Strategic Approaches to Rural Tourism and Sustainable Development

1. Strategic approaches to rural tourism and sustainable development of rural tourismBy E. ŠimkováUniversity of Hradec Králové, CR Nicole Buliková IBA

2. KEY WORDS : sustainable development, rural areas, rural tourism, strategic plan, marketing • Sustainable development : one of the most important features of modern society, meeting our needs without threatening the needs of future generations • Rural areas : less dev eloped areas, which have many specific problems • Strategic planning : the main tool for the social-economic development • Rural tourism : can positively influence regional development, must be supported and conditions for its positive development have to be created

3. RURAL AREAS • the definition first mentioned in 19th century by Sorokin and Zimmerman in their “ Principles of Rural Urban Sociology “ • making international comparison of rural conditions and trends = at the regional level OECD distinguishes : • PRR • SRR • PUR • after the EU entry, we use indicators commonly used by the OECD and the EUROSAT: • population density per km2 • number of inhabitants living in villages than 100 inhabitants per 1 square kilometer • source of national heritage, culture and essential part of national symbols, places for living, recreational areas, cultural and natural space • perceived as problematic issues of modernization, transformation of agriculture, increasing unemployment

4. Role of agriculture • is not able to provide economic stability of rural areas • multifunctional perception of the agricultural sector means not only the preservation of landscape, forests, water and environment, but also protection of rural areas as the place for life in the developed infrastructure and employment opportunities • takes place in rural areas • relates to low population • tourism evolving both outside recreation and tourism centers and outside urban areas • very popular in the economically developed countries • economically and socially positive impact • decentralization of accommodation allows visitors to spread all over the region and provides good opportunities for individual activities Rural tourism

5. GOALS AND METHODOLOGY • GOAL OF THE ARTICLE : to set the procedure of the analysis of rural tourism potential, and stress out the necessity of utilization of the effective planning and marketing approach as a key aspect in rural tourism entrepreneurship • ANALYSES AND MAIN STRATEGIC BUSINESS RULES: are base upon the information from the literatures and practical experience of the authorfurther information was gained from the researchthrough an electronic questionnaire

6. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS • Rural tourism is a business activity as any other. If the rural tourism is supposed to eliminate the problems of rural areas, it should regularly match the requirements of the sustainability in respect of social economic approach. • SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF A REGION can be seen as: quality of life, prosperous economy, responsibility to the environment • SOCIAL ECONOMY is based upon cooperation, solidarity and relation of the local shareholders

7. THE ANALYSES OF THE POTENTIAL OF RURAL TOURISM • EVALUATION OF THE PLACE APPROPRIATENESS FOR RURAL TOURISM • Demographic, social and economic features, community plans and stakeholder expectations • Analysis of the area potential • Analysis of the current state • Evaluation of organizations and institutions which support tourism • Current problems and obstacles • ANALYSIS OF BUSINESS AND LOCAL SPECIFIC RISKS IN RELATION TO RURAL TOURISM : 2 levels, Catwoe methodology • TREND DESCRIPTION : indicators of the place, trends in EU • ATTRACTIVENESS OF THE LOCALITY • SELECTION OF THE RIGHT PLACE FOR RURAL TOURISM • INFRASTRUCTURE REQUIREMENTS • FINANCIAL RESOURCES • MARKETING STRATEGY

8. STRATEGIC PLANS AND MARKETING IN RURAL TOURISM • Rural tourism should be based onunderstanding the lifestyle of the users of products and services of rural tourism - requires a very good business planningwith a strong focus on following issues: technical, economics, social, marketing

9. STRATEGIC PLANS OF RURAL TOURISM SHOULD RESPECT THE PRINCIPLES OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: • Sustainability oriented use of local resources • Responsible and ethical approach towards the artificial and natural environment • Local benefits should be planned way ahead with respect on the long-term sustainability • Stakeholdersshould be informed on their relations and influence on the environment • There should be some limits defined for the locality • CURRENT SITUATION • TREND DESCRIBTION • COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PLANS • REALISATION STARTEGIC PLANS LEAD TO A SITUATION ANALYSIS OF THE LOCALITY. IT SHOULD BE FOCUSED ON FOUR ELEMENTS:

10. Benefits of the rural tourism can be seen from the following criteria : • Economic : job creation, source of capital, housing renovation • Social : public service improvement, revitalization of folklore and local traditions • Environmental : increasing the overall environmental knowledge of visitors and local people, increasing use of natural, cultural and historical potential • Costs relating to the rural tourism :infrastructure, energy, waste collection costs • Risks of tourism:environmental damages, social-cultural changes of the region (lifestyle changes)

11. All human activities have impact on the environment. It is therefore necessary to use tools and procedures for the assessment of such environmental impacts – so called “EA – environmental assessment procedures" which can be used at different levels of management: • Environmental Impact assessment EIA • Strategic Environmental Impact analysis SEAN • Strategic Environmental Impact assessment SEA

12. BUSINESS PLAN OF THE RURAL TOURISM • Should be built on the knowledge of the lifestyle and needs of clients • Besides standard marketing activities it should also include an assessment of locality, products and services provide: • Marketing research • Marketing analysis • SWOT analysis of the locality • Analysis of products and services • As soon as a marketing plan is done, financial and marketing strategies can be defined

13. STRATEGIC PLAN AS A TOOL FOR RURAL AREAS DEVELOPMENT • Social economics require an open political system. The aim of the most regional strategies is to identify main trends of development of micro regions. • The following can be concluded from the electronic questionnaire from Hradec Kralove: • Almost all villages have strategic plans • Most of them are expert based • Strategic focus is often missing • They are often economically orientated • Activities of the main focus often lead to repairing the existing burdens • Activities are often locally based • Very often they do not meet one of the basic features of strategic planning = the use of local resources

14. CONCLUSION • If we want rural areas to be sustainable, they must have the appropriate financial resources and revenues. • Individual activities are predominantly dependent on the personal will of politicians. • Strategic documents should be used as tools for discussion about the main problems and solutions. • Rural tourism contributes to the protection of demographic structure of rural areas and supports the specific cultural heritage and environment. • Within strategic development of rural areas, it is necessary to have in mind small enterprises and to support them in their innovativeness.

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