Responsible Rural Tourism In Asia

The rural tourism sector has become a key driver for social and economic growth and a major source of income for developing and low-income countries in many parts of Asia. Rural tourism is progressively viewed as a solution, increasing the economic viability of marginalised areas, stimulating social regeneration and improving the living conditions of rural communities. Responsible rural tourism promotes conservation of the natural environment, protects the authenticity of culture, and offers socioeconomic opportunities and benefits for local communities. This book encompasses case studies from a range of Asian countries and examines both successful and failed attempts in developing responsible rural tourism, and the learnings that we can adopt and adapt for future responsible rural tourism in the region. It will be of interest to students, researchers, stakeholders and policymakers in tourism.

This publication released on the occasion of the International Year for Sustainable Tourism for Development 2017, focuses on community empowerment and poverty alleviation through rural tourism development. The report shines a light on rural tourism development in the Asia Pacific region with fourteen specific case studies that show how communities have adapted a sustainable approach to rural tourism that stimulates economic growth, creates employment and improves the livelihood of communities.

This collection brings together papers presented at two international conferences on the theme of sustainable tourism in Hong Kong, namely the “International Conference on Sustainable Tourism and Resilient Communities”, held on 6-8 May 2015, and the “International Conference on Sustainable Tourism and Global-Local Understanding”, held on 11-13 May 2016. Considering the rapid development of tourism in the Asia-Pacific region, there have been numerous vigorous discussions about sustainability and tourism. These conferences provided platforms for international scholars, researchers and students to share empirical studies and cases of sustainable tourism from different perspectives and on different themes. As such, this volume has a focus on Asian cases and examples, and, therefore, contributes to form a rich reference work for tourism researchers, tourism development leaders, policy-makers and practitioners.

Tourism is one of the most dynamic and challenging industries across the globe. Since tourism is a multi-dimensional service industry, it becomes a responsibility of national and local governments, private sectors and voluntary organizations to make it more sustainable and responsible for minimizing negative environmental, social and cultural impacts and generating greater economic benefits for local residents. Moreover, it has become an immediate need to conserve natural and cultural heritage for the maintenance of the world’s diversity. The present anthology, divided into three sections and comprising 16 chapters, addresses the need of sustainable and responsible tourism. It provides vibrant insights into the latest trends and practices followed in the industry for the sustenance of tourism. The book emphasizes the potential of tourism in upgrading national economy and social well-being of host communities. Besides, it focuses on the areas of important concerns which require critical attention, such as visitor impact management, tourism destination management, community involvement for tourism sustenance and the threat of climatic change on biodiversity and tourist destination. The book also guides readers towards new horizons of tourism arena related to sustainability and responsible tourism practices. This book will be of great interest to the students of hospitality and tourism management. Besides, it will prove to be of great use to policy makers, stakeholders, tourism educators and researchers.

This book bridges the gap between the vital issues of the tourism industry, practices and destinations, discussing various topics from Asian and African perspectives. Each chapter presents extensive research on tourism development and tourism education, people’s work and travel experiences, as well as broader philosophies concerning the global tourism industry’s practices and operations. In the context of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 8, 12 and 14, the book highlights the potential of tourism to contribute to economic growth, social inclusion and environmental preservation. It discusses crucial issues confronting the travel and tourism industry, presenting achievable outlines and strategy plans, and evaluating general theories, practices, and applications of social, economic and environmental aspects of management structure to maximize the cultural, social and ecological diversity of destinations and enhance the tourism experience. Providing a comprehensive guide to tourism and its related disciplines, it offers students, professors, entrepreneurs, and travel and tourism organizations insights into the trends, practices. Further, it features case studies ranging from historical and contemporary tourism to forecasts for future tourism.

Offering how-to tools and step-by-step guidance, this practical Handbook combines academic insight with extensive professional experience to outline best practice in undertaking environmental, socio-cultural and economic assessments that establish the feasibility of new tourism ventures and ascertains their impact over time.

Rural tourism is not a new phenomenon in many parts of the world, but it has only recently received increased attention from researchers, politicians and managers as a result of new market trends, the recognition of the “rural crisis” and the urge to solve it. However, there is also evidence that rural tourism is not a miraculous antidote for this crisis, certainly not in all places and under all conditions. Despite some recent studies examining the critical factors of success for rural tourism, there is still a need for a deeper understanding of the rural tourism phenomenon, the nature of the tourism experience and how it could be optimized to the benefit of all, while making the best use of endogenous resources and competences, yielding sustainable destination development. This book contributes to the debate, focusing on the tourist experience, here conceptualized as “co-created” between hosts and guests, based on destination-specific elements of “countryside capital” and aiming at sustainability. It contains both conceptual and empirical chapters, with diverse and new perspectives, methodological approaches and cases from several countries.

This book examines the global scope of tourism-related grabbing of land and other natural resources. Tourism is often presented as a peaceful and benevolent sector that brings people from different cultural backgrounds together and contributes to employment, poverty alleviation, and global sustainable development. This book sheds light on the lesser known and much darker side of tourism as it unfolds in the Global South. While there is no doubt that tourism has been an engine of economic growth for many so-called developing countries, this has often come at the cost of widespread dispossession and displacement of Indigenous and non-indigenous communities. In many countries of the Global South, tourism development is increasingly prioritised by governments, businesses, international financial institutions and donors over the legitimate land and resource rights of local people. This book examines the actors, drivers, mechanisms, discourses and impacts of tourism-related land grabbing and displacement, drawing on more than thirty case studies from Latin America and the Caribbean, sub-Saharan Africa, South and Southeast Asia, the Middle East and the Southwest Pacific. The book provides solid grounds for an informed debate on how different actors are responsible for the adverse impacts of tourism on land rights infringements, what forms of resistance have been deployed against tourism-related land grabs and displacement, and how those who have violated local land and resource rights can be held accountable. Tourism, Land Grabs and Displacement will be essential reading for students and scholars of land and resource grabbing, tourism studies, development studies and sustainable development more broadly, as well as policymakers and practitioners working in those fields.