Lessons Learned in Rural Tourism Development from the Perspectives of Local Communities

Abstract

          This research paper is a qualitative research work with the objective to investigate the shared concepts of rural tourism development and lessons learned through the perspectives of the locals in the awarded rural tourism destinations. The purposive sampling method was employed to select five key informants from each of the five awarded rural tourism destinations, totaling 25 key informants. A series of field semi-structured interviews including in-depth interview and group interview were conducted to collect the data with interview guidelines validated by experts in the areas of rural tourism and development. The data gathered were subsequently analyzed using the content analysis technique. The results reveal that rural tourism development is based on a mechanism driven by both government agencies and local cooperations underpinned by five principles: (1) to inherit the local wisdoms and cultures; (2) to generate a source of additional income for the community; (3) to conserve the environment and natural resources; (4) to encourage a sense of pride in the community ways of life; and (5) to increase the potentials, skills and knowledge of the locals. The results from analyzing and synthesizing lessons learned from those awarded rural tourism destinations underline six important factors for the success of rural tourism development: (1) the roles of community leaders in comprehending the problems and the needs of local community, in organizing, coordinating, negotiating, holding moral values, building relationships, and being in a position of well-respected socio-economic background; (2) the local community in collectively brainstorming, cooperating and problem solving; (3) the uniqueness of local identity for the development into tourist activities, routes and attractions; (4) the establishment of regulations, rules and standards regarding rural tourism; (5) the community’s perseverance in overcoming obstacles and continuous improvement; and (6) the ongoing supports from government and private sectors.