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without specific tourism training, may be con-
strained by shortage of capital and has a short
time-scale for success. Rural tourism is generally
dominated by micro-businesses, which perform
an important role economically and socially in
stabilizing fragile areas (Middleton, 2001) but
emphasize the fragmentation of the tourism
industry across different economic sectors.
The modern countryside has become an
arena where a multitude of tensions and compet-
ing ideologies are played out (Sharpley, 2003).
Sharpley (2003, citing P. Stone's unpublished
MSc Thesis, University of Northumbria, 2000)
contrasts two ideological perspectives. First is
the resource-oriented 'conservation ideology' in
which the environmental agenda dominates and
the countryside is maintained as a rural idyll
to support appropriate recreational pursuits.
Second is the profit-oriented 'commercial ideo-
logy', which adopts a rational approach to the
countryside focusing on the profitable develop-
ment of tourism and where the economic
agenda triumphs. However, as Wanhill (2005,
p. 251) points out, 'the short-term gains sought
by capital markets are often at odds with the
long-term sustainability of tourist environments'.
Sharpley (2003) develops a model of
governance which recognizes these two orienta-
tions and identifies a middle ground which he
labels 'authority' adopting a power-orientation
through appropriate planning and control assert-
ing that successful governance must 'recognise,
satisfy and balance the opposing needs of the
conservation and commercial groups of actors
within broader development objectives' (Sharpley,
2003, pp. 42-43). Sharpley stresses the import-
ance of partnerships of relevant stakeholders in
the planning and control of rural tourism devel-
opment at a local level and the close alignment
of tourism policy with the wider economic
development policy. This will become increas-
ingly important as tourism movements increase:
quality management (IQM), which offers the
benefits of:
more local awareness and support for tour-
ism generally in the destination, amongst
local people and across all rural sectors;
better coordination between local tourism
enterprises themselves, and greater support
for, and involvement with, the management
and marketing of the destination;
an improved image of the destination which
is real and not based on false expectations;
a set of rural products which can be pro-
moted with confidence;
increased customer satisfaction, with more
repeat business and recommendations; and
better knowledge of the economic, social
and environmental impacts of tourism
and ability to adjust for them (European
Commission, 2000, p. 8).
Through IQM, a consensus on appropriate
development for a particular rural area can be
negotiated with private and public sectors work-
ing in partnership using whatever mechanisms
are available to be able to facilitate the achieve-
ment of goals. Wanhill (2005, p. 251) highlights
the role of investment incentives in proactively
ensuring appropriate development:
investment incentives are policy instruments
that can be used to correct for market failure
and ensure a development partnership between
the public and private sectors. The partnership
approach has a particular significance for
regional development, particularly in peripheral
areas due to the existence of many small
communities, lack of resources, areas in decline
and the fragmented nature of the supply being
a range of small and micro-tourist establish-
ments. The disparate character of the industry
at this level requires a proactive role from
public bodies in the form of a coordinated
tourism strategy and business support, in order
to give a sense of direction and engender confi-
dence through local community involvement.
there will be a need for more regulation,
direction and improved management of
tourism resources to prevent environmental
degradation and implement tourism
development plans in a sustainable manner.
(Wanhill, 2005, p. 251)
Thus, to have any potential for the achieve-
ment of sustainable rural tourism there must be
a consensus on development goals, an appro-
priate policy framework which recognizes the
agendas of different stakeholders and the use of
investment support to proactively orchestrate
rural tourism developments. Thus, of particular
interest is the policy framework for sustainable
This balancing of internal and external agen-
das for rural tourism development come together
in
the
European-led
initiative
of
integrated
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