Rural Tourism Research Articles

Important Factors in the Development of Young Entrepreneurial Groups in Forest Honeybee Cultivation and Products

The younger generation emerges as a pivotal subject in perpetuating sustainable development, with an expectation to also play a role in rural areas to optimize the potential of local resources, thereby mitigating the negative impacts of urbanization and reducing labor migration. Thus, the research aims to analyze the crucial factors supporting the role of youth in the development of socio-economic institutions in rural areas. The study employs the Participatory Learning and Action method to construct community learning experiences through interviews, Focus Group Discussions, documentation analysis, and observation. The research informants consist of the Young Farmer Group "Prawita Garden", which has successfully cultivated forest honeybees and developed rural tourism destinations. Interactive research analysis is utilized for data reduction, verification, and triangulation, complemented by modeling using the Vensin application. The research findings indicate that the "Prawita Garden" young farmer group has emerged as a pioneer and inspirator in honeybee cultivation and production, particularly of unique honey types such as Klanceng Honeybee, imported European Honeybee, and local Honeybee. Crucial factors in the development of young farmer institutionalization include entrepreneurial motivation and group formation, local indigenous practices passed down through generations or integrated into traditions intertwined with the social capital prevalent in rural communities.

RESEARCH ON THE MOTIVATION OF RURAL TOURISTS IN ANHUI PROVINCE FOR RURAL TOURISM

This paper mainly analyzes the development trend of rural tourism in Anhui Province in recent years, so as to study the pull of tourist attractions in Anhui Province on tourists, and for tourists themselves, the external driving force of rural tourism behavior in Anhui Province. From the perspective of the spiritual and cultural value of tourism, tourism is of great significance to cultivate sentiment, soothe mood and cultivate aesthetics. Through some previous literature, it can often be found that tourism motivation research is only a small part of a large category of tourism behavior research, so in-depth study of tourists' motivation, what is the significance of the tourism industry for the entire tourism behavior? This research adopts the research method of quantitative analysis, sets up 34 items, collects questionnaires in Huangshan, Anhui Province, and analyzes the tourism motivation of rural tourists by collecting and analyzing 298 valid questionnaires. The findings suggest that it is necessary to strengthen management, integrate tourism resources, pay attention to the personal safety of tourists and environmental protection of scenic spots, create well-known brands, and take the path of sustainable development in the development of Anhui's tourism industry. Improving the visibility, infrastructure construction, ecological environment protection, and characteristic product development and marketing of "Anhui rural tourism" is one of the major trends in the future development of Anhui's tourism industry.

Financial analysis of rural tourism in Catalonia and Galicia pre‐ and post COVID‐19

AbstractThis article analyses the financial health of Catalan and Galician rural tourism businesses between 2019 and 2021 by examining their profitability and solvency, in order to assess their survivability over the period affected by the COVID‐19 pandemic. To this end, we classify firms into groups with similar financial health. The article uses accounting data from the SABI (Iberian Balance Sheet Analysis System) database and the Compositional Data (CoDa) methodology, which offers a reliable analysis of sectoral financial statements, and is immune to the statistical problems of classical ratios (skewness, non‐normality, non‐linearity, and outliers, among others). The classification with the k‐means method reveals three groups with distinct financial profiles. None have a positive return on equity. One cluster is under special financial distress, with high indebtedness, low liquidity and an extremely negative margin. The size of this cluster increases during the 2020 lockdown but returns to normal in 2021.

The (un)sustainability of rural tourism travel in the Global South: A social practice theory perspective

AbstractRural tourism transport provision makes sustainable travel challenging as evidenced by studies in the Global North. However, the nature of socio‐environmental challenges is different in the Global South, necessitating attention on resolving these different problems. Social practice theory (SPT) allows greater understanding of travel by considering the interplay between transport form and availability, the tourists' competences to make use of the provision, and the meanings associated with using it. Drawing from 31 semi‐structured interviews with tourists and destination stakeholders, this paper aims to explore and understand tourists' rural travel practices in Bali through a SPT lens to identify sustainable travel opportunities. Destination transport provision has evolved to meet residents' needs for travel and income generation, shaping the options for tourists. Motorbike and car‐rental allow tourists to achieve holiday needs and overcome travel limitations. Regional authorities need to address rural tourism provision deficiencies to tackle socio‐environmental sustainability in rural travel.

Environmental cognition and peer attitudes: Influencing tourists' waste‐sorting behavior in rural tourism destinations

AbstractThis research assesses the determinants impacting the behavior in rural tourism destinations regarding tourists' waste sorting (WSB), emphasizing the significance of social norms and peer networks. Survey data was gathered from 955 participants in rural tourist destinations across Henan, Shandong, and Anhui provinces. The empirical findings illuminate several crucial aspects: (1) social norms and peer networks wield a positive, catalyzing influence on tourists' WSB in rural tourism settings. (2) Peer attitudes shape tourists' WSB, and environmental cognition plays a pivotal mediating role. The novelty of this study lies in its comprehensive exploration of the influence of social norms and peer networks on tourists' WSB in rural tourism destinations, highlighting the unique interplay of cognitive, behavioral, and attitudinal factors in this context. (3) Cognitive norms and behavioral norms have a more significant impact on female tourists. (4) For frequent travel groups, social norms affect waste‐sorting behavior less.

Empowering the ASEAN Community through Digitalization of Agriculture for Rural Tourism Development: An NVIVO Analysis

Empowering the ASEAN Community through Digitalization of Agriculture for Rural Tourism Development: An NVIVO Analysis

Stakeholders’ perception, determinant factors, and impacts of sustainable rural tourism: a literature review.

Stakeholders’ perception, determinant factors, and impacts of sustainable rural tourism: a literature review.

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."

A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF THE PERFORMING ARTS INDUSTRY ON LOCAL COMMUNITIES IN URBAN AND RURAL SETTINGS: A DESCRIPTIVE STUDY

The performing arts industry in India significantly contributes to local economies through job creation, tourism revenue, and local business growth. This paper presents a comparative analysis of the economic impact of the performing arts in urban and rural areas, focusing on two key objectives: evaluating the economic contributions of the performing arts to urban and rural communities, and analyzing the differences in economic outcomes due to varying levels of infrastructure, investment, and audience participation. The analysis reveals that urban areas, with their superior infrastructure, higher investment levels, and diverse audiences, generate substantial economic benefits through large-scale events and festivals. These events create employment, drive tourism, and foster business growth. In contrast, rural areas, while benefiting from traditional and folk performances, face challenges such as limited infrastructure and financial constraints. However, rural arts festivals and cultural tourism initiatives have shown potential in stimulating local economies, especially in underdeveloped regions. The study highlights the need for targeted investment and policy interventions to bridge the urban-rural divide and promote equitable economic development through the performing arts. Digital platforms and government initiatives like “Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat” are identified as key opportunities to enhance the economic contributions of the performing arts in rural India.

Research trend analysis of community businesses for rural tourism revitalization

Research trend analysis of community businesses for rural tourism revitalization

Self-fulfilling prophecy in livelihood sustainability: Rural tourism in Pingqian Village, China

This study proposes a conceptual model of villagers' risk perceptions of poverty recurrence. Integrating the sustainable livelihoods framework (SLF) with the concept of self-fulfilling prophecy, the study employed a mixed-method approach in the empirical analyses using data collected over four years in Pingqian Village, China. The study revealed that rural tourism empowered the villagers to improve their physical and financial capital by reducing dependence on cropland. However, interactive vulnerabilities can significantly impact their risk perceptions of poverty recurrence, thus shaping their behaviors in investment decisions and business operations in rural tourism. This raises concerns about potential overreliance on tourism in rural communalities that may undermine sustainability goals. In practical terms, the study presents a mechanism to monitor villagers’ risk perceptions of poverty recurrence at different risk levels. The conceptual and empirical results enrich the SLF and sustainability literature and practice by highlighting the bidirectional relationship between vulnerabilities and livelihood assets.

Tempe “Mendol” as Traditional Side Dish for Rural Gastronomy Tourism in Malang, East Java.

Indonesia is well known for its manmade food creation called tempe. People fell in love with the crispy and tanginess that tempe produced due to its fermentation process of the raw ingredients which is soybean. This product is highly varied upon its forms and processing techniques. One of the most famous menu is mendol. Mendol is created by letting Tempe pass beyond the ripping stage and passing the peak of its quality to go almost starting to rotten slowly. This unique dishes has made most of the local people able to process a product that way passed its expiry date and still edible. This study focused on examining the potential of mendol to become the iconic and unique product for Gastronomy in East Java. The study uses literature review to see the potential in exposing mendol for Gastronomy Tourism and to seek the possible market for this kind of tourism. the research resulted in the possibility of bringing back Mendol as part of the commercial dishes in gastronomy tourism seems to be applicable. This also helps the destination in retaining as well as gaining new visitor via the marketing of local food and mendol is one of the traditional food that has its own unique story for East Java especially Malang area.

Enhancing Urban–Rural Integration in China: A Comparative Case Study of Introducing Small Rural Industries in Huangyan-Taizhou

Strengthening urban–rural linkages (URLs) has been proposed by UN-Habitat within the framework of ‘Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)’ to narrow down urban–rural differences via shaping new urban–rural relationships. Like URL, the aim of urban–rural integration (URI) has been promoted by the Chinese government since 2019 to address existing urban–rural divides. This concept underlines the ‘rural revitalisation’ strategy and emphasises a two-way flow of urban–rural development factors. Introducing and upgrading ‘appropriate’ rural industries is crucial to stimulate and facilitate the circulation of urban–rural development factors. This research studied three neighbouring villages, situated in urban–rural interface areas in Huangyan-Taizhou, China, each driven by different types of small industries supported by URI. It analyses the impact of small rural industries on the flow of development factors between urban and rural areas. The results showed that small-scale rural industries have been enhanced URL by decreasing urban–rural differences by creating new job opportunities to attract an in-flow population, increasing investments, and upgrading public services and infrastructure. Indigenous industries demonstrated lower profitability but exhibited greater resilience compared to industries linked to global production chains and rural tourism. Thus, this study demonstrates the imperative to carefully consider the opportunities and potential risks associated with pursuing strategies of URI through rural industry development. By providing empirical insights from URI projects in China, this study contributes to theoretical and policy dialogues concerning the concepts of both URL and URI by exploring the localization of SDGs. Furthermore, it offers valuable practical knowledge and experience for other global regions confronting similar challenges to urban and rural development.

Research on the Influencing Factors of Cultural and Tourism Service Quality in Huizhou Area

This study investigates the elements that influence the quality of cultural and tourism services in the Huizhou region, seeking to improve the region’s tourism competitiveness and revive the growth of the local rural tourism industry based on the background of cultural and tourism integration. This article builds an evaluation index system for the influencing variables of culture and tourism service quality by choosing 20 indicators from three categories: public service quality, cultural service quality, and tourism industry performance. The entropy weight Topsis method is employed to assess the service quality of three districts and five counties in the Huizhou area, which serves as the research object. Research has shown that (1) the number of five-star hotels, the number of A-level scenic spots, and the number of overseas tourists received have a significant weight, and these have become important factors affecting the effective supply of high-quality rural tourism; (2) there is a significant difference in the quality of cultural and tourism services in different areas across the Huizhou region, with Tunxi District and Yi County having the highest level of service quality, while Qimen County and Jixi County have the lowest level; (3) The overall quality of cultural and tourism services in Huizhou region is relatively high, with six districts and counties rated medium or above, accounting for about 75% of the total. Therefore, it is necessary to improve the infrastructure construction, improve the quality of public services, maintain the local and regional culture, accelerate the integration of culture and tourism, and enhance the high-quality development of regional tourism in Huizhou.

Commodification: Rural Tourism Development in Traditional Village of Nagari Sijunjung

Commodification: Rural Tourism Development in Traditional Village of Nagari Sijunjung

Based on the Design of Regional Cultural Symbols under the Rural Revitalization Policy

The study of design translation of regional cultural symbols based on rural revitalization policy aims to explore how regional cultural symbols can be effectively translated and applied to rural revitalization practice through design means. The study analyzes and excavates local cultural resources and uses modern design concepts and technologies to transform traditional cultural symbols into design works with contemporary value and significance. In this way, it not only enhances rural cultural confidence and promotes cultural inheritance and innovation but also enhances the development of rural tourism and cultural industries, ultimately achieving sustainable revitalization and economic growth in the countryside. China has rich resources of "local specialties," which have cultural and historical value and great market potential. In the background of rural revitalization strategy, this paper analyzes the design ideas of Malu grapes, a local specialty of Shanghai, and explores how to design cultural and creative products combining unique regional culture and local specialties. Tapping and developing these local specialties can effectively promote regional economic development and rural industrial revitalization. Through the creative design around the local specialties, it increases the added value of the products, inherits and carries forward the local culture, creates brand influence, enhances product recognition, strengthens the competitiveness of the products, enriches the consumption experience, and promotes the image and quality of the local specialties.

Research Progress of China's Rural B and B Based on CiteSpace Analysis

The rapid development of rural B&B has gradually become an important carrier of domestic tourism development and an important way of rural revitalization. The article takes 95 pieces of Chinese core literature published in the CNKI database from 2010 to 2022 as the research object, and carries out bibliometric analysis from the amount of articles, time, authors and institutions, and keywords, and then combs out the research contents of five aspects, namely, lodging and rural tourism, design of rural lodging, rural lodging industry, development of lodging and countermeasures, to find out the shortcomings of the research on rural lodging in our country, and to put forward the future development of rural lodging, which should focus on the diversity of research perspectives, and the diversity of research contents. B&B should focus on the diversity of research perspectives and the plurality of research contents, such as the research on the characterization of B&B, the quality enhancement of B&B industry and other contents, as well as the comparative study of B&B industry in different regions, in order to provide reference and inspiration for the in-depth research in this field, and to further understand and promote the practice of rural B&B tourism in China.

Geomedia Perspectives for Multiple Futures in Tourism Development

This article draws on five participatory action research studies to address how geomedia theory can induce multiple imaginations of the future. Critical future research advocates that societies need to collectively create visions of multiple futures, transcending the single rational (neoliberal) future path. The studies were conducted in collaboration with rural communities and local tourism entrepreneurs who were exploring geomedia technologies to develop destinations. The tourism sector uses geomedia technologies but often depends on commercial platforms that seek upscaling and generalisation, becoming detached from local practices and place-specific settings. By applying critical geomedia studies, we problematised the relationship between people, place, and technology in the present, the past, and the future. Geomedia studies provided a critical lens that provoked future visions beyond preformatted technological infrastructures and media practices. The participants were asked to engage with complex issues such as access, restrictions, equality, authority, and legitimacy in relation to the specific place, bringing forth a multitude of local assets and narratives envisioning alternative geomedia technologies. As a result of this process, participants paid greater attention to local assets, gained a more critical approach towards technology, and dared to use digital solutions in a more visionary manner. We, therefore, argue that researchers need to engage with society to bypass hegemonic geomedia representations. By illustrating how geomedia theory can be utilised within community development, we provide a framework for how collaborative research can more explicitly engage with local actors’ thoughts and imaginings of possible futures.

Non-native flora changes in rural gardens of China: the role of tourism

Human cultivation facilitates the naturalization and subsequent invasion of non-native plant species through, for example, protection from predators or reducing environmental stochasticity. With the development of tourism, non-native plant species have been increasingly introduced into rural home gardens for landscape greening and amenity planting. However, few studies have examined non-native flora in rural home gardens, and in particular the importance of tourism in determining changes of garden non-native flora has not been scrutinized. In this study, we investigated non-native plant species in 135 home gardens across five rural tourism villages in tropical China. Attributes related to garden or household characteristics were also collected through interviews and questionnaires. A distance-based redundancy analysis was then performed to reveal the relationships between the non-native species composition and garden attributes. A total of 338 non-native plant species were recorded in the surveyed gardens. Among them, the majority (63%) were ornamentals, whereas 19% were for nutritional uses and 12% were spontaneous weeds. Gardening preference and distance to tourist attractions governed the non-native compositions, with gardens preferring cultural (ornamental) cultivation or gardens close to tourist attractions having more non-native species. These results highlight an increasing role of tourism in promoting non-native cultivation in rural gardens. Recommendations for species risk assessment, trade and supply regulation, and proper garden management are provided to help harness plant invasion along tourism development in rural China and other regions around the world.

Dressing up the place: Urban lifestyle mobilities and the production of “fashionable” tourism destinations in rural Japan

The past three decades of neoliberal structural reforms in Japan has established tourism policy favoring privatization, deregulation, and flexible mobility of capital to encourage decentralized markets. Within this system, attracting skilled urban migrants to rural regions has emerged as a central component of planning and development. Drawing on Kawamura's theory of fashion-ology, this study details the process of how rural tourism destinations are produced and (re)fashioned by urban-to-rural lifestyle migrants who bring new practices, aesthetics, and meanings to place. Based on ethnographic fieldwork conducted between 2021/2022 in the rural coastal town of Aoshima, we outline the co-constitutive dynamic between “star migrants”, industry “gatekeepers”, and “consumers as producers” in the production and consumption of “fashionable” rural destinations. The article contributes to literature on how rural tourism destinations are governed in contemporary neoliberal societies and provides insights into the unequal urban-to-rural power relations that continue to define Japan's regional revitalization programs.