Urban-Rural Exodus and Community Tourism Development

Urban-rural exodus or counter urbanization is a phenomenon where city dwellers move from city centres to the country side.  Urban-rural movement is believed to have been prominent since 1950 in more economically developed countries sparked by an increase in car ownership, the creation of new business hubs in remote areas, the zeal for a peaceful retirement and small scale farm ownership. This phenomenon generated from an individual perspective has been gaining wider attention in some countries gradually transforming ideal resources in country sides to tourism development oriented resources.

The approach to tourism development differs from country to country but the Asian approach seem to be making great strides renovating the once abandoned country sides to  peaceful havens for city dwellers and visitors.  Inconveniences and uncertainties in urban areas  is changing the attitude of city dwellers making rural settlement a new battle ground not just for retirees and the old but also to young stars who want to adopt a different form of lifestyle. If this present trend of movement continues around the world, then the United Nations prediction of 60% of the world’s population to live in urban environments by 2030 needs to be elucidated further.

The South Korea government recently announced that it will speed up the construction of thousands of houses in rural communities following report that the number of city dwellers making new homes in the country sides has been on the increase cutting across the ages of 30, 40 and 50 years. The government encouraged high schools in rural areas after it selected 82 schools as public boarding schools with available funds. It encourage the teaching of “after school English” in rural areas in a bit to improve the quality of education. South Korea offers tourism farms which are developed by groups of farm households in rural areas. Home stay villages are common here and it has encouraged women to be more involve in rural tourism than ever before. This has greatly promoted national tourism where nationals take advantage of their holidays to spend time with family in such areas that still preserves the identity of nature.  In most of the accommodations, visitors are given the opportunity to cook foods of their own taste.  Such visits also help children to appreciate handicrafts and historic buildings that may be scarce to find in big cities.

 A traditional farmhouse use for home stays in South Korea (source: Food and Fertilizer Technology Center for the Asia Pacific Region)

Japan is noted for its farm tourism commonly known as “farm inn”. Varieties of meals are offered to visitors which makes them feel different from the daily urban lifestyle. Recent studies reveal that most Japanese prefer spending part of their time in rural communities because of the inconveniences of urban rhythm. Abandoned villages and farms are given facelift to meet up the growing number of daily visitors.

A traditional farmhouse in Japan use for farm stays (source: Food and Fertilizer Technology Center for the Asia Pacific Region)

In Malaysia, the government provides agro-tourism centres in a bit to foster education and recreation in rural communities. Agrotourism is defined as a form of tourism which focuses on rural culture or cultural landscape as a means of attraction to tourist. These centres help to protect rare animal and plant species which has become sites of major attraction to visitors. The government also encourages camping and caravans on the farms which is attracting a wide range of national and foreign visitors.

Rural tourism in Malaysia (source: Food and Fertilizer Technology Center for the Asia Pacific Region)

The benefits that can be generated by communities engage in rural tourism are boundless.  Communities that are still emerging in such practices have the task to be educated on management skills, marketing, and should be well informed about visitor’s needs and wants.  Good planning and strategic location is primordial for success in rural tourism and lack of infrastructures will limit all endeavours to progress. Above all, local people should be in favour of tourism development for they are custodians of the land and reliable agents to build a strong partnership. With all the necessary resources put together, other forms of tourism such as health tourism, ethno tourism, project tourism, historical tourism, cultural tourism or adventure tourism will be developed and it will tap a lot of knowledge from those who have experienced life in big cities and willing to transform rural communities to engines of development and source of income that promotes regional community integration.

Nfor Canicius Ndi