RURAL TOURISM

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RURAL TOURISM

• New Destination
• Creation and Management

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• BERNARD LANE
• Red Kite Environment
• Editor Journal of Sustainable Tourism

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TOURISM

• A Growth Industry since 1850
• A Worldwide Growth Industry since 1950
• 700 million International Travellers per Year
• PLUS Domestic Tourists

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Traditional Tourism

• The Beach Resort Acapulco
• The Mountain Resort Aspen
• The Specialized Resort Las Vegas
• The Heritage Resort - Cuzco

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New Trends since c. 1980

• A new type of Tourist independent, educated,
  experienced, individual, special interests, often
  seeking heritage, or activities or soft
  adventure and authenticity.
• Opposition to traditional resorts from the
  market and from pressure groups

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AND

• The need for rural areas to diversify their
  economies
• PLUS
• New Technologies to allow them to develop Tourism
  in Rural Areas

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What is Rural Tourism ?

• The Countryside, Farms, Villages, Small Towns as
  Resort ?
• An authentic Rural Experience
• Linked to Nature, and Personal Contact
• But Diversified NOT A Resort

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• Needs an Activity base
• Tourism as a Tool for Conservation and for
  Regeneration
• Needs Local Skills Development

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Sustainability

• Holistic Planning / Synergy
• Conserve Human and Biological Heritage
• Long Term
• Partnership Concepts

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Is it Ecotourism ?

• Yes BUT MORE
• Activities
• Farms
• Food
• Small Towns
• Regeneration

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THE REALITY

• Re Thinking Rural Areas what are their UNIQUE
  SELLING POINTS
• Understanding MARKETS
• Re-Skilling SOCIETY

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THE BIG 7

• Accommodation
• Product
• Markets, Market Knowledge, Marketing
• Organization
• Training
• Support
• Flair !!

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ACCOMMODATION

• Camping
• Basic Buildings
• Farm Stays
• Bed Breakfast
• Traditional Country Inns / Hotels
• Green Accommodation
• Rural Retreats

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PRODUCT

• Heritage and Interpretation
• Activities
• Infrastructure signs shops food drinks
• Trails
• Enterprises
• Creating Product is a key

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Markets Marketing

• Must be skilled
• Must understand market needs
• Must relate to the Rural Product
• Niche Markets many of them
• Partnerships
• Print, Web and Media
• Brands and Quality and Time

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ORGANIZATION

• LOCAL
• REGIONAL
• NATIONAL
• BEYOND

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TRAINING

• For Local People in the Business
• For Organizers and Leaders
• For Local and Regional Officials
• For Ever

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SUPPORT

• Financial
• Technical
• Political
• Training
• Marketing
• Infrastructure Roads, Signs, ETC

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SUPPORT - 2

• Local Government
• In The EU LEADER
• Project Based Support
• National Government

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Leadership Flair

• Rural Tourism needs
• Heroes restless individuals, people with
  vision, guile and courage
• Flair tourism is a fashion business, needs
  people skills and charm

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Leadership Flair - 2

• And
• Workers with determination and contacts and who
  like people
• Women the key to successful rural tourism

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Where To Start

• Assess your assets and strengths as
  individuals, and as groups.
• Do you have accommodation ?
• Are you and your neighbours hungry for success ?

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Where to Start - 2

• Is there a market ? Do you know about the Market
  ?
• Will local government help ?
• Are there are any leaders ? Any Partners ? Any
  honest brokers ? Any skills ?

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Where to Start - 3

• Is there any money available ?
• Is there a model you can visit ?
• Can you set up an action group ?
• And START WITH A SUCCESS !

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5 ideas to remember !

• Every problem has been solved somewhere else
  before !
• The Possibilities are enormous
• Get Market Knowledge !
• Make the Universities work this is a crusade
  they must be involved with
• COFFEE

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FINALLY

• This is not just a new development.
• It is RE-SKILLING SOCIETY
• IT IS A RURAL REVOLUTION IT RE-ASSESSES YOUR
  POTENTIAL AND YOUR LANDS POTENTIAL AND YOUR
  NATIONS LINKS TO THE LAND