RURAL AND URBAN TOURISM DEVELOPMENT

Main Questions Rural Tourism in environmental perspectives.

Does the development of the rural tourism have positive effects on the natural environment? RT should be environmental friendly. RT sometimes have positive effects on environment, but not always.

How can we combine rural tourism development and environmental conservation?

Change of Citizen’s Preference for Environment

People are more interested in environmental amenities, environmental quality and recreation than before. The values put on these attributes are increasing.

New claimants to natural environment emerge.

An optimal way of using natural resource will change.

But we sometimes fail to reach the optimum.

Change of Preference

The effort to conserve used to be at an optimal level

Today, the effort to conserve is less than the socially optimal level

Land

Farmer

Effort to conserve

More products (in

future)

Land

Farmer

Effort to conserve

More product

s (in future)

Urban people

Recreational amenities without any payment

Rural Tourism (1) Tourism sector uses environmental amenities as an input to produce recreational service.

They sell the service to urban people.

They make the additional effort to conserve the environment for their profits.

Land

Farmer

Urban people

Tourism

ServicePaymen

t

Env. Amenities as

input for service

Additional

effort to

conserve

Rural Tourism (2) The rural environment is often managed by farmers.

If so, it is impossible for tourism sector to make efforts to conserve the environment by themselves.

They may offer some kind of compensation and ask farmers to make additional efforts.

Tourism development is a market based resolution to reach more efficient allocation of environmental resource.

Environment

Farmer

Urban people

TourismFarmer

FarmerCompensati

on

RURAL TOURISM DEVELOPMENT CAN CONTRIBUTE TO ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION

Positive Effects of Rural Tourism on Environment: Rural Side

Rural tourism development as a target of collective action. Environmental conservation needs the collective action among the local people.

Collective action will be easier if they can expect a concrete benefit.

Tourism development gives local people a incentive to co-operate in conserving the environment.

Positive Effects of Rural Tourism on Environment: Urban Side

Urban people will know more about the natural environment about rural life.

The experience of nature and rural life have great effect especially on children.

Further Success of Rural Tourism:Growing Collaboration between Urban and Rural people

Rural people know well about urban people. Preference for rural environment. In general, the rural environment is more valuable to urban people than rural people expect.

How credible urban people are. Urban people participate in the activity for the environmental conservation. Free-ride/Wish Purchase Co-provide

HOW TO COMBINE RURAL TOURISM DEVELOPMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION

Institutions are important

Institutions Institutions are the rules of games in a society Property Rights Organization Formal rule: law, regulation, etc. Informal rule: moral norms, custom

Functions of institutions are: to give incentives to people to make their expectations about others’ behavior more certain

to stimulate collective action among them, etc.

Define & Redefine Property Rights to the Environment

Tourism is a market activity. Private property

Private property regime is not panacea. The effective area of tourists’ activity is broader than the unit of private ownership of land.

Tourism development may cause negative externality.

It is impossible to define the private property rights to all of the attributes of the environment.

Regulations sometimes define property rights more clearly and properly.

Local Initiative Environmental, geographical & economic situation are various among the regions. Directions of tourism development should be also various.

Local knowledge is important in the environmental conservation and attractive to the tourists.

Local people have a longer term sight in decision making than outsiders.

Local organizations are important to stimulate the collective action. Local tourism sector is expected to contribute to the organization.

History of co-operation among the local people in traditional resource managements will be helpful.

Community of Interest15

A Sense of Place & Sustainable

FutureHousing

Health

Sewer &Water

EmergencyPrepared-

nessSolidWaste

NaturalResources

Transpor-tation

LandUse

AgricultureHorticulture

Parks &Recreation

HistoricPreserva-

tion

EconomicDevelop.

Intergov’tCooperation

Mandated Services and Local Priorities

16

Environment Parks and Recreation Economic Development Water, Sewer, and Development Services

Transportation Land Use

Tourism Development Steps to Assist Tourism DevelopmentCommunity leaders are asking if capturing some of these travel expenditures represents a potential strategy for economic development. As noted, potential benefits include new job creation, the capture of outside income for the local economy, and growth in local tax revenue. Ultimately, each community will have to decide if tourism is a viable option. The market is highly competitive, and communities must have a commitment to sound product development and a solid marketing plan. The following steps are

STEP 1The first step for a community interested in the tourism and travel industry is to establish clearly-defined goals the entire community can support. Common goals include attracting and stopping visitors in your area; extending their stay to maximize expenditures; and finally, extending your season so a steady flow of tourists exists. Groups involved should include city and countyofficials, civic organizations, business persons, educational institutions, and religious leaders

STEP 2A good community-wide effort could include the formation of several subcommittees, includingpromotion to centralize and coordinate the targeted market effort for your tourism attraction;special events to develop and carry out events such as festivals, fairs, downtown sales, homecoming

etc.; finance to focus on funds raising since this effort will

not succeed without adequate resources; hospitality to

create awareness of the importance of good customer

service for out-of-town visitors; and a visitor information

center to provide a one-stop center for tourist information

in the community in order to make it easier for your out-of

Town guests to enjoy their stay and spend more money.

STEP 3It is critical that quality community attractions are at the foundationof a tourism program. A community or region should take inventory ofexisting (or potential) attractions and rate the quality of their

attractions.Options to consider include festivals and events, natural resources,historical attractions, and recreation opportunities. Remember, this is ahighly competitive business, so do not try to be something you are not.Successful community tourism efforts build on existing strengths. Also,take stock of your visitor facilities. Do you have adequate restaurants,hotels, restrooms, etc.? Finally, consider a local clean up, fix up

campaign.Outward appearances will say a lot to travelers and potentialtourists

STEP 4There are many options available for those who care

to work withlocal economies [8]. In fact, the term .CARE.

provides another usefulapproach and summary for economic development

options:Create new jobs,Attract new business,Retain existing firms, andExpand existing firms.