ABSTRACT

Ruraltourismdevelopmentattractedincreasinginterestinthe1990sandagrowing literaturehascontributedtoourunderstandingofitasanevolvingphenomenon. AccordingtoLongandLane(2000),ruraltourismhasmovedintoitssecondphase ofdevelopment,itsfirsthavingbeencharacterisedbygrowthinparticipation, productandbusinessdevelopment,andpartnership.Itssecondispredictedtobe morecomplex,andislikelytobe,giventhequestionsthatremainregardingits placeinpolicy,itsintegrationinpractice,anditsdynamicrolewithinthe restructuringcountrysideandwithinwidertourismdevelopmentprocesses.This introductionaimstoestablishacontextforthesubsequentandmorefocused chaptersthatfollowbyoutliningissuesrelatingto,dimensionsof,andquestions surroundingthedynamicnatureofruraltourismandrecreation.