Defining Rural Tourism And Farm Tourism Tourism Essay

Defining Rural touring carry And Farm Tourism Tourism EssayIndia is school term on the blitzkrieg of becoming a super power and it is the Indian outlandish welkin that is going to drive that super growth. The Government of India has made awkward economic development in general, and homespun infrastructure development in specific, is a key priority. India has launched the Bharat Nirman (Building India) program, which entails investing over US $ 40 Billion, equivalent to 5 per cent of FY2005 GDP, in six critical argonas of outlandish infrastructure over four years starting from 2005. A part of this project aims at astir(p) the touristry and recreation in these argonas.Jafari and Ritchie (1981) defined touristry as an interdisciplinary study which integrates a variety of subjects, disciplines and focuses and can be seen from numerous points of views and approaches. The touristry as a central study can be analyze from many focuses and created into a new smorgasbord touris m development model as depicted below.(3) A consequential element resulted from the two preceding elements which is concerned with effects on the economic, physical and tender subsystems.Some external variables such as salary increase earnings, mobility increase, level of information increase, and desire to escape from pressure of day-to-day urban living generate effective demands on tourism which stimulate the rise of unhomogeneous forms of tourisms such as recreational tourism, ethnic tourism, health tourism, conference tourism, historical tourism, eco tourism, etcetera (Wall and Mathieson, 1982).Defining outlandishDefinitions of inelegant vary both in musical surpass and philosophy. They tend to express cultural differences between and functional requirements within, regions and countries, the varying parameters of which supranational overviews set about attempted to grapple. While national governments use specific criteria to define campestral often ground on the t ribe density of settlements there is no universal agreement on the critical population threshold which distinguishes between urban and rustic populations (Boedewes, 1981).OECD defines agrarian bea as At a local level a population density of 150 persons per squ ar kilometre is the best-loved criterion. At the regional level, geographic units are grouped by the share of their population that is rural into the following three types predominantly rural (50%), significantly rural (15-50%) and urbanized rural (15%) (OECD, 1994).According to National Sample Survey Organization (NSSO) rural areas in India are defined as those areas which generate a population density Defining rural tourism and bring forth tourismA variety of terms are employed to appoint tourism activity in rural areas agritourism, bring on tourism, rural tourism, soft tourism and several some others which have often been used interchangeably.The term agri/ turn tourism often used to describe all tourism activities i n rural areas more frequently related to tourism products which are directly connected with the rural purlieu, agrarian products or agrarian stays staying on a kindle or near the fields, educational visits, meals, recreational activities and such ( Sharpley and Sharpley, 1997).Agrotourism is businesses conducted by kick upstairsers whose running(a) verdant operations for the enjoyment and education of visitors. In extensions meaning, agrotourism presents the potential generating maturate revenues and increasing profitability. Additionally, visitors of agrotourism contact directly with farmers and support the increase of agriculture products indirectly (Jolly and Reynolds, 2005).Farm tourism is largely considered as a subset of rural tourism and is quite often based on an active working farm and farmer (Nilsson, 2002). Clarke (1996) elaborates that in farm tourism, the core essence of nation, its beautiful beauty, accommodation and activities such as farming, riding a tracto r, picking produce are preserved and involves tremendous realize in its activities. Activities on farm conjure draw and opportunities to learn about the rural life and agriculture technique of the country, to project and eff the preserved tradition, calmness, peace, clean fresh milieu, contact with animals and traditional farm meals (Nilsson, 2002 and Fleischer and Tchetchik, 2005).Key elements of pure farm tourism (Lane 1994)Located in rural areasFunctionally rural built upon rural worlds special qualitys of small scale initiative, unclouded space, contact with nature and the natural world, heritage, traditional societies and traditional practicesProvides personalized contactRural in scale-both in terms of buildings and settlements and therefore usually small scaleTraditional in character, growing slowly and organically and connected with local families. It will often to be largely controlled and developed for the long term practised of the areaOf many contrastive kinds, representing the complex patterns of rural environment, economy, history and location.A high percentage of tourism revenue benefiting the rural community.Tourism versus Farm TourismAccording to Shaw and Williams (2004), there have been various(a) definitional issues regarding what tourism is. They indicate that a broad outlook of tourism allows for the identification of tourism between countries and as well as tourism within a country. Vanhove (2005) sees tourism is seen as any activity related to momentary movement of people to a place outside their normal places of dorm and employment, and the activities they engage in during the stay.Farm tourism began in earnest after World War II, although its beginning is rooted in the concept of genial tourism that was popular in the 1920s and 1930s (Pearce, 1990). Farm tourism as used by Roberts and Hall (2001) refers to stays in rural homesteads where farming is skillful either full-time or part-time.Farm tourism is often used interch angeably with agritourism (Oppermann, 1997). Farm tourism is a sub-division of agritourism. It involves activities carried out on working farms where the working environment forms part of the product from the perception of the consumer (Roberts and Hall, 2001). Farm tourism involves engaging the farm more than the primary production of food, fibre and raw materials. It may sometimes involve activities off the farm in addition to accommodation on the farm (Roberts and Hall, 2001).A number of studies on farm tourism consider it as an economic alternative for farmers who are facing decreased profits and difficulties generated by the agricultural crisis and restructuring. The opportunity to engage in activities that are negatively correlated with farming and the prospect of increasing farm income by spreading cost is probably the greatest advantage of incorporating tourism into the farm business. Because of the problems in agriculture, diversification has been viewed as a means of survi val for farm business, with tourism thought to be an attractive and feasible chooseion open to farmers (Glenn et al. 1997).There has been a discussion on the keep assets of farm households in the context of human (i.e. skills and k forthwithledge), economic (i.e. land, capital and labour), environmental (i.e. landscape features, clean air and water), social (i.e. networks and social interaction), cultural (i.e. include history, tradition, folklore and cultural heritage) and political (i.e. decision making power and see on policies) that are available for and that can be exploited in the diversification process. In essence, when farmers use the potential opportunity for farm tourism and diversify, they shield themselves against the constraints of the cost-price squeeze and income decline (Barlett, 1993).Significance of farm tourismVarious estimates suggest that tourism in rural areas make up 10-20% of all tourism activity. Lane (1994) survey pointed out that there is absence of a ny systematic source of data on rural tourism, since neither the World Tourism Organization(WTO) nor the Organization for economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has appropriate measures. Several constraints on accurate and comparatively meaningful data relating to rural tourism and recreation therefore persistDifferences in national definition and enumeration one country may include only farm and nature tourism, objet dart a nonher will consider many economic activities outside of urban areas to be a part of rural tourismMany rural tourists and recreationalists are excursionists (day visitors) rather than those who make overnight stays (the extend of whom can to be some extent be measured in terms of hunch-nights)Rural tourisms actually diversity and fragmentation whereby tens of thousands of enterprises and public initiatives are active across the world. Rural environments have a long history of being managed for recreation purposes and this symbiotic kind has had importan t impacts on both environment and activity.Farm tourism is one area under rural tourism, which is a sub-division of rural tourism that can table service generate income and employment (Novelli and Robinson, 2005 and Sharpley and Sharpley, 1997). Hence, farm tourism is becoming widely seen as a means to tackle the socio economic problem of rural and agricultural sector (Sharpley and Vas, 2005). As farm tourism has the potential to offer experiential service to tourist, reckoning this experience proves beneficial to improve service (McIntosh and Bonnemann, 2006), withal as farm tourism takes places in rural setting offering traditional service reasonableness tourist motivation seems important.Range of tourism and recreation activities in rural areas ( Thibal 1988) modifiedTouringHikingCycling temper parksBird watchingRural heritage studiesLocal industrial, agricultural or trade enterprisesCourses in craftsArtistic typeface workshopsFolk groupsCultural, gastronomic and other rout esWater related activitiesFishingSwimmingBoatingHallmark eventsRural sporting events (eg, Jallikatu sport in Tamil nadu) unsophisticated showsBusiness relatedSmall scale conventionsIncentive tourism short brakesPassive activitiesRelaxing holidays in a rural milieuNature study in outdoor settingsPhotographyLandscape appreciationEmbacher (1994) identifies the contributions of farm tourism to the farming sector. The first recognition is that farm tourism provides more economic income for farmers, thus the farmers are able to cope and remain self employed in times of negative changes in the prices of agricultural produce/commodities. The second is that farm tourism provides an avenue for the direct sale of produce from farm. The third is that farm tourism contributes to the economic survival of farmers experiencing the effects of stiff competition, and changes in agricultural and hatful policies.Impacts of farm tourismAlthough tourism continues to be viewed by some as a panacea for the economic and social ills of the countryside itIs essentially an economic tool involve to be part of a portfolio of strategies contributing to successful rural developmentIs not appropriate in all rural areas, but opportunity costs and actors for its comparative advantage will vary considerably from one type of rural area to another.Economic factors reducing tourisms effectiveness as a rural development tool include income leakages, volatility, a declining multiplier factor, low pay, and imported labour, the limited number of entrepreneurs in rural areas and the conservatism of investors. Rural tourism is better suited to act as a complement to an existing thriving and diverse rural economy (Butler and Clark 1992).Tourism plays an increasingly important and diversified role in local development, especially in revitalizing and reorganizing local economies, and improving the flavor of life. Tourist flows can be generators of at least supplementary income in farming, craft and serv ice sectors. Rendering the possibility to realize the economic value of specific, quality based production of food stuff as well as of bracing and abandoned buildings, unique scenery, space and culture.Despite often being characterized by host-guest differences, rural tourism can open up the possibility of new social contacts, especially in breaking down the isolation of more remote areas and social groups. Opportunities to revaluate heritage and its symbols the environment and the identity of rural places is overly promoted by rural tourism. Rural tourism development strategies should assist policies of environmental and social sustainability (Cavaco, 1995).Farm tourism generates a significant contribution to the rural development process in rural areas and does indeed do so in many cases (Busby and Rendle, 2000). The contributions could be in the forms of income increase and job opportunities, exchange between rural and urban areas, multiplier effects particularly for small-scal e direct investments, strengthening local or regional structures by creating networks and the like, stimulating physical infrastructure developments, increasing the diversity of economic activities, raising awareness of the value of an area, such as its landscape, nature and culture, and the economic potencies, as well as improving the infrastructure which enable to provide opportunities for other economic developments.The negative impacts of agrotourism development will occur when the development ignores the development principles and ethics. The potential negative impacts which may occur such as degradation of environment and local culture qualities, and economics gaps among the regions (Henegan, 2002)Concept of Farm DiversificationFundamental processes of restructuring, the decline in farm income and a dwindling farm population have characterized the agricultural sector of industrial society. Tapping into opportunities such as farm tourism can have significant potential for farme rs. The identification and promotion of farms as a result of their location, natural attraction and tourist-oriented facilities is essential in the process of diversification. The key feature of diversification is that it seeks to encourage investment in sectors that are usually different from those in which recent hardships have befallen (Lobao, L. and Meyer, 2001).There are three common means of farm diversification (The Centre for Rural Research (2003). The first is agricultural diversification which is the use of farm resources to produce new sources of income (e.g. crop products, animal products, and farm woodland). The second is structural or business diversification. In this case, farm households have a variety of income from business activities (e.g. tourism, and value added activities) that are run on the farm or are partly dependent on the farm based land and capital assets. The third is passive diversification which includes leasing of agricultural land and buildings.Fact ors that Determine Diversification into Farm TourismShaw and Williams (2004) shed light on the factors that influence the decision of farm households regarding diversification and what types of alternative enterprise to diversify into. These factors according to Wheelen and Hunger (2004) are the external and internal stimuli. The external stimuli stems from the external environment. They refer to the opportunities and threats that the farm household is exposed to (e.g. external capital sources, legal frameworks, market trends, change in technology, and sociocultural trends). The internal stimuli refer to strengths and weaknesses that are likely to determine if the enterprise will be able to take advantage of opportunities. These internal stimuli include profitability, availability of time, and family life course.More apparent farm tourism activities include accommodation, (e.g. bed breakfast, farm accommodation, ranch) and recreational activities (e.g. wildlife viewing, hunting, fi shing, and horseback riding) (Clarke, 1996). Others include educational activities (e.g. garden or nursery tours, historical agricultural display tours, and agricultural technical tours), direct farm product sales (e.g. on the farm sales of farm produce, pick your own operations, and sale of agricultural related crafts), entertainment activities (e.g. barn dances, harvest festivals and hunting) (Matthews, 2004). motif Tourists opting for rural tourism such as farm tourism do so in order to satisfy their exacts, wants and are likely to chose destinations that are not just rural in physical features but also stimulate them psychologically through the image it portrays (Frochot, 2005 and Bramwell and Lane 1994). Sharpley (1996) stresses that tourist opting for tourism in rural areas are in fact trying to seek peace tranquillity, space, authenticity, tradition, simplicity all of which would help urban dwellers relieve stress. According to study conducted by Hopkins (1998) revealed that the motivational factors for tourist to respond to rural tourism advertisements was because it satiated the desire to escape to different environment in order to enjoy experience of different quality and authenticity. Another study conducted by Huang and Tsai (2003) reports that the prospects of socializing and interacting, participating and experiencing novel situations, escape from stressed life were some underlying occasions for travel to rural destinations. These motives could also be applicable for farm tourists. Hence, it can be assumed that evidently urban dwellers are motivated to opt for farm tourism to escape from the stressful, mundane life.In order to understand tourist travel behaviour Crompton(1979) mentions that identifying motivation is the key factor. Motivation surfaces the reason privy travel and participation in travel activities (Jang, Bai, Hu, Wu, 2009). The literary works constantly mention that motivation is the driving force that make individuals take ac tions( Park and Yoon, 2009). Hence, it is crucial that study be conducted on tourist motivation as it would aid point out elements that could be promoted inorder to entice tourist to particular destination that match their motivation to travel(Kozak, 2001). Motivation is the key to create attitude for opting a destination and also generating expectation which when fulfilled, all ultimately forms the bases that influences the image of a destination (Rodriguez del Bosque, San Martin, Collado and Garcia de los Salmones,2009). Though motivation reveals the key question why people travel, it also helps understanding the psychological factors ( Gnoth, 1997, Goossens, 2000). Moutinho (2000) mentions motivation as the dominant component that influences human behaviour. It also serves as a driving force to satiate individuals physiological and psychological haves ( Berkman, Lindquist and Sirgy, 1997). According to Cohen (1974) studies undertaken to understand the motives behind travel help realize the social and psychological facts of tourism. gum olibanum motivational reasons can be seen as a psychological need that cause disequilibrium and is satiated through travel experience( Crompton, 1979 Kim, Crompton and Botha, 2000). In other words, the motivation to travel arises when individuals desire to fullfill their need deficiency ( Mill and Morrison, 2002).Maslows conjecture of needs seems to be widely adapted in literature, however investigator also point out the theory weakness and mention that motivation to fullfill ones needs, need not start from bottom to up but multiple needs could arise in random order in Maslows hierarchy( Goebel and Brown, 1981). Criticism of Maslows hierarchy of needs theory also includes that the concepts are infer and posses a barrier to be tested, as precise measuring to understand the flow of needs is not possible( Schniffman and Kanuk, 1997).The earliest study on identifying motives behind travel were put forth by Lundberg(1971), by identifying assumed 18 motivation factors. Later on bases on indepth interrogate Crompton(1979) based on this study put forth 9 motives that influence people to travel and were based on sociopsychological and cultural motives or push and disembowel motives. Sociopsychological needs or push factor are internal and influence individuals to travel and pull factor are external that influeces individual to travel to a particular destination because of its influencing attraction on the pull factor(Oh, Uysal and Weaver, 1995). For example the desire to escape for a stress life could be considered as the push factor and with farm tourism capable to offer scenic calm uncrowned environment could be considered a pull factor that might satiate an individuals need to escape. Understanding motivation has also interested studies related to decision making, market segmentation and destination choice(Jang, Bai, HU and Wu, 2009). These factors were then generalized by Goeldner and Ritchie(2003) under the typology such as (a) physical (b) cultural (c) interpersonal (d) prestige. Authors commonly accept Cromptons model when it comes to the study of tourist motivation as it helps understand tourists intangible intrinsic motive behind choice of destination ( Kozak, 2001 and Bansal and Eiselt, 2004).Several studies have gone about adapting Cromptons theory to find motivational factors of nationalities, senior citizens, influence of motivation on satisfaction, motives to select particular destination ( Yuan, McDonald, 1990 Zhang and Lim 1999 Yoon and Uysal, 2005 Jang and Wu, 2006). Though studies on motivations have been carried out extensively, few studies have been undertaken to understand motivation in rural settings (Park and Yoon, 2009). For this research, which will be undertaken in India, the researcher would adapt Cromptons theory to understand motives of tourist in farm tourism.From the literature, it suggests that quite evidently the motives by Crompton seem to form t he backbone to understand motives of tourist to opt farm tourism.ExperienceRural tourism is jockey for its diversity and versatility and is commonly used as a subsititute to farm tourism, ecotourism , nature tourism or wildlife tourism however in reality the above terms are specific to tourism with distinct activities, however with a common underlyning factor that all these forms of tourism take place in a rural setting( Sharpley, 1996).Previous researches have concentrated heavily on service delivery and service performance, however now there is growing need to have an understanding of experience derived from service industry such as tourism( Schmitt, 1999 and Pine and Gilmore, 1999). This suggests that academia lacks the study on experience derived by customers. In todays world of service industry, the importance for understanding experience has gained momentum (Miranda, 2009). Experience can be defined as events that engage individuals in a personal way ( Bigne and Andreu, 2004, p692) or the subjective mental state felt by participants during a service encounter ( Otto and Ritchie, 1996, p 166). Tourist see their own experience based on personal motivation and underlying reason they wish to fullfill whilst participating in activities( MacIntosh and Prentice 1999).Experience involves intermingling of various elements that fuses and influence tourist senses (Shaw and Ivens, 2002).Experience occurs when conscious state of mind is stimulated through thoughts and feeling. ODell ( 2005) mentions experiencescape as a space where individuals have the control and freedom to interact with the environment and enjoy feeling of pleasure and entertainment. Such a feeling could also be derived when engaging in farm tourism. Experience can be studied either from a marketing approach or social science approach(Mosseberg, 2007). For the study of farm tourism the researcher finds social science approapriate for farm tourism. Since from the social science perspective tourist are keen to derive experience that is different from the normal daily experiences and wish to participate is new and different activities ( Quan and Wang, 2004). This seems akin to tourist opting farm tourism as they would wish to derive a completely different feeling.The experience derived by customers from services can be generalized however experience depends on the level of participation of tourist into experiential activities offeredPine and Gilmore(1999). It is likely that tourist though would be motivated to enjoy different experience would rather not be through active participation but by passive unplanned activities (Ryan, Hughes and Chirgwin, 2000). This suggests that it is likely for tourists wanting to consume the experience of the activities in the farm, to participate either actively or passively. Service industry offering such experiential service need to concentrate and put in efforts to understand the experience perceived by consumer participating in such activitie s ( Schmitt, 2003). In order to do so Schmitt(2003) divided experience under sense experience that aids consumer satiate the need for scenic and tranquillity. The need for fun and pleasure as experience to feel, the desire to acquire knowledge and understand novelty as think-experience, Act-experience that would enhance ones lifestyle, and lastly the relate- experience that enhances ones connection and relation with others providing a feeling of importance and belonging. Xu and Chan(2010) in their discussion on experience in tourism mark the dimensions of experience put forth by Otto and Ritchie, 1996 has been proved to be of value and valid for the study of experience. Hence the dimensions of experience can also be employ to understand the experience derived from the experiential services offered in farm tourismTourists whilst consuming the experience from activites or services, could be influence with the environment the physical feature that surround the activity and this has a n impact on perception of experience (Bitner, 1992). Business sectors are now focusing on studying and understanding experience and are trying to constantly create the environment in business that would provide better unique experience that would help attract more consumers. Consumers now are in the look out of activities which can be self controlled and also provide unique valued experience( Mossberg, 2007) Tourist business are putting in efforts to create such services and circumstances that could provide experience that customers are looking for and are also trying to develop strategies to attract tourist(Gilmore and Pine 2002). However, farm tourism is undoubtedly full of natural experiential activities that have the potential to offer consumers with unique experience and by understanding the experience that tourist go through whilst indulging in farm activities, which is also the focus of this research would help in promotion that is more effective and attract more tourists. As tourism in rural settings such as farm tourism has tremendous opportunity to offer varied experience, this would positively attract to the market and could also serve as a motive for tourist to opt for such tourism (Getz and Page, 1997).When tourist consume experience, it could also be in tangible form such as the purchase of artifacts, which serves as a reminder and rejuvenation of the experience derived( Onderwater, Richards and Stam, 2000). Hedonic consumption, related to desires to undergo varied experience and when certain products are able to provide such desired experience it appeals and attracts consumers and could be considered to be a motivational factor fulfilling the desire ( Mowen and Minor, 1998). Hence, the study might help understand the experience that tourists undergo on farms and if this has been an influence on motivational factor. Bansal and Eiselt (2004) mention that experience or hedonic components of an activity are incorporated in the motive for travel. Whi ch is also supported by Foster(1999) as he considers experience as a critical part in tourist motivation. The satisfaction of experience also directly relates to realization of motives to travel (Ross and Iso-Ahola, 1991). Thus if experience offered by activities in farm tourism and experience that tourist wish to seek are know it would also help satisfy the motives and in turn attract more market wishing to seek similar satisfaction. Studies examining the experiences provided at attraction to tourist is increasing( McIntosh and Siggs, 2005 Schanzel and McIntosh, 2000). Thus offering knowledge on the important relation tourism encounters have on visitor and their impact on providing unique benefits and satisfaction. Hence Pearce 1990 recognises the fact that tourist opting for destinations such as farm tourism have more mature motives and also expect for personal and meaningful experience above all. This suggests that apart from understanding the motives to travel to farm it is als o vital to understand experience offered by farm activities.