Transitioning from a local railway hub to a regional tourism system : the story of Peterborough, South Australia

This chapter examines the tourism development path of Peterborough, a former single-industry railway town in rural South Australia. Drawing on theoretical perspectives from evolutionary, institutional and relational economic geography, the aim of the chapter is to identify how issues around path dependence influence the abilities of peripheral single-industry towns to operate as part of interactive and collaborative regional tourism innovation systems. The case study documents the difficult transition of Peterborough from a relatively independent major railway hub to a minor tourist transit stopover requiring stronger partnerships within a broader regional tourism destination. The findings identify a range of challenges for local tourism that point to issues around single-industry path dependence and 'lock-in', including: an entrenched dependence on government leadership and investment; a lack of home-grown entrepreneurship willing to address gaps in the homogeneous product portfolio; limited local acceptance and understanding of tourism; resistance to outsiders as new knowledge brokers; and truncated network capabilities within the local system. The chapter also shows how the unique spatial and socio-economic contexts of peripheral 'low-amenity' areas may reinforce path dependence by limiting opportunities to diversify incoming (tourist and migrant) mobilities. Some of the weaknesses within the local tourism system may be bridged by proactive local government and public sector leadership, yet we question the long-term sustainability of such approaches

Scotland’s accommodation sector – A qualitative case study of business experiences

This research explores recent, current and future challenges and opportunities facing accommodation businesses, a sector which has a vital role to play in the economic and social vibrancy of many rural and island communities across Scotland. The research provides a picture of the recent ‘real life experiences’ of these businesses in a period which has seen the UK leave the EU, the Covid-19 pandemic and the cost of living crisis, in addition to other legislative and policy developments.The NISRIE team undertook in-depth, online qualitative interviews with a number of owners/managers from accommodation businesses in rural and island communities, and individuals from business representative organisations from the tourism sector. The sample included a range of ownership structures and business types in a geographical spread of locations across rural and island Scotland.On the basis of the evidence gathered from the interviews, we suggest the following issues be considered by policymakers seeking to support businesses across rural and island communities in Scotland:Improving the recruitment and retention of skilled labour.Addressing the long-standing issue of a shortage of housing supply and its unaffordability.Ensuring reliable, good quality transport infrastructure (public and private, on land, sea and by air) and digital connectivity.Improving understanding of the circumstances, challenges and opportunities of rural and island businesses.Engaging rural and island accommodation businesses in designing new legislation and policies from the outset and on a continuous basis is critical to achieving their buy-in.Ensuring policies and legislation are much more joined-up to ensure clarity and reduce complexity for businesses.Supporting businesses to achieve greater environmental sustainability and to demonstrate their ‘green’ credentials.Ensuring policies and legislation, where possible, are flexible enough to recognise different circumstances.Monitoring the ongoing impacts of the cost of living crisis, including higher energy prices, for businesses.Facilitating the growth of new tourism activities, including health and wellbeing type experiences, and of the sustainable growth of local economies, including through the community wealth building or circular economy legislation.Recognising the role of rural and island businesses in their wider communities, beyond simply creating income and jobs and encouraging supportive business networks to form

Transitioning from a local railway hub to a regional tourism system: The story of Peterborough, South Australia

This chapter examines the tourism development path of Peterborough, a former single-industry railway town in rural South Australia. Drawing on theoretical perspectives from evolutionary, institutional and relational economic geography, the aim of the chapter is to identify how issues around path dependence influence the abilities of peripheral single-industry towns to operate as part of interactive and collaborative regional tourism innovation systems. The case study documents the difficult transition of Peterborough from a relatively independent major railway hub to a minor tourist transit stopover requiring stronger partnerships within a broader regional tourism destination. The findings identify a range of challenges for local tourism that point to issues around single-industry path dependence and ‘lock-in’, including: an entrenched dependence on government leadership and investment; a lack of home-grown entrepreneurship willing to address gaps in the homogeneous product portfolio; limited local acceptance and understanding of tourism; resistance to outsiders as new knowledge brokers; and truncated network capabilities within the local system. The chapter also shows how the unique spatial and socio-economic contexts of peripheral ‘low-amenity’ areas may reinforce path dependence by limiting opportunities to diversify incoming (tourist and migrant) mobilities. Some of the weaknesses within the local tourism system may be bridged by proactive local government and public sector leadership, yet we question the long-term sustainability of such approaches

The role of heritage tourism in attracting “active” in-migrants to “low amenity” rural areas

Tourism can influence in-migration to rural areas by enhancing the attractiveness of rural communities and providing opportunities for employment, entrepreneurship and volunteer engagement appealing to in-migrants. Much research on the rural tourism-migration nexus has focused on “high amenity” areas characterized by scenic environments and well-developed tourism and service infrastructures. Many communities in inland Australia, however, are in “low amenity” areas where tourism opportunities are limited to exploiting industrial and cultural heritage assets. This article examines the role of heritage tourism in facilitating in-migration to such areas based on interviews with in-migrants to three communities in South Australia’s Mid-North, focusing on the experiences of “active” in-migrants who get economically or socially involved in their new communities. Findings suggest heritage tourism minimally affected migration decisions. Key attractors were housing, employment, cost of living and easy access to the city. Business opportunities in tourism were attractors where the tourism industry was relatively well developed. Overall, the factors influencing in-migration differed among communities suggesting locally, not regionally, focused place marketing strategies are required to target in-migrants

My Village Is Dying? : Integrating Methods from the Inside Out

The purpose of this paper is to confront the notion of decline at the village level by illustrating a more immersive approach to sociological and demographic research within rural and remote communities. The research uses case studies of three villages in Australia, Canada, and Sweden, all of which have been labeled as declining villages, typified by population loss, an aging population, high rates of youth outmigration, and loss of businesses and services. This paper argues that focusing solely on quantitative indicators of demographic change provides a narrow view of rural village trajectories and ignores subtle processes of local adaptation that are hidden from quantitative data sets. Our research integrates quantitative data from the outside with qualitative data from the inside, including visual ethnography, to develop a more balanced perspective on how villages have been changing and what change could mean locally. These objectives are accomplished by revisiting a Dirt Research methodology applicable to a broad range of research into rural and remote villages