KNjIGA SAžETAKA / BOOK Of ABSTRACTS - Treći međunarodni ...

Valerie J Carter: B. Sc (Hons)
Member of Royal Town Planning Institute (MRTPI); Fellow of Royal Geographical Society (FRGS)
President of the European Council for the Village and Small Town (Ecovast)
Ecovast Secretary General: 59 Bodycoats Road, Eastleigh, Hampshire, SO53 2HA, England
Sherborne, Ingleden Park Road, Tenterden, Kent, England
e-mail: carter73@btinternet.com
Title of the contribution:
Small Rural Towns as centres for Rural Tourism
Keywords:
history; architecture, accommodation; accessibility; opportunities
Type of presentation:
Relevant research findings on tourism and small rural
towns
Best practice examples in small towns
Opportunities and problems
Theme:
Small towns have significant historic and architectural
assets which could attract tourists interested in heritage
which could make a significant contribution to the
local economy. Promotion of these local assets could
encourage the development of a local regional tourism
‘package’.
Purpose of study:
The study adds to the evidence base on small towns in
South East England 2010 - used to develop a typology
and set out their importance to the local economy. Tourism
aspects looked at previously have been reviewed
and refined and new data sources added.
Methodology/Approach:
Empirical research on factors including evidence of
Town Charters; Buildings of Architectural and Historic
Interest; local Conservation Areas; and Areas of Outstanding
Natural Beauty. Research used national and
local data sets. Reference is made to the first research
on historic towns by the British Council of Archaeology
in 1967. Survey findings are then compared to the typology
study 2010 and accessibility.
UvoDnA izlAgAnJA
Findings:
165 towns are ranked on their heritage assets. 44% have
significant assets and well-suited to be tourist destinations.
Tourism businesses thrive in small towns and contribute
to local economies. Staying visitors spend twice
that of a day-visitor and but demands quality accommodation.
Historic assets need maintainance depending
on private sector investment not public sector grants.
Towns are hubs of public transport which could encourage
visitors to use it rather than cars. Opportunities
exist to develop packages using public transport linking
several towns or towns and villages.Well maintained
footpaths, car parks and toilets are essential but local
authorities are sufferring from highly strained finances.
Other problems associated with additional visitors.
Originality/Value:
This is the first piece of research looking at heritage
assets of all small rural towns in the region, adding to
the evidence base, gathered 2009-10, and the original
study defining a typology of towns based on their value
to local economies. Evidence is needed to back up requests
for specific policies for small towns, recognising the
existing policy gap between urban or rural policies which
do not fit ‘small towns’.
Research limitations/Implications:
This latest study has not yet been published but will go
on the Ecovast website shortly. Also some of the data
and research referred to is quite old – but in my view
still relevant
Practical implications:
The presentation will show some best pratice examples
which could be replicated by other towns, and will highlight
other studies which are underway, which might
be useful to those interested in hertiage tourism.
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