| Abstract: |
Tourism has the potential to make a major contribution to the development of
rural areas. However, empirical evidence suggests that its economic impact is
limited, because rural visitors are thought to engage in few recreational
activities and are seen as low spenders. This study gives new insights into
the domestic demand in areas of France described as “rural”, with data
extracted from the national database provided by the French “tourism demand
survey”. The results of the “activity-based segmentation” of visitors' stays
in three rural regions show that during the summer season, visits to friends
or relatives, which involve little expenditure and no specific activities,
continue to take place. However, more expensive stays are the most common.
They involve activities aimed at experiencing the outdoors or enjoying local
sights, based on natural and cultural amenities that are mainly located in
regional natural parks. The main forms of accommodation are campsites and
rural cottages. Gastronomic tourism has also emerged as an activity that
attracts higher spending visitors. These findings are discussed in relation to
the results of segmentation studies in other European countries. Their
academic and management implications also are presented. |