Sage Handbook of Tourism Studies

Sage Handbook Of Tourism Studies Came Out in 2009

Tourism studies

Rural tourism in the Sage handbook of tourism studies

Tazim Jamal and Mike Robinson, authors of The SAGE handbook of tourism studies refrain from offering a clear and cut definition of rural tourism, but argue that this can be divided into three specific categories:

Economically integrated areas for rural tourism

Intermediate areas for rural tourism, and last

Remote areas for rural tourism.

Rural tourism has for years been undergoing numerous processes of change, generated by forces such as advancing technologies, telecommunications, market powers, environmental pressures or changes in the global markets. These factors are increasing in intensity and creating more pressures for the rural side of tourism.

Rural tourism is as such increasing in size and popularity. It comes to generate an important portion of overall tourism revenues and it employs more individuals across the world. It represents "a new economic opportunity to rural areas that, since the industrial revolution, had lost the manufacturing sector, and had not gained jobs in the service sector" (Jamal and Robinson, 2009, p.358).

The impacts of rural tourism upon the rural communities include the creation of new opportunities for women, an increase in rural incomes, the creation of new uses for heritage or the contribution to the repopulation of rural areas. Still, negative impacts were also presented and these include the demise of the environment due to touristy actions. "[O]f al noxious animals, the most noxious is the tourist" (Jamal and Robinson, 2009, p.359). At the overall level of the industry, the development of rural tourism has supported the general growth of the touristy industry through the creation of more alternative options.

2. Rural tourism after 2008

"It has a positive effect on: The economy. It is an extra activity, aside from traditional rural labors, carried out on a small scale by local entrepreneurs, which renders an income and creates job opportunities. This in turn helps prevent the population drift and invigorate the rural areas. It is a valuable tool for encouraging the development of rural economies in crisis. It provides an incentive (and part of the required funding) for infrastructure development, which boosts growth in other sectors of the economy in rural areas" (Ecotourism in America).

In 2008, the global economy entered recession and a series of new challenges impacted the domestic and international communities. In this new setting, the place and role of rural tourism has also changed.

Once perceived as a small and isolated field of the greater touristy industry, rural tourism has gradually increased in popularity. The more economically challenged populations now turn to vacations on the country side as these are more cost effective and as such better tailored to their decreased purchase powers.

In 2010 for instance, the tourism industry was registering negative impacts as a result of the crisis. Rural tourism was however developing. Countries across the globe were witnessing a decreasing number of foreign tourists, but -- to some extent -- this decrease was counter-acted by a significant increase in national tourists.

Rural tourism as such became a more popular attraction for tourists, but also a more common activity within the rural areas. Affected by the crisis, by the loss of jobs or by the decreasing revenues from agriculture, more rural communities are exploiting the opportunities of rural tourism (George, Mair and Reid, 2009).

In such a setting, it was even concluded that rural tourism represented a catalyst of social and economic recovery and a solution to overcoming the current problems of the economy. Subsequently, it was recommended that governments invested more in rural tourism as a sustainable source of income (Pillai, Govindas, Klaus and Feng, 2010). The future would as such be expected to witness the sustained development of rural tourism, supported by wide federal policies and actions.

3. Education and training in tourism

"The new vocational training certificate program helped Omar become a model of what the Siyaha project wanted to accomplish -- rather than rejecting a career in hospitality, he is excited by it. He now sees a bright future ahead and looks forward to completing a six-month internship in the industry. Part of the Vocational Training Center's training program, the internship will give Omar a chance to hone his hospitality skills in one of Jordan's prominent hotels" (Chemonics)

The changes which have recently occurred within the economy -- and subsequently within the touristy industry -- have also generated more salient impacts. One of the more relevant examples in this sense is represented by the field of touristy training and education.

The fields were traditionally focused on training current and future employees on how to attract and interact with the foreign visitors. The employees in tourism were requested to speak several foreign languages so that they could easily communicate with the tourists. All in all, the central feature in tourism training and education was represented by the need to possess skills and abilities to serve the foreign customers.

As the economy changes however, more and more tourists are domestic, rather than foreign. This virtually means that the efforts to tourism training and education are reshaping to no longer center on the foreign visitor, but to also include the domestic visitor.

The emphasis on foreign tourists is not eliminated from the training and educational programs, but these are adjusted to include more focus on the national tourists. All in all then, the training and education programs in tourism are coming to place more emphasis on knowing and serving the national tourists, who are already familiar with the region. In such a setting, more importance is granted to the quality of the experience, rather than just that of the touristy attraction. Gradually then, the field would come to emphasize more on the quality of the touristy service and this would support the development of the sector and an increase in the effort to satisfy customer needs and wants.

4. Rural tourism in Nigeria

"Nigeria offers a wide variety of tourist attractions such as extended and roomy river and ocean beaches ideal for swimming and other water sports, unique wildlife, vast tracts of unspoiled nature ranging from tropical forest, magnificent waterfalls, some new rapidly growing cities and climatic conditions in some parts particularly conducive to holidaying. Other attractions include traditional ways of life preserved in local customs; rich and varied handicrafts and other colourful products depicting or illustrative of native arts and lifestyle, and the authentic unsophisticated but friendly attitude of many in the Nigerian population" (Online Nigeria, 2011)

Nigeria is one of the most developed African economies. Its revenues are supported by oil operations, but the country is faced with tremendous problems of corruption, political instability, poor macroeconomic management or a weak infrastructure (Central Intelligence Agency, 2011).

From the standpoint of tourism, Nigeria is often sought by the foreign populations and it is valued for its rich cultural and environmental heritage. In this context, rural tourism is flourishing in the region.

People from across the world travel to Nigeria to experience the nature and the culture. The visitors are mostly people from developed economies, where the environment and the culture have been seconded by industry and development. The tourists as such look for the authentic Nigerian experience, the nature and the crafts. And rural tourism presents the country with the opportunity to provide these services to the foreign customers. Furthermore, rural tourism in Nigeria would be a suitable solution to offer the country a chance at economic revival and social development.