POLICY FRAMEWORKS FOR RURAL TOURISM by Andrew Clegg

Policy Frameworks for Rural Tourism BAM313: Rural Tourism

Learning Outcomes Aims  To cri'cally evaluate the key elements/features of rural tourism

policy

 To examine frameworks for rural tourism policy, and assess the

role, nature and impact of rural tourism strategies

 To chronologically outline the legisla've framework for rural

recrea'on

 To assess recent government approaches to rural tourism policy,

and outline key changes rela'ng to the delivery of rural policy frameworks

 To consider the impact and importance of related policy areas,

and related stakeholders

Rural Tourism Ac:vity 1: 1. Why is a speciﬁc rural tourism policy required? 2. What are the key features/cri'cal elements of a rural tourism policy?

Policy Frameworks for Rural Tourism Key Features of Rural Tourism Policy  Deﬁne rural tourism, incorpora'ng various components of

natural facili'es, ac'vi'es and services  Develop a speciﬁc sta's'cal database for rural tourism to

help establish product availability, development possibili'es and market informa'on

 Propose a strategic plan, which should set clear objec'ves

and targets for rural tourism development and marke'ng

Policy Frameworks for Rural Tourism Key Features of Rural Tourism Policy  Overcome any duplica'on of eﬀort or clarity of message;

factors oJen seen as a reason for poor marke'ng results  Address key issues of research, training provision,

networking, quality product development, innova'on and standards, to maintain compe''veness

 Develop func'onal links with key players in the marketplace

and ensure measurable results from marke'ng eﬀorts in rural tourism

Policy Frameworks for Rural Tourism Key Features of Rural Tourism Policy  Theme: Structure and Func'on [aims, objec'ves, ac'ons

and outcomes that relate to the structure and func'on of the tourism industry]  Products -‐ research into, quality of, changing fashions in,

and promo'on of them

 Training and professionalism -‐ raising the quality of

service and adding value to industry human resources

 Markets -‐ research into changing nature and demands of,

and ability to respond to them

Policy Frameworks for Rural Tourism Key Features of Rural Tourism Policy  Theme: Structure and Func'on [aims, objec'ves, ac'ons

and outcomes that relate to the structure and func'on of the tourism industry]  Co-‐ordina'on, co-‐opera'on and integra'on -‐ the

development, opera'onalisa'on and sustaining of collabora've partnerships and networks

 Values and ideologies -‐ underlying any policy formula'on

process

Policy Frameworks for Rural Tourism Key Features of Rural Tourism Policy  Theme: Rela'onship with Place [the nature of, rela'onships

with, and promo'on of the place context within which the structure of tourism is func'oning]  Tourism’s role in local and regional economic

diversiﬁca'on and rejuvena'on

 The spa'al emphasis of tourism ac'vity  The importance of local cultures, iden'ty, representa'on

and image  Issues of local resource u'lisa'on and environmental

management

Policy Frameworks for Rural Tourism Key Considera:ons:  Policies towards rural tourism have been notably ad-‐hoc

and reac've, reﬂec'ng a perceived low importance of the rural sector in terms of income and addi'onal employment genera'on  Des'na'on marke'ng and branding is becoming more

diﬃcult because of the growing range of stakeholders and ac'vi'es within any given des'na'on  Greater emphasis on niche markets and the promo'on of

speciﬁc ac'vi'es (e.g. walking/riding) rather than on place

Frameworks for Rural Tourism Policy The Role of Rural Tourism Policy

Frameworks for Rural Tourism Policy The Role of Rural Tourism Policy Dimensions of Policy: • The scale of implementa9on – local, regional to na9onal • The level of strategy detail, ranging from low to high, depending on strategic objec9ves

Policy Frameworks for Rural Tourism The Role of Rural Tourism Policy:  Facilita-ng: Policy is focused at the na'onal or higher

regional scale; generally focusing on overall strategy it will generally contain a low level of detail, which will need to be completed at a lower level of policy formula'on  Constraining: Policy is focused at the higher scale but

entails a high level of detail. Results in a prescrip've framework approach which my be suscep'ble to cri'cism of being too insensi've to local area characteris'cs

Policy Frameworks for Rural Tourism The Role of Rural Tourism Policy:  Enabling: Policy has a local focus with a degree of detail

enabling direc'on and support for local development. It will complement and feed into a wider strategic overview, which it will be unable to provide alone  Vacuous: Policy has a local focus but contains li\le detail to

respond to either local or strategic needs

Frameworks for Rural Tourism Policy The Role of Rural Tourism Policy

Frameworks for Rural Tourism Policy The Role of Rural Tourism Policy Dimensions of Policy: • The level of integra9on of the components of the strategy, which may range from low to high • The level of emphasis on product quality

Policy Frameworks for Rural Tourism The Role of Rural Tourism Policy  Undiﬀeren-ated: a high level of integra'on within the

policy is combined with a low emphasis on product quality  Sophis-cated: a policy both highly integrated and

emphasising product quality

 Isolated: a policy emphasising product quality but which is

poorly integrated  Fragmented: a policy where poor integra'on is matched by

a low emphasis on product quality

Frameworks for Rural Tourism Policy The Role of Rural Tourism Policy

Frameworks for Rural Tourism Policy The Role of Rural Tourism Policy Dimensions of Policy: • The level of integra9on of stakeholders, which may range from high integra9on of diﬀerent groups to isola9on of groups and individuals • The temporal dimension, extending from the present into the medium-‐ and long-‐ term future

Policy Frameworks for Rural Tourism The Role of Rural Tourism Policy  Sustainability: a high level of group integra'on in

contribu'ng to and par'cipa'ng in the policy formula'on process, but with no guarantee of this con'nuing in the long-‐term  Apparent Sustainability: where a high level of integra'on

can be projected into the future with some degree of conﬁdence

Policy Frameworks for Rural Tourism The Role of Rural Tourism Policy  Limited Sustainability: where the present context for

strategy development is one of isolated groups and individuals  Non-‐Sustainability: where stakeholder isola'on within the

strategy development process is likely to be the norm for the foreseeable future

Policy Frameworks for Rural Tourism Roberts and Hall (2001) -‐ Cri-cal Factors in Shaping Rural Tourism Policy:  The oJ-‐cited paradox of the need for eﬀec've management

and planning of tourism and recrea'on in rural areas, but the frequent absence or poorly developed nature of strategy  The importance of integra'on, both ver'cal and horizontal,

between the various stakeholders and strategic bodies with an ac've interest and role in policy formula'on  The need for integrated thinking and ac'ons in terms of the

way in which tourism and recrea'on are managed within processes of rural development

Policy Frameworks for Rural Tourism Roberts and Hall (2001) -‐ Cri-cal Factors in Shaping Rural Tourism Policy:  The requirement for planning and management to

recognise and respond to the fact that much rural tourism ac'vity may be mass, rather than niche, with consequent impacts  Overcoming poten'al ‘implementa'on gaps’ -‐ mo'va'ons

of micro-‐businesses/resource base/limited knowledge of the rural tourism sector and requirements of guests/low levels of informa'on about tourism ac'vi'es and opportuni'es/ limited networking and contact with key agencies/ stakeholders

Policy Frameworks for Rural Tourism Curry and RavenscroL (2001) -‐ State Approaches to Recrea-on Provision  Approach 1: Ci-zens’ Rights of Access over Private

Property  Prevalent in the 1930s in the wake of confronta'onal

public protest over access to moorland (Kinderscout Mass Trespass)

 Instrumental in establishing the statutory rights of way

system under the 1949 Na'onal Parks and Access to the Countryside Act

Policy Frameworks for Rural Tourism Curry and RavenscroL (2001) -‐ State Approaches to Recrea-on Provision  Approach 1: Ci-zens’ Rights of Access over Private

Property  Part of a ‘welfarist’ Labour government a\emp'ng to

create a ‘land ﬁt for heroes’ as part of post-‐war reconstruc'on

 Found contemporary renewal of interest and poli'cal

deposi'on through the 2000 CROW Act

 A response to pressure groups rather than a response to

what was desired by the wider public

Policy Frameworks for Rural Tourism Curry and RavenscroL (2001) -‐ State Approaches to Recrea-on Provision  Approach 2: Supply-‐Led Policy Regimes  Post war bureaucracy gave public bodies par'al

responsibili'es for countryside recrea'on in their porfolios, designed to give the public what policymakers felt they ought to have

 Increased access resources has been beneﬁcial for the

policy community, as they present a visible measure of success

Policy Frameworks for Rural Tourism Curry and RavenscroL (2001) -‐ State Approaches to Recrea-on Provision  Approach 3: Damage Limita-on  Tempered provision to minimise the impact of a

‘recrea'on explosion’ (in the light of supply-‐led policies)

 Country Parks in the 1970s, were designed as a way of

keeping people away from the deeper countryside -‐ designed to ‘contain’ and ‘ﬁlter’ the recrea'ng public at large rather than to maximise public enjoyment

Policy Frameworks for Rural Tourism Curry and RavenscroL (2001) -‐ State Approaches to Recrea-on Provision  Approach 4: Community-‐Led Provision  Provision of recrea'on and access in partnership with the

local popula'on, acknowledging community aspira'ons

 Also inﬂuenced by the ability of individuals to tap into

government ﬁnances, than to no'ons of a wider public interest

Examples of Rural Tourism Strategies

Examples of Rural Tourism Strategies English Tourism Council (2001), Working for the Countryside -‐ A Strategy for Rural Tourism in England 2001-‐2005

Working for the Countryside Key Principles  Relate supply to market demand  Gain more value form tourism  Provide a consistent yet dis'nc've

quality of experience

 Maintain an a\rac've countryside in its

own right and as a basis for rural tourism

 Take decisions locally based on

partnership

Working for the Countryside Strategic Aims for Rural Tourism  To maintain and increase the availability and quality of

employment in rural tourism enterprises

 To ensure that a high quality visitor experience in the

countryside is available to everyone

 To maintain and enhance the quality of the rural

environment

 To spread the beneﬁts of tourism throughout rural

communi'es

Working for the Countryside Strategic Aims for Rural Tourism  To maintain and increase the availability and quality of

employment in rural tourism enterprises

 To increase the total amount of tourism spending in

the countryside

 To improve business performance and viability of rural

tourism enterprises

 To reduce seasonality of visits, where locally

appropriate

Working for the Countryside Strategic Aims for Rural Tourism  To ensure that a high quality visitor experience in the

countryside is available to everyone

 To understand and meet the needs of diﬀerent market

segments

 To ensure a high quality of service throughout rural

England

 To increase apprecia'on of local dis'nc'veness  To ensure best possible access for all visitors,

irrespec've of physical of social need

Working for the Countryside Strategic Aims for Rural Tourism  To maintain and enhance the quality of the rural

environment

 To strengthen all ini'a'ves aimed at maintaining and

improving landscape quality, countryside character, biodiversity and cultural heritage

 To increase investment and visitor spending in forms of

tourism that support conserva'on and preserva'on of landscape

 To reduce the nega've impacts of visitor movements and

use of resources by tourism enterprises

Working for the Countryside Strategic Aims for Rural Tourism  To spread the beneﬁts of tourism throughout rural

communi-es

 To maximise the propor'on of visitor spending retained in

local communi'es

 To increase the use and viability of local services  To ensure that local people appreciate the beneﬁts of

tourism

 To ensure that local people are involved in the management

of tourism in their area

Working for the Countryside Priori-es for Ac-on  Inﬂuencing and Enabling Visits  Strengthening the marke'ng of rural products and

des'na'ons

 Increasing the local impact of visitor informa'on  Improving the access for all visitors

Working for the Countryside Priori-es for Ac-on  Enriching the Rural Tourism Experience  Providing a wide range of quality accommoda'on  Bringing out local dis'nc'veness, culture and heritage  Promo'ng local produce and gastronomy  Making more of ac'vity-‐based tourism

Working for the Countryside Priori-es for Ac-on  Fostering Rural Tourism Enterprises  Providing more focused business support  Rela'ng planning decisions to economic, social and

environmental beneﬁts

 Increased networking between rural tourism businesses  Improving the impact of businesses on the local

environment and community

Working for the Countryside Priori-es for Ac-on  Improving the Management of Rural Des-na-ons  Iden'fying rural tourism des'na'ons for integrated quality

management

 Strengthening the role of market towns in tourism  Improving visitor and traﬃc management  Suppor'ng the conversa'on of landscapes and biodiversity  Involving local communi'es in tourism management

Examples of Rural Tourism Strategies South East England Development Agency (2002), Rural Tourism in the South East -‐ A Strategy for Future Ac-on, SEEDA

Examples of Rural Tourism Strategies Countryside Agency (2001), Sustainable Tourism Management in the New Forest

Examples of Rural Tourism Strategies Forest of Bowland (2010), A Strategy for Sustainable Tourism 2010-‐2015

Examples of Rural Tourism Strategies

Current Policy Support for Rural Tourism Visit England – Rural Tourism Ac-on Plan

Rural Tourism Ac:on Plan Key Objec-ves  Objec-ve 1: To diversify and modernise rural tourism products

to generate business opportuni'es suited to local environments and communi'es and develop a year around visitor oﬀer

 Objec-ve 2: To increase consumer awareness, understanding

and enjoyment of the products and experiences available in rural areas

 Objec-ve 3: To encourage rural communi'es and economies

to beneﬁt from the value of rural tourism by taking ownership of the development, management, protec'on and conserva'on of rural assets and loca'ons

The Wider Policy Context

The Wider Policy Context for Rural Tourism The Rural White Paper -‐ ‘Our Countryside: The Future, A Fair Deal for Rural England’ (2000)  Key Themes:  A living countryside -‐ rural services, housing and local transport  A working countryside -‐ market towns, rural economies and

farming

 A protected countryside -‐ conserva'on, wildlife diversity and

the natural environment

 A vibrant countryside -‐ community involvement in the planning

process, ‘thinking rural’ greater apprecia'on of the rural dimension in planning policies -‐ ‘rural prooﬁng’

The Wider Policy Context for Rural Tourism DEFRA -‐ England Rural Development Programme 2000-‐2006  Schemes to conserve and improve the rural environment, or

Land-‐based schemes (including agri-‐environment schemes); and

 Schemes to help farming, forestry and other rural businesses

and communi'es to adapt to changing circumstances and to develop, or

 Project-‐based schemes are not based on par'cular areas of

land. They are focused around individual developments and projects, and aim to promote imagina've and varied schemes within rural areas.

 Total of £1.6bn of EU and Government money allocated

between 2000 and 2006

The Wider Policy Context for Rural Tourism DEFRA -‐ Rural Development Programme for England 2007-‐2013  Budget of £3.9bn between 2007 and 2013  The RDPE is built around 4 ‘Axes’ or objec'ves:  Axis 1 – improving the compe''veness of the agricultural

and forestry sector

 Axis 2 – improving the environment and the countryside  Axis 3 – quality of life in rural areas and diversiﬁca'on of the

rural economy

and forestry sector

 Axis 2 – improving the environment and the countryside  Axis 3 – quality of life in rural areas and diversiﬁca'on of the

rural economy

RDPE Network

The Legisla-ve Framework for Rural Tourism and Recrea-on

The Legisla:ve Framework for Rural Tourism 1949 Na-onal Parks and Access to the Countryside Act  Na-onal Parks Commission  Responsible for exercising func'ons outlined in the act  Controlled under the Minister for Town and Country

Planning (later Department of the Environment)  Na-onal Parks  By 1955, 10 Na'onal Parks designated  ‘to preserve and enhance the natural beauty of the areas

speciﬁed and for the purpose of promo'ng their enjoyment by the public’

The Legisla:ve Framework for Rural Tourism 1949 Na-onal Parks and Access to the Countryside Act  Nature Conserva-on  Crea'on of Nature Conservancy (English Nature)  Nature Reserves



Management agreements with the landowner or through purchase and management by the conservancy.



Local authori'es were empowered to designate local nature reserves and introduce bye-‐laws to protect them

The Legisla:ve Framework for Rural Tourism 1949 Na-onal Parks and Access to the Countryside Act  Sites of Special Scien-ﬁc Interest  Public Rights of Way

 Local highway authori'es were duty bound to prepare a

draJ map showing all public footpaths, bridleways and roads used as public paths -‐ leading to the publica'on of the deﬁni've map  Areas of Natural Outstanding Beauty

The Legisla:ve Framework for Rural Tourism 1968 Countryside Act  Extend the principles of the 1949 Act to a larger and wider

area of the countryside.  Widened the remit of the Na'onal Park Commission by

changing it to the Countryside Commission

 ‘conserva'on and enhancement, of the natural beauty

and amenity of the countryside, and encouraging the provision and improvement for persons resor'ng to the countryside of facili'es for the enjoyment of the countryside and of open air recrea'on in the countryside’

The Legisla:ve Framework for Rural Tourism 1968 Countryside Act  Crea-on of Country Parks  Allow opportuni'es for enjoying the countryside, while

also having regard to the ‘loca'on of an urban or built up area’

 Emphasis not on agriculture but promo'ng the

recrea'onal opportuni'es of the countryside  Local authori'es given powers to develop facili'es on

publicly accessible common land and to create picnic sites and camping sites

The Legisla:ve Framework for Rural Tourism 1968 Countryside Act  Rights of Way  Signpos'ng and maintenance of public rights of way

The Legisla:ve Framework for Rural Tourism 1981 Wildlife and Countryside Act  Improved protec-on and conserva-on of the landscape  Protec-on of birds  Conserva-on of speciﬁc habitats  Grant aid for conserva-on in SSSIs  Farmer receives the income he forgoes in not developing

the land, designated within an SSSI.

 Public Rights of Way  Con'nuous review of the ‘deﬁni've map’

The Legisla:ve Framework for Rural Tourism 1986 Agricultural Act  ‘Greening of Agricultural Policy’  Environmentally Sensi've Areas  Farm Diversiﬁca'on Grant Scheme

The Legisla:ve Framework for Rural Tourism 1990 Rights of Way Act  Restora'on of footpaths and bridalways aJer ploughing

The Legisla:ve Framework for Rural Tourism 2000 Countryside and Rights of Way Act  Aims of the Act  Statutory right of access on foot to certain types of open

land

 Modernise the public rights of way system  Strengthen nature conserva'on legisla'on  Facilitate be\er management of AONBs

The Legisla:ve Framework for Rural Tourism 2000 Countryside and Rights of Way Act  Access to the Countryside  New right of access on foot to areas of open land

comprising: mountain, moorland, heath, downland, registered commonland

 Access based on extensive mapping exercise to be

conducted by the Countryside Agency to iden'fy qualifying land

The Legisla:ve Framework for Rural Tourism 2000 Countryside and Rights of Way Act  Public Rights of Way and Road Traﬃc  Highway authori'es charged with producing a Rights of

Way Improvement Plan within 5 years

 Deﬁni've map closed to claims for historical rights of

way in 2026  Par'cular a\en'on required to the needs of less able

people

The Legisla:ve Framework for Rural Tourism 2000 Countryside and Rights of Way Act  Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty  Local Authori'es to produce AONB management plan

(reviewing or adop'ng new ones if already in existence)

 Con'nued emphasis towards conserving and enhancing

the natural beauty of AONB areas  Scope for larger AONB areas allowing several local

authori'es to set up a Conserva'on Board taking over certain agreed func'ons from the local authority

Learning Outcomes By the end of this session, you should be able to:  To cri'cally evaluate the key elements/features of rural tourism

policy

 To examine frameworks for rural tourism policy, and assess the

role, nature and impact of rural tourism strategies

 To chronologically outline the legisla've framework for rural

recrea'on

 To assess recent government approaches to rural tourism policy,

and outline key changes rela'ng to the delivery of rural policy frameworks

 To consider the impact and importance of related policy areas, and

related stakeholders