Factors contributing to successful tourism development in peripheral regions

Abstract

Peripheral areas experiencing an economic downturn in traditional industries such as agriculture often consider tourism to be a viable alternative. Unfortunately these areas do not always enter into the business of tourism with a very clear understanding of the associated difficulties and challenges. This paper reports on a review of 11 case studies describing tourism development in peripheral regions from around the world. These cases were analysed using a Tourism Systems Framework adapted from Winnett's (1992) Behavioural Systems approach. Factors found to contribute to the success of tourism development in peripheral regions included the presence of a champion or leader, effective private-public sector partnerships, the identification and development of specialist attractions, government control and support, good market research, and community involvement. The analyses also identified a number of barriers to successful tourism development including a lack of control over negative impacts, difficulties with finance, community opposition and a lack of infrastructure. The results supported the use of the Tourism Systems Framework for guiding the planning, implementation and control of tourism development in peripheral regions.