Volume 79

This webinar discusses examples of the development of rural tourism experiences in countries as diverse as Egypt, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Timor Leste. It examines activities such as multi-day walking tours, self-guided village tours, training of tour guides and how these can benefit local communities. These types of experiences can be a useful entry point for a rural community that wants to develop tourism. They require less up-front investment and training, while allowing visitors to learn about local culture and scenic attractions. These types of experiences lie at the boundary of the usual definitions of rural, community-based, soft adventure, hiking and ecotourism. Based on the presentations, the webinar panel will discuss the practical usefulness of these experiences as well as how they represent a blurring of traditional product descriptors.