Rural tourism marketing: Lavender tourism in Turkey / Marketing do turismo rural: Turismo lavanda na Turquia

ABSTRACT: This study aimed to comprehend rural tourism marketing through the visitors' eyes and discuss its sustainability. What makes rural tourism marketing more sophisticated and complex is that it is a service marketing, associated with agricultural activities, natural conditions and rural areas, and the main providers have no experience in rural tourism or service marketing. The study investigated perception of visitors in a small village, Kuyucak, in the Southwest part of Turkey, where rural tourism based on lavender production has recently developed. Results of the analysis of 175 questionnaires completed by visitors online showed that more than half of the respondents had heard and got information about the village via social media. Although, the main purpose of their visit was stated as nature/rural experience and recreation/holiday, the primary motivation of the majority was taking and sharing photos via social media tools. Appearance of lavender and previous social media sharing are very important determinants in the decision-making and expectations of visitors. Results of the factor analysis showed that two components composed of the variables regarding pre-visit perception and the physical conditions of the village together explain sixty-five per cent of the overall satisfaction. The most important component in decision making of visitors was found their perception before visiting, which means that what they expected to see was more important than what they actually saw, which was represented by visitors' satisfaction. Making visitors experience their pre-visit perception will contribute to the sustainability of rural tourism activities benefiting the area.

RESUMO: Este estudo teve como objetivo compreender o marketing do turismo rural através dos olhos dos visitantes e discutir sua sustentabilidade. O que torna o marketing do turismo rural mais sofisticado e complexo é que ele é um marketing de serviços, associado a atividades agrícolas, condições naturais e áreas rurais, e os principais provedores não têm experiência em turismo rural ou marketing de serviços. O estudo investigado a percepção de visitantes em uma pequena aldeia, Kuyucak, no sudoeste da Turquia, onde o turismo rural baseado na produção de lavanda se desenvolveu recentemente. Os resultados da análise de 175 questionários preenchidos pelos visitantes online mostraram que mais da metade dos entrevistados ouviram e receberam informações sobre o vilarejo pelas mídias sociais, e embora o objetivo principal de sua visita tenha sido declarado como natureza experiência rural e recreação feriado, a principal motivação da maioria foi tirar e compartilhar fotos através de ferramentas de mídia social. O surgimento da lavanda e o compartilhamento prévio de mídias sociais são determinantes muito importantes na tomada de decisões e expectativas dos visitantes. Os resultados da análise fatorial mostram que dois componentes compostos pelas variáveis relativas à percepção pré-visita e às condições físicas da aldeia, juntos, explicam 65% da satisfação geral. O que foi considerado interessante foi o componente sobre a percepção deles antes de visitar, o que significa que o que eles esperavam ver era mais importante do que o que eles realmente viram e encontraram o que foi representado pelo componente em evidências físicas sobre a satisfação dos visitantes. Fazer com que os visitantes experimentem sua percepção pré-visita contribuirá para a sustentabilidade das atividades de turismo rural e seus benefícios na área.

Caracterização sumária dos empreendimentos tipo pesque-pague em cidades do Rio Grande do Norte / Summary characterization of fish-and-pay establishment in cities from Rio Grande of Norte / Caracterización sumaria de los emprendimientos del tipo estanques de pesca en ciudades del Rio Grande do Norte

Os "pesque-pague" podem ser descritos como uma atividade econômica inserida no contexto de turismo rural ao oferecer o lazer, mediante pesca esportiva, como principal serviço. Objetivou-se com o presente trabalho identificar os estabelecimentos de pesca esportiva tipo pesque-pague da capital Natal e cidades circunvizinhas, situadas no Estado do Rio Grande do Norte, e caracterizá-los quanto a sua estrutura física, práticas de manejo, espécies cultivadas, abastecimento de insumos, perfil do proprietário e marketing empregado. Na região estudada foi possível identificar a existência de estabelecimentos tipo pesque-pague nas cidades de Ceará-Mirim, Nísia Floresta, Natal e Arês, sendo um em cada cidade. A Tilápia é o peixe mais utilizado para a pesca esportiva nos "pesque-pague" estudados, e sua reprodução natural nos viveiros de pesca ocorre por ação de peixes carnívoros. O pesque-pague não é uma atividade recente na região, a maior parte da mão de obra empregada é familiar com contratação de empregados nos dias de maior fluxo e, segundo a maioria dos proprietários, gera um bom lucro. Porém, esses também relatam a necessidade de uma cadeia produtiva bem estruturada disponibilizando peixes, insumos de qualidade e assistência técnica especializada.

The "fish-pay" can be described as an economic activity inserted in the context of rural tourism by offering leisure through sport fishing as the main service. The objective of this study was identify fish-and-pay establishments in Natal and surrounding towns, located in the state of Rio Grande do Norte, and features as their physical structure, practices management, cultivated species, supply of inputs, owner profile and employee marketing. In the region studied was possible to identify the existence establishments fish-and-pay type in the cities of Ceará-Mirim, Nísia Floresta, Natal and Arês, one in each city. The Tilapia is the most widely used fish for sport fishing in " fish-pay" studied, and its natural reproduction in fish ponds occurs per share of carnivorous fish. The "fish-and-pay" is not a new activity in the region, most of the employed workforce is familiar with hiring employees on days of increased flow and, according to most owners, it generates a good profit. However, they also report the need for a good structured production chain offering fish, quality inputs and specialized technical assistance.

Los estanques de pesca pueden ser descriptos como una actividad económica inserida en el contexto del turismo rural al ofrecer el ocio, a través de la pesca deportiva, como servicio principal. Se ha buscado con ese estudio identificar los establecimientos de pesca deportiva del tipo estanques en la capital Natal y pueblos de los alrededores, ubicados en el Estado del Rio Grande do Norte, y caracterízalos cuanto a su estructura física, prácticas de manejo, especies cultivadas, suministro de insumos, perfil del propietario y marketing empleado. En la región estudiada ha sido posible identificar la existencia de estanques de pesca en las ciudades de Ceará-Mirim, Nísia Floresta, Natal y Arês, siendo uno en cada ciudad. La Tilapia es el pescado más buscado en la pesca deportiva en los estanques estudiados, y su reproducción natural en los viveros de peces ocurre por acción de peces carnívoros. Los estanques de pesca no es actividad reciente en la región, la mayor parte de la fuerza de trabajo empleada es familiar, con contratación de empleados en los días de mayor flujo y, según la mayoría de los propietarios, genera buena ganancia. Sin embargo, estos también informan de la necesidad de una cadena productiva bien estructurada suministrando peces, insumos de calidad y asistencia técnica especializada.

Rural tourism: a risk factor for schistosomiasis transmission in Brazil

This paper reports an outbreak of acute schistosomiasis among 38 tourists who rented a country house in the district of Igarapé, the metropolitan region of Belo Horizonte, Brazil, during a holiday period in 2006. A total number of 32 individuals were positive for Schistosoma mansoni. Results of stool examinations revealed individual S. mansoni egg counts per gram of faeces (epg) ranging from 4-768 epg with a geometric mean egg count of 45. The most frequent clinical symptoms were abdominal pain (78.1 percent), headache (75 percent), fever (65.6 percent), dry cough (65.2 percent) and both diarrhoea and asthenia (59.4 percent). A malacological survey of the area, where 22 specimens of Biomphalaria glabrata were collected, revealed three (13.6 percent) specimens eliminating Schistosoma cercariae. This investigation re-confirms a recently described pattern of schistosomiasis infection, resulting in the acute form of the disease and connected to rural tourism, which contributes to the spread of the disease among the middle-class and into non-endemic areas. The lack of specific knowledge about acute schistosomiasis among health services causes an increased number of unnecessary diagnostic procedures and delays in accurate diagnosis and treatment, resulting in considerable discomfort for the patients.

Rural tourism as risk factor for the transmission of schistosomiasis in Minas Gerais, Brazil

Recently, the booming rural tourism in endemic areas of the state of Minas Gerais was identified as a contributing factor in the dissemination of the infection with Schistosoma mansoni. This article presents data from six holiday resorts in a rural district approximately 100 km distant from Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil, where a possibly new and until now unperceived way of transmission was observed. The infection takes place in swimming pools and little ponds, which are offered to tourists and the local population for fishing and leisure activities. The health authorities of the district reported cases of schistosomiasis among the local population after visiting these sites. As individuals of the non-immune middle class parts of the society of big urban centers also frequent these resorts, infection of these persons cannot be excluded. A malacological survey revealed the presence of molluscs of the species Biomphalaria glabrata and Biomphalaria straminea at the resorts. The snails (B. glabrata) of one resort tested positive for S. mansoni. In order to resolve this complex problem a multidisciplinary approach including health education, sanitation measures, assistance to the local health services, and evolvement of the local political authorities, the local community, the tourism association, and the owners of the leisure resorts is necessary. This evidence emphasizes the urgent need for a participative strategic plan to develop the local tourism in an organized and well-administered way. Only so this important source of income for the region can be ensured on the long term without disseminating the disease and putting the health of the visitors at risk.