Abstract

Rural tourism represents a merging of perhaps two of the most influential yet contradictory features of modern life. Not only are the forces of economic, social, cultural, environmental and political change working to redefine rural spaces the world over, but broad global transformations in consumption and transportation patterns are reshaping leisure behaviour and travel. For those concerned with both the nature of change in rural areas and tourism development, the dynamics and impacts of integrating these two dramatic shifts are not well known but yet are becoming increasingly provocative discourses for study. This book links changes at the local, rural community level to broader, more structural considerations of globalization and allows for a deeper, more theoretically sophisticated consideration of the various forces and features of rural tourism development. While Canadian in content, the cases and discussions presented in this book can be considered generally relevant to any rural region, continentally and globally, that has undertaken or is considering rural tourism development.

This well-written book strikes a right balance between theory and practice, using case studies from rural communities which the authors have thoroughly researched. The book is methodically structured, with a progressive stance, and following a political economy approach of rural tourism, the recurring theme being power relationships and the effects of globalisation on rural communities.

This well written, illustrated, argued and structured book raises a wide range of pertinent questions concerning the relationships between rural tourism and wider processes of tourism development, rural development, community relationships, commodification, culture change, public policy, globalization and the actual processes of rural tourism research and practice. This work is a welcome addition to the existing literature.

Dr. E. Wanda George is an Associate Professor in the Department of Business Administration and Tourism and Hospitality Management, Mount Saint Vincent University, Canada. Dr. Georgeâ??s research focuses on the interrelationships and dynamics that occur amongst tourism, rural communities, local culture and community sustainability. She has authored several publications about her research work on community tourism planning and development, with a particular focus on the role of culture in tourism development and community sustainability in rural Canada.

Dr. Heather Mair is an Assistant Professor in the Recreation and Leisure Studies Department, University of Waterloo, Canada. Dr. Mairâ??s research focuses on the challenges and opportunities presented by tourism development in rural Canada. She has authored numerous publications in tourism and leisure studies with a particular focus on community-based tourism planning and development, leisure and volunteer activists, the (social) role of curling clubs in rural Canadian life and the need for enhanced critical and theoretical approaches to leisure and tourism research.

Dr. Donald G. Reid is Professor in the School of Environmental Design and Rural Development, University of Guelph, Canada. Dr. Reidâ??s research focuses on community development and social planning, tourism and recreation planning. Of particular interest is the marginalized in society and the integration of those experiencing poverty into mainstream society and issues of citizenship generally. His research work is centered in Africa and Canada. He has authored numerous publications that focus on community development, tourism, leisure and the marginalized in society.