RURAL TOURISM PRODUCTION AND THE EXPERIENCE-SCAPE

Careful investigations of the supply-side components of tourism are critical to the creation of informed public policy that addresses amenity production, regional change, and integrative tourism planning. In this article we develop a conceptual basis of the rural tourism experience from a supply perspective that includes latent inputs, joint productivity, and the experience-scape within a capability framework. These tourism building blocks allow for alternative compatibility and sustainability outcomes resulting from rural tourism development. The analysis suggests implications for planning and policy analysis that span economic, social, and environmental issues central to rural regions and their communities.