge and skills development in the local communities to support the business side of rural tourism development and offerings.

Rural tourism potential in the development of the agriculture-industrial complex

This study explores the potential of rural tourism in the context of sustainable societal development. The demand for tourism services in the post-COVID-19 period is analyzed, as is the trend of travelers’ ability to pay for tourism services and the spectrum of tourism offerings. The objectives and directions of investment programs aimed at developing rural tourism and the issues associated with its development are identified. For 59% of European countries, rural tourism is a direct priority in their development, and 66% of European countries have state investment programs for rural tourism. The research results showed an increase in the level of travel by tourists in the post-COVID-19 period, characterized by a desire for lower costs when consuming relevant services. It has been revealed that the policy directions of countries regarding the development of rural tourism can be direct or indirect as part of the overall tourism development policy. Rural tourism offerings have several drawbacks that have led to dissatisfaction with demand, and as a result, most travelers have a desire to receive rural tourism services but do not utilize them due to the aforementioned reasons. The study forms the structure of rural tourism services based on the examples within the European Federation of Rural Tourism Offerings and potential directions and strategies for their further development.

Spatial pattern of Tiktok “New Farmer” anchors and the transformation potential of rural cultural tourism: Based on the data of the Chanmama website

Spatial pattern of Tiktok “New Farmer” anchors and the transformation potential of rural cultural tourism: Based on the data of the Chanmama website

Exploring the Role of Rural Tourism in Achieving Sustainable Rural Development

This study investigates the role of rural tourism in facilitating sustainable rural development, with a specific focus on Ghandruk region situated in Kaski district of Nepal. Employing a case study methodology, the researchers collected data through in-depth interviews conducted with a diverse range of stakeholders, including homestay owners, hotel owners, foreign tourists, local leaders, NGOs, government representatives, and farmers. The study findings highlight the positive impact of rural tourism activities on the social, economic, and environmental dimensions of development within the study region. The research sheds light on the potential of rural tourism in improving the standard of living for rural residents while also preserving local culture and resources. The findings contribute to the existing literature on rural tourism and offer insights for policymakers and stakeholders in leveraging rural tourism as a catalyst for sustainable rural development.

Methodological System to Determine the Development Potential of Rural Tourism in Extremadura, Spain

There are methodologies that seek to know the tourism potential of the territory. However, their use has been very scarce and consequently, tourism plans lack a real vision of the possibility of developing tourism. In the case of Extremadura, Spain, a specific methodology has been proposed that considers types and subtypes of variables, both in terms of heritage and tourism facilities. In addition, these variables are ranked in five classes, and their importance is weighted according to the opinion of the demand. The results offer a global vision of the potential, coinciding with the area determined by official organizations in the country, but also facilitate the specific study of specific tourism sub-types. They also show that there is not always a clear relationship between the attractiveness of the environment and tourist facilities. It is concluded that it is important to bet on these evaluation methodologies to enhance the knowledge of any territory to determine its capacity to develop tourism. On the other hand, it helps tourism plans to be applied in the territory to consider the potential of each municipality to promote tourism.

Reassessment of sustainable rural tourism strategies after COVID-19.

This study aimed to develop indicators that measure rural tourism destinations in a sustainable framework during the COVID-19 process. In order to achieve this goal, the A’WOT and TOWS hybrid method was used in the study. In line with this goal, the priority order was calculated by determining the factors for strengths, weaknesses, threats and opportunities. Once these factors have been identified, strategies have been developed to build on strengths and eliminate weaknesses, while taking advantage of the opportunities and countering threats. In the study, Gökçeada-Turkey, which has recently come to the fore with its rural tourism potential, has been considered as a destination area, and strategies have been developed that adopt sustainable and responsible tourism approaches and increase the roles and capabilities of local communities. The results obtained in the study are expected to be meaningful for other rural destinations that are similar to Gökçeada.

A study on the potential of rural tourism in Assam: prospects and challenges

Assam, as a tourist destination, has always been known for its natural flora and fauna. It is primarily known for its deep forests, endangered animals, mighty rivers and other natural elements. However, the state has many other tourism elements that are yet to be explored. These unexplored elements of tourism may help to provide a regular source of income to its host community and eventually will help to boost the economy of the state itself.Rural Tourism itself is not a new concept in the world tourism, however, for Assam, it's an unexplored aspect and if planned in a strategic way, this may take Assam to the new heights on the domestic as well as the International tourism map.Rural tourism is a type of Community-based tourism, where the tourist gets the first-hand experience by getting involved with the local community to experience their livelihood, cultural practices, food habits, etc. and receives the authentic cultural experience. Since rural tourism deals with the host community directly, this can turn out to be an effective contemporary tool to boost the tourism potentiality of the state to generate revenues not only for the state but for the entire host community. This study hence will try to focus on the potentiality of rural tourism in the state and will discuss various approaches that could uplift the same. It will also discuss the challenges that rural tourism is currently facing and list out a few solutions to eliminate those challenges.

Primeri dobre prakse u ruralnom turizmu Ruske Federacije

Modern trends in the tourism market, especially at a time when the world is affected by an epidemic of global proportions, has conditioned the return to nature, healthy lifestyles, domestic products and the need for psychophysical rest. More and more tourists are opting for shorter trips and stays in rural areas, away from the crowds that are present in popular tourist destinations. The Russian Federation is an area with significant resources for the development of rural tourism. Today, a number of Russian regions, relying on the unique nature, rich cultural and material heritage, traditions of the rural population are successfully implementing projects in the field of rural tourism. Such regions include the Kaluga, Vologda and Yaroslavl regions, the Altai Republic, Buryatia and Khakassia, and many others. According to the latest research, the potential of rural tourism in Russia in the next 10-15 years can be estimated at 50 billion rubles. The aim of this paper is to point out the possibilities of improving and developing rural tourism in the region based on this example of good practice.

Функции аксиологии сельского туризма (на материалах музея «Дом со львом»)

The study is conducted within the framework of tourism axiology. The paper aims to reveal axiological potential of rural tourism. The author presents a survey of the existing views on the place of axiology in the system of philosophical knowledge, evaluates the potential of axiological approach in tourism studies. Scientific originality of the research involves revealing mechanisms by which tourism as an activity and a cultural practice influences social values. The findings indicate that these socially determined mechanisms are associated with the process of developing value relations influenced by different factors. The conclusions are justified by the examples of “Lion House” museum activity.