Book examines regional integration and sustainable tourism development
CABI is one of the leading academic publishers of books in the subject area of tourism, and subscribers to the Leisure Tourism website have access to many of these titles as eBooks. We have a strong collection of new books in 2017, and website subscribers already have access to eight 2017 titles, with more in the pipeline. Recently added to the website is Linking urban and rural tourism: strategies in sustainability, edited by Susan Slocum and Carol Kline.
Tourism is promoted as a tool for economic development, and a source of employment in peripheral areas where there are few other economic activities. But poorly planned developments can bring negative environmental and social impact, and lack of local linkages can lead to widespread ‘leakage’ of revenues and little economic benefit to local communities. One of the best ways to enhance economic benefits to the local community is to increase the extent of linkages between the formal tourism sector (hotels, lodges, restaurants, tour operators and transport providers) and the local economy. Increased integration can develop strong linkages between tourism and other economic sectors including agriculture, fisheries, manufacturing, construction and crafts production. Agriculture and food supply chains, in particular, are a way of linking rural and urban economies, benefitting both local food producers, and tourism businesses who can use distinctive food and drink as a key part of the tourism offering.
The new title applies an inclusive approach to integration by providing insight into inclusive regional development strategies that support both the needs of urban and rural areas whilst enhancing the tourist experience, supporting the positive impacts of tourism and mitigating the negative. It demonstrates, through case studies and literature, that partnership opportunities exist through many mechanisms, such as direct community-based tourism development, stimulating small businesses for long-term partners, and buying from a community-based tourism organization or local tour operator. Sustainable tourism promotes sourcing locally, such as using rural agricultural products in urban tourism experiences. Furthermore, innovative rural marketing strategies linking tourism heritage, attractions, food and drink trails, and artisans with urban visitors are emerging.
The book addresses three critical thematic areas: rural–urban linkages, fringe tourism, and strategies for sustainable tourism. The first section includes four chapters. Marika Gon reviews the literature on rural-urban tourism relationships, before Holden and Lupton evaluate the potential of tourism experiences in rural areas to connect urbanites to nature and to help develop environmentally responsible behaviour. Further chapters in this section deal with stakeholdler involvement in tourism planning, and the role of farms and foodscapes in the peri-urban environment.
The section on fringe tourism discusses tourism development in the suburbs, between rural areas and the inner cities. Robert Maitland suggests that suburbia may become increasingly attractive to visitors, offering a ‘real’ experience, the search for the authentic or an opportunity to experience ‘everyday life’ within a destination. Slocum and Curtis explore farm shops as a form of suburban tourism development, while Kline et al. present the findings of a study on the views of residents and non-residents on the people, towns and amenities of Moore County, North Carolina, USA, to explore potential conflicts that may arise in fringe settings, the factors that may influence support for tourism growth and development, and varying opinions on important attributes in and surrounding rural communities and the fringe regions.
The final eight chapters of the book are on sustainability strategies. Topics covered include food tourism and local food sourcing, theme parks as a link between urban and rural territories, and the potential of the arts to alleviate poverty in rural towns. Chantell LaPan introduces the importance of domestic tourism and growth in developing countries, with a study from Guatemala. In the final chapter, Karla Boluk discusses some of the practices and initiatives incorporating sustainable value into an international hotel chain, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts (FHR).
Leisure Tourism subscribers can find all chapters of the book Linking urban and rural tourism through this link, while non-subscribers can purchase it in print. To view upcoming tourism titles from CABI, see the CABI online bookshop.