Abstract |
The rural recreation areas of Europe provide a wide variety of experiences and attractions for the visitor. Domestic and international visitor flows mostly from conurbations are turning to countryside destinations for holidays in increasing numbers. There are changes in the length and type of visits sought and there is a rapid growth in alternative recreational outdoor activities world wide and thus the alpine rural areas have to be ever more competitive and have to concentrate on sustainable development. At the same time there is an increasing need to be sensitive to both the positive and negative impacts of tourism on the economy, the environment and the local communities. Integrated quality management is an approach to focus on quality by putting suitable management in place, to ensure that visitors have a special experience, meeting or exceeding their expectations while maximising the benefit to the destination and while managing visitor flows. This approach is explored here and the main issues that are discussed, are based on a case study in the Bregenzerwald, Vorarlberg. |