BLOG#7 RURAL TOURISM

RURAL TOURISM  

Any form of tourism that showcases the rural life, art, culture and heritage at rural locations, thereby benefiting the local community economically and socially as well as enabling interaction between the tourists and the locals for a more enriching tourism experience can be termed as rural tourism. Rural tourism is essentially an activity which takes place in the countryside. It is multi-faceted and may entail farm/agricultural tourism, cultural tourism, nature tourism, adventure tourism, and eco-tourism. As against conventional tourism, rural tourism has certain typical characteristics like; it is experience oriented, the locations are sparsely populated, it is predominantly in natural environment, it meshes with seasonality and local events and is based on preservation of culture, heritage and traditions.

Rural tourism can be defined as the country experience which encompasses a wide range of attractions and activities that take place in agricultural or non-urban areas. Its essential characteristics include wide-open spaces, low levels of tourism development, and opportunities for visitors to directly experience agricultural and/or natural environments.11 Consequently, rural tourism in its purest form should be:

• Located in rural areas.
• Functionally rural – built upon the rural world‘s special features of small-scale enterprise,open space, contact with nature and the natural world, heritage, traditional societies and traditional practices.
• Rural in scale – both in terms of buildings and settlements – and, therefore, usually small-scale.
• Traditional in character, growing slowly and organically, and connected with local families. It will often be very largely controlled locally and developed for the long term good of the area. 

Benefits of rural tourism 
Rural tourism, while still only a minority tourism market, is making a valuable contribution to rural economies. Its contribution can be expressed not only in financial terms, but also in terms of jobs, contributions towards funding conservation, encouragement to the adoption of new working practices, and the injection of a new vitality into sometimes weakened economies. Potentially rural tourism promises some of the following benefits to rural development 

BLOG#6 MY LIFE IN RUN

MY LIFE IN RUN

      There are various characteristics of a tour guide including punctuality, dresses well, speak loudly and clearly. A tour guide also needs to offer necessary information for tourist and make the tour vibrant or dynamic.

The types and characteristics of Tourist are:
      Leisure and business travelers are the two largest segments that we use to divide the travel market.  However, there are a lot of reasons why someone chooses to travel, and these reasons, or motivations, go a long way in allowing us to further divide the market into targets and even niche segments.

• Leisure travel is the kind of travelling that is not objective in making money but rather spending it. It can also be referred to as tourism as it is a means of unwinding from ones day to day activities. Most people go for leisure travel far from their countries of residence with an aim to be off from their daily hustles. Leisure travel can be long or short term depending on one's financial budgets. It is usually a moment to connect with nature, have fun and visit historical sites.
• Business travel is whereby people travel for purposes related to their work. It is on the rise especially with foreign markets opening up. In such a case all costs are usually met by the business.

Top 10 Characteristics of a great tour guide

      You could be standing inside a 12th-century French chapel, surrounded by rare stained-glass windows created for a king; the architecture is astounding, but if you don’t know what you’re looking at, its history and relevance, which king, why and when, you’ll be missing out on so much.

1. Understandable - Ideally, your tour guide should speak a range of languages, including your own, as well as the local lingo. They should also speak clearly, audibly and with confidence.

2. Punctual - Your tour leader should be waiting for you when you arrive, rather than the other way around. Ideally, they should also ensure that other tour members arrive and depart on time, and don’t cause delays for the group as a whole.

3. Friendly - A relaxed and friendly manner is key to a great tour guide. They also need to have a certain level of authority, and be able to keep tour members together and focused without coming across as intimidating, patronizing or arrogant – not a good look in a tour guide.

4. Knowledgeable - A good tour guide has an in-depth knowledge of the site, its history and importance. A great tour guide has a passion for their subject and can convey their enthusiasm to the group. Such passion can be contagious and inspiring.

5. Engaging - Great tour guides share their knowledge in an engaging, illuminating and entertaining way, rather than repeating a list of facts by rote.

6. Interactive - Effective tour guides also invite questions and interaction from tour members, rather than treating the tour as a one-person show or a ‘be quiet and listen’ school lesson.

7. Funny - A certain level of friendly humour is essential. Equally, a good tour guide also knows when to include a little quiet time, and when to let the site speak for itself.

8. Observant - The tour needs to be relevant to a broad range of people, including different age groups. A good tour leader also needs to be aware of tour members with special needs.

9. Good Pacing - Whether the speed of the narrative or the pace of a walking tour, it should be neither too fast nor too slow. Like Goldilocks, it should be just right.

10. Flexible - When appropriate, a flexible approach can make the difference between a good and a great tour guide. Being flexible means being open to serendipity, taking a moment to enjoy spontaneous moments like a particularly perfect sunset.

      If I has a chance to being a tourist guide, a good characteristic of me are funny and self-confident because it will make a tourist happy all the time that traveling with me and good impression, good memories travel with tourist forever.

BLOG#5 Information source of International tourists

         According to A study by the Thailand Development and research Institute (TDRI)showed that about 31 percent of international tourists obtained information aboutThailand from their friends. Only 15  percent got the information from tour operators whereas about 12 percent got information from both sources.To attract those who have not yet decided their holiday destination, It is necessary to impress the  foreign tourist already

in Thailand.
          However, a survey in 1990-1991 by the Intrama World Destination Monitor put Thailand second only to Hong Kong as a place where 1,450 tour operator around the world said tourists were likely to be cheated or overcharged in Asia. India came in third. Italy was considered to be the number one country in the world where tourists were most likely 
to be cheated.

From a survey in 1990-1991 by theIntrama World Destination Monitor, Thailand was ranked on the second place where the tourists were likely to be cheated in Asia. The spread of disreputable information poses growing risks to society and economy. The tourists may feel betrayed and are more likely to go somewhere else for the similar products or services. Thailand may also get a bad reputation as a deceptive country, which means decreased revenues in the future.  

However, it may be difficult for the tourists to accept and trust but their awareness in ethics can be altered and Thailand will gain loyalty from customers again.

BLOG#4 SPECIALIZED TOURISM

10 WORLD FESTIVALS YOU WON'T WANT TO MISS!!

      Being at festivals is like standing inside the mind of a culture as it dreams. They have the ability to be both extremely intimate and public spectacles at the same time. Here are 10 of the world's best festivals. 

Let yourself go.

1. Holi — Celebrated by Hindus Around the World.

When: March 27 (for 2014) 
Where: India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and other Hindu regions
Why you should go: Holi, also known as the Festival of Colors, celebrates the end of winter and the beginning of spring. It’s fun, safe, and free. Just remember to BYOD (bring your own dye).

2. La Tomatina — Buñol, Spain

When: The last Wednesday in August
Where: Buñol, Spain
Why you should go: As crazy as it may seem, this festival is held every year purely for fun, meaning it isn’t tied to any ancient traditions. In 1945 a few locals began throwing fruits and vegetables during a parade — and ever since then the tomato-throwing festival has continued on.

3. Carnaval — Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

When: Feb. 28–March 4 (for 2014)
Where: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 
Why you should go: Much like Mardi Gras in New Orleans and Carnevale in Venice, Canaval is a nonstop party, just with special addition of Brazilian flair. It’s filled with samba music, colorful costumes, and giant parades.

4. Cooper Hill’s Cheese Rolling Festival — Gloucester, England

When: May 26 (tentative for 2014) 
Where: Gloucester, England 
Why you should go: If you’ve ever wanted to watch hundreds of men run down a hill while chasing a wheel of cheese, then you’re in luck — because the Cooper Hill Cheese Roll not only exists, it’s quite the romp.

5. Running of the Bulls — Pamplona, Spain

When: July 6–14
Where: Pamplona, Spain 
Why you should go: Let’s be real — who doesn’t like watching people make fools of themselves? The Running of the Bulls is a time-honored Spanish tradition, which is such to raise your adrenaline levels, whether you’re running or watching.

6. Carnevale — Venice, Italy

When: Feb. 14–March 4 (for 2014)
Where: Venice, Italy
Why you should go: Carnevale, or “Carnival,” has been a Venice tradition since the 13th century. People flock from all over the world to participate in the masked celebrations, arguably making it one of the best parties on Earth.

7. Songkran Water Festival — Chiang Mai, Thailand

When: April 13–15 (for 2014)
Where: Chiang Mai, Thailand
Why you should go: This is the water fight of your dreams, so back up your Super Soakers, water balloons, and water bottles and head to Thailand for a wet and wild adventure.

8. Lantern Festival — Pingxi, Taiwan

When: Feb. 23 (for 2014) 
Where: Pingxi, Taiwan 
Why you should go: Watch the sky light up during one of the world’s largest lantern festivals. If you’re looking for a little magic, there is nothing more surreal than a sky ablaze with thousands of floating lanterns.

9. Oktoberfest — Munich, Germany

When: Last weeks of September to the first weekend in October
Where: Munich, Germany 
Why you should go: Though there are many smaller offshoots of Oktoberfest around the world, Munich’s original fair is the biggest beer festival in the world. In 2013, more than $96,178,668 worth of beer was served every day during the festival.

10. Dia de los Muertos — Celebrated by Mexicans in the U.S., Canada, Europe, and Mexico.

When: Nov. 1
Where: Celebrations are held by cultural Mexicans throughout the world, but a few of the bigger celebrations take place in Mexico City and Los Angeles.
Why you should go: Dia de los Muertos, or “The Day of the Dead,” celebrates All Saint’s Day, which remembers all those who have passed before us. A colorful display of costume and culture, Dia de los Muertos is a day you don’t want to miss.

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