The Role of Tourism in Rural Development System

Introduction

Development is the most desirable option available for every country. The aim for development is not necessary mean to change everything but to enhance the elements and factors that contribute the progress of the community. There should be a system that can guide the process of development. In this paper, the discussion of the rural development will be criticized under the influence of tourism. Among the other developing countries, Nigeria aims the same and through the observation coming from the other countries that successfully manages the development, the suggestions or recommendations on the role of tourism can be drawn.

The Characteristics of Rural Development

The development is identified to be characterized with six features. First is the capacity-building that considers as the foundation of the development programs that facilitates the planning and ability to implement the proposed plans. Here, leaders need the essential knowledge and organizational skills to act according to their roles and responsibilities. Second is the empowerment that supports the capacity-building. This requires the participation of the residents living in the rural areas in order to build the decisions generated by the government. Third is collaboration that is considered as one of the most important aspect in times when the problems exceeds in the rural development agenda. The nature of collaboration involves the activities and interests with other organizations and move for the cooperative relationships. All the collaborative efforts of the organizations attempt to create the appropriate action towards the holistic growth.

Fourth is the expansion of the activities. As the communities or rural areas continuous to progress, it is important that there are regional development opportunities available for the people. The examples are fostering the local entrepreneurship that will complement in the economic development, integration of the small firms with various associations such as trading organizations, strengthening the government structures and many others. Fifth is opening the access to information that can be available for the universities, government, and non-government organizations. The valuable information can be effectively deployed through the use of broadband technology. And sixth characteristic is to be comprehensive but nit categorical. This means that the policy imposed should not focus on one certain area because development should target the all the rural areas and to be comprehensive even in continuous evolution and reorganization.

Tourism

The system of rural development is associated with the objectives and policies formulated by the governments. Obviously, when policies are not clearly formulated, the international standards are then used for the good practice. In other countries like UK, the national objectives for the rural development centers in three aspects: (a) the economic and social regeneration, (b) social justice for all; and (c) enhancing the value of countryside. We can say, that the policies and objectives involved in rural development and generation of a system differs in every country, so much to the developed and developing countries, because of the status and present situations.

Tourism is already recognized as a powerful force towards the change in the economy of both developed and developing countries. The growth in tourism can answer the problems in employment and expected to increase the growth for total employment. Tourism is also considered to be the potential answer for many of the rural areas as well as helping to preserve the local jobs, creates new jobs, and diversifies the employment. In tourism industry, the enterprises identified that might contribute such good solution in employment problems of rural areas are the hotels, restaurants and cafes, transport and travel, and recreational, cultural and sporting activities. In the analysis of the contribution of tourism, it is noticeable that the characteristics in rural development can be satisfied. In the comparison with the Poverty Reduction Strategy of Zambia, the sector of tourism is expected to affect both national and regional areas because of the encouragement the government made in terms of investment.

Conclusion

In order for a country to gain the development on its rural areas, they must strengthen the factors that might contribute to the total development. Tourism is viewed as one of the possible solutions available. The possibility to break the problems in rural areas is to emphasize the creation of new jobs and focus in the sustainability. Since, tourism can deliver both of the elements, the principles for the development in rural areas is a great significance for the future of Nigeria. Furthermore, the government should recognize the other tourism activities that can deliver the same benefit for the rural areas but will not destroy the natural environment.

References:

FOA, (2007) National and International Rural Development Policies, Handbook on Rural Households’ Livelihood and Well-Being [Online] Available at: http://www.fao.org/fileadmin/templates/ess/pages/rural/files/1.8_Chapter_II_National_and_International_Rural_Development_Policies.pdf [Accessed 11 August 2010].

Pigg, K., & Bradshaw, T., (2006) Catalytic Community Development, Rural Sociological Society, No. 6 [Online] Available at: http://ruralsociology.org/StaticContent/Features/brief6.pdf [Accessed 11 August 2010]

Udovč, A., & Perpar, A., (2006) Role of Rural Tourism for Development of Rural Areas, Journal of Central European Agriculture, 8(2): 223-228 [Online] Available at: http://www.agr.hr/jcea/issues/jcea8-2/pdf/jcea82-13.pdf [Accessed 11 August 2010].