Measuring Sustainable Tourism Development in Remote Rural ...
Measuring Sustainable Tourism Development in Remote Rural ...
Measuring Sustainable Tourism Development in Remote Rural ...
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Introduction<br />
<strong>Tourism</strong> is seen as a possible and viable strategy for development <strong>in</strong> many remote<br />
rural areas, be<strong>in</strong>g viewed as perhaps best meet<strong>in</strong>g the requirements of environmental<br />
susta<strong>in</strong>ability, employment, public and private <strong>in</strong>vestment, <strong>in</strong>frastructure betterment and<br />
economic benefits. The development of tourist facilities and recreational opportunities<br />
has frequently been viewed as a means of redress<strong>in</strong>g regional disparities <strong>in</strong> <strong>in</strong>comes<br />
and employment (Mathieson and Wall, 1982). Tourists can play an important part of<br />
community development by giv<strong>in</strong>g local residents the possibility of earn<strong>in</strong>g some<br />
additional <strong>in</strong>come. It is argued that s<strong>in</strong>ce local materials and labour are employed <strong>in</strong><br />
local production, it represents potential for small-scale development of susta<strong>in</strong>able<br />
tourism.<br />
The economy of remote rural areas has traditionally been dependent upon a s<strong>in</strong>gle<br />
local <strong>in</strong>dustry, either agriculture, fisheries or other (but mostly agriculture). Thus<br />
agriculture will, <strong>in</strong>evitably, have an <strong>in</strong>fluence on local tourism development, s<strong>in</strong>ce it is<br />
still part of the local people’s daily lives. Cox and Fox (1991) illustrated the important<br />
relationship between agriculture and tourism, recognis<strong>in</strong>g the need to exam<strong>in</strong>e this<br />
further, to ensure that the potential of agriculturally based leisure attractions could be<br />
realised. “Agriculture is traditionally the economic ma<strong>in</strong>stay of rural areas, there is a<br />
l<strong>in</strong>kage between agriculture and tourism”.<br />
The current global tourism market is experienc<strong>in</strong>g changes <strong>in</strong> tourism demand and<br />
consumption patterns as perhaps never before. The tourism consumer is chang<strong>in</strong>g<br />
through greater awareness of the world, wider experiences and tourism products, both<br />
domestically and <strong>in</strong>ternationally, and through chang<strong>in</strong>g consumer pressures and<br />
expectations. The current affects of change are lead<strong>in</strong>g to the rise <strong>in</strong> the<br />
“unmanageable” consumer, the consumer who is more knowledgeable with a wider<br />
perspective of tourism and its products and therefore <strong>in</strong>creas<strong>in</strong>gly demand<strong>in</strong>g (Jones,<br />
1997). This may imply that <strong>in</strong>ternational mass tourism is no longer a homogenous<br />
phenomenon it purportedly used to be.<br />
Chang<strong>in</strong>g perceptions are lead<strong>in</strong>g to higher expectations or desired services by<br />
consumers <strong>in</strong> tourist areas. However, not only is it desirable to study the nature of<br />
tourist demand and the character of the accompany<strong>in</strong>g movements of people, for the<br />
purpose of understand<strong>in</strong>g the driv<strong>in</strong>g forces beh<strong>in</strong>d recent growth <strong>in</strong> tourism: it is also<br />
desirable to know someth<strong>in</strong>g about the impact (environmental, economic, cultural etc.)<br />
of the tourists on the areas which they visit. The need for studies <strong>in</strong> this field has<br />
grown with the realisation that tourist developments do not always br<strong>in</strong>g benefit to the<br />
host areas; <strong>in</strong>deed they may lead to the accentuation of the exist<strong>in</strong>g social and<br />
economic problems or to the creation of new problems altogether (White, 1974: 1-2)<br />
Literature Review<br />
The susta<strong>in</strong>able approach to development is not new and there have been many<br />
<strong>in</strong>terpretations of what susta<strong>in</strong>able development is. But it is now generally accepted<br />
that susta<strong>in</strong>able development recognises the validity of three <strong>in</strong>terests - the<br />
environment (natural and man made), the economy and socio-cultural concerns<br />
(Macgillivray & Zadek, 1995). Writers generally trace the orig<strong>in</strong>s of the term<br />
"susta<strong>in</strong>able development" back to a 1987 World Commission on Environment and<br />
<strong>Development</strong> report entitled "Our Common Future", also known as the Brundtland