Farm attractions, networks, and destination development: a case study of sussex, england

Farm attractions, networks, and

destination development: a case study of

Sussex, England

Antonella Capriello and Ian D. Rotherham

Abstract

Purpose – The paper seeks to provide insights into network-based perspectives of farm attractions,

evaluating their effectiveness for destination development. The specific purpose is to uncover

relationships between entrepreneurship, network marketing and management strategies, and

sustainable tourism policies.

Design/methodology/approach – Qualitative case-study method generates holistic understanding of

complex networks and networking activities. In-depth interviews allow exploration of entrepreneurial

processes.

Findings – Cross-comparisons reveal network effectiveness related to common goals shared among

network members. Benefits such as problem solving, information dissemination, and opportunities to

learn were important for members of a specific network, but may be undermined by individual

entrepreneurial aims and differences.

Research limitations/implications – The results concern a mature destination but the approach might

be used for similar work in other sectors and settings. The network models should be assessed for

destination planning in other parts of Europe, especially emerging tourism regions.

Practical implications – Identified patterns and issues generate ideas for policy makers for current

practice; with the need for public policy to work with, seek to build on, and support existing enterprise

initiatives, rather than developing new collaborations.

Originality/value – The paper contributes to debates on visitor attraction marketing with a focus on a

theory of co-operation in marketing networks. Many studies focus on specific types of attractions or

tourist destinations, or specific strategic approaches.

Keywords Farms, Marketing systems, Entrepreneurialism, Tourism management

Paper type Case study

1. Introduction

In recent decades many rural economies have suffered severe downturns, with falling

employment and incomes in traditional farm-based industries. Recent re-structuring of

principal funding systems has squeezed out many operators from traditional farming (Ilbery

and Bowler, 1998; Countryside Agency and English Tourism Council, 2001). The European

Union introduced measures to re-structure and to create/maintain rural jobs. Through the

Objective 5b Programme there are incentives to generate alternative incomes from tourism

via accommodation, activities, and attractions. In the UK, rural tourism has been

encouraged by re-structuring of EU agricultural support systems (decreased subsidies

and production caps). With tourism widely promoted to counteract rural social and

economic problems, research has addressed farm diversification issues and challenges.

While accommodation provision is the most common farm tourism business, a smaller group

of entrepreneurs seeks diversification from farming, looking for other income and

opportunities from attractions.

DOI 10.1108/16605370810883950 VOL. 63 NO. 2 2008, pp. 59-71, Q Emerald Group Publishing Limited, ISSN 1660-5373 j TOURISM REVIEW j PAGE 59

Antonella Capriello is

Assistant Professor of

Marketing, University of

Eastern Piedmont,

Department of Business

Studies and Environment,

Novara, Italy. Ian D.

Rotherham is Reader and

Director of Tourism and

Environmental Change

Research Unit, Sheffield

Hallam University, Sheffield,

UK.

The working paper results from

an international research

programme between the

University of Eastern Piedmont

and Sheffield Hallam University.

In particular, the authors are

grateful to those institutions for

their support. They also thank

Sussex Top Attractions, South

Down Conservation Board,

Sussex Tourist Offices’

managers, the Rural East

Sussex Transport Partnership,

and all the farm managers who

actively took part in the field

research for their co-operation.

Finally, they thank Luisa

Andreu, Juergen Gnoth, Metin

Kozak, Co-Chairs of the 2007

Advances in Tourism Marketing

Conference, and the two

anonymous reviewers of the

conference for their

suggestions on a preliminary

version of this paper.