Abstract
Rural areas are recognised for their complex, multi-functional capacities with a range of different interest groups claiming their rights to, and use of, different rural spaces. The current rural development paradigm that is evident across the globe is epitomised by the European LEADER approach. Using evidence from the proposed National Park in Northern Ireland, we ask the question: what is the potential of sustainable rural tourism to contribute to rural development? Within our analysis we consider the scope for adaptive tourism to overcome some of the ongoing challenges that have been identified within the LEADER approach. Four themes are revealed from this analysis: institutional (in)capacity; legitimacy of local groups; navigating between stakeholder interests; and sustainable tourism in practice. These issues, discussed in turn, have clear implications for the new rural development programme.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 175-194 |
| Number of pages | 20 |
| Journal | Sociologia Ruralis |
| Volume | 51 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| Early online date | 24 Dec 2010 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Apr 2011 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Sociology and Political Science
Access to Document
- Sustainable Rural Tourism: Lessons for Rural Development
© 2010 The Authors. Sociologia Ruralis © 2010 European Society for Rural Sociology This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: McAreavey, R. and McDonagh, J. (2011), Sustainable Rural Tourism: Lessons for Rural Development. Sociologia Ruralis, 51: 175–194, which has been published in final form at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1467-9523.2010.00529.x/abstract. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Self-Archiving.