How is tourism development in rural areas different?
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So how is development of tourism in a rural context different? Canadian Association of Geographers Special Session: Rural tourism and recreation in Canada, May 28, 2009, Ottawa Nicole L. Vaugeois BC Regional Innovation Chair in Tourism and Sustainable Rural Development [email protected] Phone 250-753-3245 Local 2772 Vancouver Island University
description
This is a presentation from the Canadian Geographers Association Special meeting on Rural Recreation and Tourism held in Ottawa in May 09. It highlights how the development of tourism in rural areas is different or unique due to the complexities of the setting.
Transcript of How is tourism development in rural areas different?
So how is development
of tourism in a rural
context different?
Canadian Association of Geographers Special Session: Rural tourism and recreation in Canada, May 28, 2009, Ottawa
Nicole L. Vaugeois
BC Regional Innovation Chair in Tourism and
Sustainable Rural [email protected]
Phone 250-753-3245 Local 2772
Vancouver Island University
Looking ahead
▫ Why a rural lens is needed to advance tourism development;
▫ Context of BC▫ Methodology▫ Insights Realities for community leaders and operators
▫ Strategies to improve support programs▫ Research priorities
Proportion of the Canadian population
living in urban regions since 1901
What makes rural different?
• Geography shapes our culture –rural culture has evolved with tensions and realities that are different from our dominant urban population.
Conditions impacting rural BC
DisconnectUrbancentrism
Technology
Limited contact
Urbancentrism
• Policy and programs
• Education offerings
• Communication
Bell cell coverage
northern BC
And southern BC
And access to
internet
Limited contact
• Knowledge and exposure to rural realities is limited
▫ Policy makers
▫ Urban dwellers
Poverty
Poverty in rural Canada?
• Indicators from recent Federal study:
“Compared to their urban residents, rural residents tend to have lower education levels, lower levels of
literacy, lower incomes, fewer job opportunities, fewer higher paying job opportunities, more
seasonal employment, more housing that is in need of repairs, relatively poorer health, and
relatively poorer access to health care services.”
Rural Poverty Discussion Paper
http://www.rural.gc.ca/researchreports/pov/poverty-pauvrete_e.phtml
Migration
Shifting base of human capital
• Young people moving away
• Few leaders –
▫ travel required to participate in decision making
▫ Burnout
• Seniors in
▫ Retirement focus
▫ Tax and service implications
• Amenity migration
▫ Values and interests?
Methods of inquiry
How did arrive at our conclusions?
Over the gate… of course!
Grounded theory
• 5 years of field research through each region of BC
• Mixed methods – in depth interviews, observation, journaling, mapping, review of secondary data, focus groups, rapid rural assessments and regional comparison
• Multiple lens
Tourism Research Innovation
Project (TRIP) (3 year project)
www.trip-project.caPARTNERS
•Vancouver Island University•Thompson Rivers University•College of New Caledonia•University of Northern BC•College of the Rockies•Tourism BC •Ministry of Tourism Culture and the Arts
•BC Parks
•Ministry of Economic Development
•Canadian Rural Secretariat
•LINK BC
Funded in part through the Social
Sciences and Humanities Research
Council
Insights on how the rural
context matters when trying to
advance tourism development
Developing tourism in
rural areas IS different
Some opportunities are more present and some unique barriers exist…
Engagement with government
Community capacity
Marketing realities
Business capacity
Product development
Engagement with “outsiders”
Local support
Improving support programs
Embed a rural lens in
government
• BC Rural Team
• Rural Secretariat
• Field time
▫ Meetings
▫ Reality checks
• Use of rural residents to give input and assess policy and program drafts
Research priorities
Topics AND approaches
• What models are and are not working? Why and where? Are successes in one area transferable?
• Need more micro level base line data (supply and demand)
• Role of regional tourism development – a model that can address “community based models”
• More community-based, participative and long term research approaches where local knowledge is utilized
Beyond conducting research,
academics can:
• Challenge assumptions• Build knowledge of rural areas and develop a
rural lens• Ensure our programs and content reflect rural
realities• Expose our students to these realities• Research topics where rural is a key variable• Conduct collaborative research with those in
rural areas• Share our knowledge with rural audiences
Made in BC approach
BCRIC in Tourism and
Sustainable Rural Development
• Fill knowledge gaps that will enable rural communities to develop sustainable tourism▫ Understand realities (trends, product development, capacities etc)▫ Visitor data
• Collect research to support informed decision making at the community and regional level
• Develop resources that translate research to practice (how to manuals, workshops, etc).
• Evaluate development models to improve accountability and document best practices
• Liaise with policy makers to ensure knowledge is linked to policy and program development
Drivers will be:
Threefold:
1. A research agenda developed with guidance from an advisory committee (audience is rural communities)
2. Communities and regions seeking knowledge
3. Academic questions about rural tourism
Thank you
Nicole Vaugeois
www.trip-project.ca
