Tourism Planning in Rural Areas and Organization Possibilities

Along with changing life conditions, various orientations have emerged in tourism. Instead of conventional tourism centers, quiet, natural and authentic places are being preferred. However, the economic output provided by this initiative has not been able to reach to the expected level and sustainability due to lack of a planned and rational basis from the beginning. Uncontrolled pressure generated from this might have irreversible impacts on natural and cultural landscapes. Therefore, a rational, practical and preservation-based planning should be implemented in order to ensure a sustainable development in regions where no intense tourism activities exist yet but that have significant potential. At this point, first potential a region has regarding the natural and cultural landscape values should be determined; and then applicable tourism types and their implementation areas should be established. Additionally socio-economic development and change to be generated by probable tourism activities should be analyzed carefully. Moreover opinions of local people regarding this subject must be considered throughout the decision-making process. Here cooperatives and organizations in rural areas step in. Planning decisions, which are made without considering the balance between usage and conservation and provide a temporary solution, would damage authentic sources of a rural area in an irreversible way. Rural areas are settlements which represent reserved areas remained by natural areas and contain a unique rural life culture. Therefore, among tourism types they are not only regions suitable for development of rural tourism, but they are also considered to be spaces of many tourism types which share this environment.


Introduction
Along with changing life conditions, various orientations have emerged in tourism.Instead of conventional tourism centers, quiet, natural and authentic places are being preferred.However, the economic output provided by this initiative has not been able to reach to the expected level and sustainability due to lack of a planned and rational basis from the beginning.Uncontrolled pressure generated from this might have irreversible impacts on natural and cultural landscapes.Therefore, a rational, practical and preservation-based planning should be implemented in order to ensure a sustainable development in regions where no intense tourism activities exist yet but that have significant potential.At this point, first potential a region has regarding the natural and cultural landscape values should be determined; and then applicable tourism types and their implementation areas should be established.Additionally socio-economic development and change to be generated by probable tourism activities should be analyzed carefully.Moreover opinions of local people regarding this subject must be considered throughout the decision-making process.Here cooperatives and organizations in rural areas step in.Planning decisions, which are made without considering the balance between usage and conservation and provide a temporary solution, would damage authentic sources of a rural area in an irreversible way.Rural areas are settlements which represent reserved areas remained by natural areas and contain a unique rural life culture.Therefore, among tourism types they are not only regions suitable for development of rural tourism, but they are also considered to be spaces of many tourism types which share this environment.
In this study, it is aimed to reveal rural tourism concept and types, analyzing rural tourism possibilities implemented in the world and in Turkey; and to create rural tourism planning and organization models.Within this scope, we focused on rural tourism's definition, its objectives, the reasons of its emergence and development, its principles, its types, its environmental, social and economic impacts; and on the examination of approaches to tourism at rural areas in Turkey and Europe.
In this section, the subjects below will be discussed.

Definition of rural area
The definition of rural has been in dispute for decades (Gilbert, 1982), many different definitions of the rural have been given, each focusing on a different specialized aspect: in turn, statistical, administrative, built-up area, functional regions, agricultural, and population density.
Many commentators define rural areas as those with less than 10-20 per cent of their land areas covered by the built environment.There are three important implications here.These areas will be dominated by agrarian and forest-based economic activities.They will be, to a large extent, repositories of the natural world and wild-life.For the visitor, they will give an impression of space, and a traditional non-urban, non-industrial economy.Their economies will be strongly influenced by the market for farm and forest products.Although the labour force required for farming and forestry has declined rapidly in recent years, rural areas still show a strong bias towards jobs in the farm/forest sector.Additionally, they usually exhibit low female activity rates outside the home because of the shortage of job opportunities for women in many rural areas (Organısatıon For Economıc Co-Operatıon and Development [OECD], 1994).
The OECD Rural Development Programme uses a pragmatically based series of indicators: while at local level a population density of 150 persons per square kilometre is the preferred criterion, "at the regional level geographic units are grouped by the share of their population which is rural, into the following three types:  predominantly rural (> 50 per cent),  significantly rural (15-50 per cent), Rural areas generally suffer high levels of poverty, and are also characterised by lower levels of non-farm economic activity, infrastructural development, and access to essential services.They may also suffer from depopulation of the able-bodied, and lack of political clout.

Definition of rural tourism and its types
The concept of rural tourism is multidimensional and there are several different definitions about rural tourism.The followings are some examples: according to the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development [OECD], rural tourism is defined as tourism taking place in the countryside.
It has been argued above that rurality as a concept is connected with low population densities and open space, and with small scale settlements, generally of fewer than 10 000 inhabitants.Land use is dominated by farming, forestry and natural areas.Societies tend towards traditionalism: the influence of the past is often strong.
Government policies lean towards conservation rather than radical or rapid change.
It follows, therefore, that rural tourism should be:  Located in rural areas;  Functionally rural, built upon the rural world's special features: small scale enterprise, open space, contact with nature and the natural world, heritage "traditional" societies and "traditional"practices;  Rural in scale --both in terms of buildings and settlements --and, therefore, usually small scale  Traditional in character, growing slowly and organically, and connected with local families.It will often be very largely controlled locally and developed for the long term good of the area;  Sustainable --in the sense that its development should help sustain the special rural character of an area, and in the sense that its development should be sustainable in its use of resources.Rural tourism should be seen as a potential tool for conservation and sustainability, rather than as an urbanizing and development tool;  Of many different kinds, representing the complex pattern of rural environment, economy, and history.
According to Lane (1994a) rural tourism should: be located in rural areas, functionally rural, rural in scale i.e. usually small-scale; be traditional in character; grow slowly and organically; be connected with local families; and represent the complex pattern of rural environment, economy, history and location.
Descried rural tourism as multi-faceted activity rather than farm-based tourism only.It not only includes farm-based holidays but also comprises special interest nature holidays and ecotourism, walking, climbing and riding holidays , adventure, sport and health tourism, hunting and angling, educational travel, arts and heritage tourism and in some areas, ethnic tourism (Baramwell& Lane, 1994).
Rural tourism refers to those traveling activities that aim at pursuing natural and humanistic attraction with rurality in rural area (Jingming& Lihua, 2002).Macdonald and Jolliff (2003) introduced the concept into this patticular study and defined it as cultural rural tourism.By this definition rural tourism refers to a distinct rural community with its own traditions, heritage, arts, lifestyles, places, and values as preserved between generations.When tourists visit these areas, they are well informed about the culture and experienced folklore, costoms, natural landscapes, and historical landmarks.They may also enjoy other activities in a rural setting such as nature, adventure, sports, festivals, crafts, and general sightseeing.
The connection between rural tourism, agricultural tourism and farm tourism is synthesized in figure 1 Rural tourism, or rurally-located tourism, can include the above but also campsites, lodges, safari drives, craft markets, cultural displays, adventure sports, walking trails, heritage sites, musical events indeed any tourist activity taking place in a rural area (Table 2).Rural tourism is a kind of rural activities and its characteristic is natural and humanistic (It includes customs, scenery, landscape (about local country and agricultural) and other attractions, Its types of activities basically are leisure, sightseeing, experience and learning, and so on (Jingming & Lihua 2002;Deqian, 2006;Holland, Burian & Dixey, 2003).According to Nilsson, rural tourism is based on the rural environment in general whereas farm tourism is based on the farm and farmer.This means that within the framework of rural tourism, farm tourism enterprises are more closely related to agriculture than other rural tourism operations.(Hong, 1998) Agri-tourism is when the purpose of the visit has a specific agricultural focus such as being with animals, enjoying a vineyard.Tourism on the farms enables farmers to diversify their activities while enhancing the value of their products and property.Farm tourism also helps to reconcile farming interests and environmental protection through integrated land management in which farmers continue to play a key role.Tourists who choose farm accommodation rather than other kinds of accommodation facilities look for genuine rural atmosphere where they can share intimacy of the household they live in, learn traditional crafts and skills with their hosts, make friends which is a quality, modern times have almost forgotten and above all enjoy home made food and drinks.Some specific food labels can help consumers establish a local produce and can be used as a selling point to tourist who want to taste home grown quality food and drink.

Zone
Agritourism "is a hybrid concept that merges elements of two complex industries-agriculture and travel/tourism-to open up new, profitable markets for farm products and services and provide travel experience for a large regional market (Wicks & Merrett, 2003).Agritourism helps preserve rural lifestyles and landscape and also offers the opportunity to provide "sustainable" or "green" tourism (Privitera, 2010).Agritourism can be defined as a subset of rural tourism (Reid et al., 2000), and "includes a range of activities, services and amenities provided by farmers and rural people to attract tourists to their area in order to generate extra income for their businesses" (Gannon, 1994).
Farm tourism is when accommodation for rural tourists is provided on farms.The core activity is in the wider rural area (walking, boating) but the vast majority of visitors are accommodated on farms, either working farms or farms converted to accommodation facilities.Farm tourism activities can include farm markets, wineries, U-Picks, farming interpretive centers, farm-based accommodation and events, and agriculture-based festivals.
Heritage and cultural tourism in rural areas comes in a wide range of forms most of which are unique to an individual local and a valuable component of the rural tourism product.
Heritage and cultural tourism includes temples, rural buildings but may be extended to local features of interest including war remnants, monuments to famous literary, artistic or scientific people, historic remains, archeological sites, traditional parkland etc.
Eco tourism; many tourists visit rural areas for the purpose of bird and animal watching and learning about local flora and fauna.Rural tourist destination as a product is definitely very fragile in ecological, social and cultural sense.Its development requires very specific approach that could help it remain sustainable in the long term.In many rural regions, tourism is accepted as a natural part of the socio-economic fabric juxtaposed with agriculture.
Rural tourism is among the most polymorphous of all forms of Special Interest Tourism (SIT).
The diversity of attractions included within rural tourism embrace: Indigenous and European heritage sites, Aspects of culture (agriculture), Industrial tourism (farm practices), Education tourism, Special events, Ecological attractions, Adventure tourism and Wine tourism.
Such diversity represents major opportunities for rural areas that have turned to tourism as a means of supplementing diminished incomes (Douglas & Derret 2001).
Lane, (1994) identifies four necessary features for the sustainable rural tourism strategies as:


It is important that the person or team formulating the strategy is skilled not only in tourism development but also in economic, ecological and social analysis  Wide consultations amongst all interest groups are essential.These consultations will include trade and business, transport, farmers, administrators, and the custodians of the natural and historic assets of the area  Tourism relies more than any other industry on local goodwill.The local population must be happy with their visitors and the secure in the knowledge that the visitor influx will not overwhelm their live, increase their income hosts and impose new and unwelcome value systems on them  The strategy-making process should not be a once-only affair.It has to be an evolving long-term enterprise, able to cope with change, and able to admit to its own mistakes and shortcomings.It is the beginning of a partnership between business, government and cultural and conservation interests In recent years, rural tourism has been developing rapidly.In order to promote the development of rural tourism, the local government paid more and more attention to the planning of rural tourism.Rural Tourism (RT) has long been recognized in certain parts of Europe as an effective catalyst of rural socio-economic regeneration for over a hundred years.
Rural tourism can therefore encompass a wide range of rural-based attractions, events and services that can provide the context for economic diversification and a mediating factor for sustainability.Rural tourism can promote heritage appreciation and resource conservation, contribute to social-economic change, and provide the context for interactionbetween local rural peopleand the tourists.On the other hand, rural tourism development can promote undesirable changes in the landscape, negatively influence the social-cultural values of a region, and promote inauthentic representations of local customs and ways of life.In the case of farm tourism, the sustainability of the tourism product can also be influenced by the degree to which operators have developed managerial skills, such as product and market development and customer service skills (Colton & Glyn, 2005) Rural tourism planning process begins with choosing qualified villages to attract tourists.In fact the first step of rural tourism planning management is to select potential villages for rural tourism.Finally the managerial operations must be implemented in order to maximize the benefits of mral tourism processes (Mahmoudi, Haghsetan, Meleki, 2011).
Rural tourism planning can be organized as shown (Figure 2);

Resource analysis
Related laws and regulations  (Hong, 1998).

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Tourism Planning in Rural Areas and Organization Possibilities 131

Relationship between rural tourism and natural-cultural environment
Tourism and environment are representing common relationship concepts.Successful tourism activity needs clean and orderly environment (Kiper 2006).Rural tourism is both entagled with rural settlements and is based on natural resources (Soykan 2003).
Rural tourism, natural resources, cultural heritage, rural lifestyle and an integrated tourism is a type of local economic activities.Therefore, rural tourism in rural areas was carried out with a number of elements in their natural landscape and cultural landscape (water, vista, topography, vegetation, clean air), as well as in the variety of recreational activities suitable for all kinds of environments.Therefore, rural tourism and its natural assets and raw materials to create, as well as directing people to travel is an attractive force (Kiper, Özyavuz & Korkut 2011).
Relationship between rural tourism and natural -cultural environment in Figure 3.
Adventure-emphasis on activity Nature based-primarily viewing of natural landscape Wildlife-primarily viewing of wildlife Ecotourism-includes educative and conservation supprting elements Rural tourism-primarily viewing of natural and cultural landscape Fig. 3.An overview of tourism (Dowling, Moore, Newsome 2002) According to Weaver and Opperman (2000) tourism attractiveness is form of two: natural and cultural.
Rural tourism resources vary with the geographical, it mostly with natural style, toiling morphology, farm life and tradition primarily.It is affected by the climate and the seasons, so can satisfy tourist various needs.Rural tourism cultural resources include folk festivals, crafts, folk architecture, folk art, marriage customs, fun legends, and so on (Fan &Yang, 2011).
According to Tane and Thıerheımer tourism in natural environments is mostly practiced by nature lovers that prefer isolation instead of urban crowds, and silence instead of the noise of tourist resorts.Being directly connected to rural tourism, it takes place in partially or completely isolated areas (mountain, sea, delta), being mostly destined to young or adult tourists.The relationship between rural tourism and other tourism forms practiced in the rural environment is extremely important, because it establishes the connections between natural, human, economical and social parameters, in order to insure all factors that lead to tourist growth and durable development (Tane Thierheimer, 2009).
According to Butler and Hall, to speak about rural tourism in a place, an economically viable rural population sustaining rural culture and identity through being engaged in rural activities is a prerequisite.
For, the target group will be the local community who is both the most influenced by tourism in the region and is the most influential on it.Certain states such as participation and embracing are prerequisites for sustainability (Kiper, 2011).

Rural tourism-rural development relationship
Tourism has long been considered as a potential means for socio-economic development and regeneration of rural areas, in particular those affected by the decline of traditional agrarian activities.Peripheral rural areas are also considered to be repositories of older ways of life and cultures that respond to the postmodern tourists' quest for authenticity (Urry, 2002).
Rural Development is an instrument which requires an integrated approach regarding economic, ecological, cultural and social way.Rural tourism is one of the most important instruments of Rural Development According to Keyim, Yang & Zhang, 2005; Rural tourism has long been considered the means of accelerating economic and social development, and has become a development tool for many rural areas.
More specifically, the development rural tourism offers potential solutions to many of the problems facing rural areas, These may be summarized as:  Economic growth, diversification and stabilization through employment creation in trades and crafts; the creation of new markets for agricultural products; and a broadening of a regions economic base, because local residents with a few can readdily work as food servers, retail clerks and hospitality workers.Tourism also skills can serve as a vehicle for attracting potential investors, as todays tourist may spend their life after retirementor start a business there. Socio-cultural development, including the maintenance and improvement of public services, the revitalization of local crafts, costoms and cultural identities, increases opprtunities for social contact andexchange. Production and improvement of both the natural environment built infastructure.Tourism, whichs generally considerered to be a relatively clean industry, may support local environment conservation (Keyim, Yang& Zhang, 2005).
According to Mahmoudi, Haghsetan, Meleki (2011); decrease in rural area's population and increase in the urbanity rate in recent years is a result of poverty and the absence of proper access to resources of welfare and livelihood services.Optimum usages of environmental, economical and production potentials of rural areas for improving income and welfare can be efficient in reaching the goal of reducing the rural immigration.Rural tourism is a part of tourism market and is a source of employment and income.Also it can be presented as a significant tool for the socio-economical development of rural areas.
Declining economic activity, restructuring of the agricultural sector, dwindling rural industrialisation and out-migration of higher educated youth, has led to the adoption, in many western nations, of tourism as an alternative development strategy for the economic and social regeneration of rural areas (Pompl & Lavery, 1993;Williams & Shaw, 1991;Hannigan, 1994;Dernoi, 1991;Wickens, 1999) Rural tourism in one of the forms of sustainable development that through promoting productivity in rural zones, brings about employment, income distribution, preservation of village environment and local culture, raising host community's participation and presenting appreciate methods to conform beliefs and traditional values with new circumstances (Kanaani, 2005).
Sustainable development is a process having economic, social, cultural and environmental-ecological dimensions.This process is perceived as a development in all respects for both urban and rural societies.Yet, in most of the developing countries rural population is gradually diminishing, notwithstanding the agricultural lands that are losing productivity are increasing.While this situation primarily results in increasing impoverishment of rural society, it also causes problems such as deforestation, erosion and productivity loss with the misuse of resources.On the other hand, damaging the natural resources emerge problems such as migration, poverty and hunger.These problems primarily affect rural people.Most affected ones by these problems are women and children.Overcoming these problems would be possible by sustainable planning and management of rural areas in accordance with their resource potential (Golley and Bellot, 1999).
Rural tourism has a positive impact on agricultural development, farmers' incomes and the standard of living in rural areas.However, one important issue is how to reach a consensus among local government, farmers' associations, and individual farmers on what kind of projects to promote, and how they should be funded and operated (Hong, 1998).
Agro-tourism represents a real opportunity for the local economy, the main motivation in training and development initiatives, the traditional activities that have long been neglected, of crafts, the strengthening and development of local artistic creations, linking to friends, material needs and spiritual needs of tourists, local economic activities stimulated life.
Rural household translates offer accommodation and services and creates motivation agro household to prepare and arrange inside and outside the household to obtain revenue, stimulate peasant to invest in their own household, to develop complementary activities of its concerns.The villager will compete, will carry from now on business in a competitive environment and will be forced to become competitive, increase the quality of their services and products to be applied (Munteanu, 2007).
Today, Villages are one of the resources, attracting the attention of tourism planners more than ever.Those with some specific cultural, natural or social appeal have a very strong potential for attracting tourists from close or remote areas and this can have significant role in rural development (Mostowfi, 2000).
Rural development is a strategy for improving economical and social life of poor villagers and a multilateral endeavor to reduce the poverty.That will especially be possible through increase in production and promote productivity in rural environment (Yadghar, 2004).
Certain rural areas depending considerably on stock-breeding and forestry have retrogressed rapidly with the technological developments.This change has rebounded on the economic life styles and agricultural production.Therefore, unifying agricultural activities with recreation and tourism and carrying out plans all together matter within the scope of both enlivening agricultural activities, of the prevention of using agricultural for non-agricultural purposes and of the reunion of people, who left nature and production, with production processes (Kiper, Özdemir & Başaran, 2011).
Since the 70s of 20th century, tourism activity in rural areas has remarkably increased in all the developed countries worldwide, which has played a key role in the development of rural areas that were economically and socially depressed (Perales, 2002).
Rural Tourism (RT) has long been recognized in certain parts of Europe as an effective catalyst of rural socio-economic regeneration for over a hundred years (He, 2003).
In Europe, the rural tourismhas beenwidely encouraged, promoted and relied on as a useful means of tackling the social and economic challenges facing those rural areas associated with the decline of traditional agrarian industries (Wang, 2006;Soykan, 2000).In countries such as France, Austria, and the United Kingdom rural tourism already represents a significant factor and has a growing demand (Pevetz, 1991).
Nowadays, it is seen that there is also a new tendency for rural tourism at local level through local initiatives in Turkey.Although there is still no governmental regulation for rural tourism activities, political and practical developments demonstrate that the sector should be evaluated as a planning element for Turkey.

Rural tourism policy in Turkey
The main source which strengthens rural economy is what rural area has regionally (agricultural development, natural resources, historical and cultural assets, traditional values).Here it is seen that they should be integrated within recreational uses which will reveal rural characteristics of the settlement and will develop potential of natural and cultural resources.However, what is important here is the necessity of preservation natural and cultural resources the rural area has through dealing with them within the frame of ecological principles.
In developing countries through the World Bank and United Nations Development Programs the various projects implemented in rural areas.In Turkey, implemented rural tourism projects for rural development in the planning period.
Rural tourism policy in Developments Plans in Turkey (Table 3).

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Tourism Planning in Rural Areas and Organization Possibilities 137

Developments Plans Policies I. Development Plans for Five Years
The priority regions to development studies are determined (West and Southwest Anatolia Region).

II. Development Plans for Five Years
Giving priority to undeveloped and development regions with less power are in the planning process for preventing the formation of large single-center.

III. Development Plans for Five Years
Planning studies have only been treated as priority regions.In addition, developmental sequence based on the detection of natural and cultural resources and socio-economic indicators are considered.

IV. Development Plans for Five Years
Regulatory studies were conducted on the use of public land and strengthening of agriculture for priority regions for development,

V. Development Plans for Five Years
Resource utilization and priority regions for development are dicussed.

VI. Development Plans for Five Years
Targetet to meet the needs of current population and the cities are ranked according to rates of development.
 Targetet to protect culture, tourism, history and natural assets for planning region  ÇED is suggested. Environmental organization plans are purposed for the detection of pre-basin and the surrounding land use.

VII. Development Plans for Five Years
The most extensive form of policies to the regional development are reflected in the seventh plan.

VIII. Development Plans for Five Years
The concepts of socio-economic framework, organizational structure and the current situation in rural ares are given. Sustainable terms of human development.based on rural development strategies

IX. Development Plans for Five Years
 Promotion and marketing of food products, forestry, agriculture in rural areas. Development of tourism and recreation, handicrafts, agro-based industries and other alternative production activities,  Rural residential planning principles and criteria are determined according to the needs of rural area and rural society,  Giving priority to tourism regions, developing residential units  EU institutional framework are intended to establish for rural development policies and compliance.
Table 3.The arrangements for development plans in rural areas (Sarıca, 2001;Turhan 2005;Ninth Development Plan (2007-2013) In the Tourism Strategy of Turkey-2023 and the Ninth Development Plan (2007)(2008)(2009)(2010)(2011)(2012)(2013), it is aimed to utilize natural, cultural, historical and geographical values of Turkey based on conservation-use balance, to increase the share of Turkey from tourism and to promote the attractiveness of regions via alternative tourism types like rural tourism (Tourism 2023Strategy Plan, 2007;Ninth Development Plan, 2007-2013).
In spite of the fact that Rural tourism that has been taken part in as a income supplement generating activity under Rural Development projects carried out in the different provinces in Turkey, The required attention has not sufficiently been given until now.Rural Turism submeasure is taken place under "Diversification of Economic Activities" of IPARD (Instrument for Pre-accession for Agriculture and Rural Development) Programme which is carried out by Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs in the period covering 2007-2013.Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs with the aim of the related public and private sector representatives is expected to play a vital role in the near future for making significant contribution for economic development of Turkey by being explored of the areas that have never been exploited before by both domestic and foreign tourists (Şerefoğlu, 2009).

Rural tourism -Examples of implementation
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 (Arzac, 2002).
The rural tourism is outstandingly developed in Austria and France in the European Union.In Austria rural tourism businesses receive government subsidies and they may apply for loans on preferential terms while in France government beyond the financial promotion education plays a significant role.In Hungary the history of rural tourism, similarly to the beginning of the Hungarian tourism, started in the thirties.The new age of rural tourism is 10-15 years old, it started in 1989-90 when local governments recognised the rural tourism as a possibility for economic achievements.Generally businesses of rural tourism were initiated by civil associations.Rural tourism connects tourism products.Rural tourism connects areas of rural leisure activities.Therefore the rural tourism, based on the rural circumstances, is a type of tourism which can be combined with the elements of cultural and active tourism (e. g.: horse riding and hiking).Synthesising the elements of rural tourism the system of definitions of rural tourism is shown in figure 7 (Pakurar & Olah 2008).

Activities in rural areas
Sustainable rural development

Attractiveness of rural areas
Rural environment

Rural accomodation Additional income of rural families
Active leisure time activities in rural Rural culture 24430) that defines agritourism as: "accommodation and hospitality activities carried out by farmers…, through the utilization of their own farms in connection with the activities of the cultivation of the land, of forestry, and of the raising of animals".Italy is the only country in the European Union that has specific laws regulating agritourism, whereas elsewhere this particular type of accommodation is included in the more general sector of rural tourism.

Utilisation of local resources
The phenomenon of agritourism has reached a consistent level of diffusion in Italy.The most recent official statistics refer to about 18,500 authorised enterprises nationwide, with an annual increase of 4.3%.In particular, in the fiveyear period 2004-2008, the entire sector shows an overall growth regarding accommodation, in terms of farms (32.5%), catering regarding farms (30.7%), tasting of local products and other activities that concern a growing number of enterprises that offer services that are on the increase (nature watching, courses); some of them have increased considerably.The Italian enterprises are almost all family-run; very few tend to take on employees from outside the family or join cooperatives and associations (Privitera, 2010).

Examples of Rural Tourism in Taiwan
Rural tourism is becoming popular in Taiwan among both farmers and visitors.It is becoming a new type of agricultural management for farmers.In view of the impact on farm incomes from international free trade, it is important to help farmers increase the profitability of their farms, as well as improving the quality of rural life.Looking at the effect of rural tourism in Nantou County, not only has there been a development of tourist farms around Luku and Shinyi, but also local communities have been revitalized.The potential of rural tourism to attract visitors is strong, especially now that Taiwan is implementing a policy of two days off every other week.In future, the 35 recreational spots of Nantou County will be connected into a complete network which will integrate farmers, rural villages, and agriculture (Hong, 1998).

Examples of Rural Tourism in Denmark
Fieldwork was conducted in three Danish rural municipalities: Rangstup in inland South Jutland, Ryslinge in the heart of Funen, and coastal Stevns in South-East Zealand.Rangstrup offers plenty of accommodation, mainly holiday cottages and campsites, but almost no named sights or attractions.When the authors inquired at the local tourism information, the attractions suggested were all located outside the municipality.In contrast, Ryslinge municipality has almost no commercial accommodation but boasts the mega-attraction of Egeskov castle, complete with moat, extensive gardens, museums and exhibitions, located in a romantic rural landscape, and attracting more than 250.000 visitors in the season.The third municipality, Stevns, faals between the two above extremes in that it displays several attractions, and a reasonable capacity and variety of commercial accommodation, camp sites, hotels and holiday cottages.None of the three municipalities offered many opportunities for farm-stays or the like (Hall, Roberts & Mitchell, 2005).
The municipalities posses the recreational opportunities that private and public forests offer, within the restrictions that public use of such areas is subjected to in Denmark.Furthermore, Rangstrup has golf courses and put-and-take fishing, while Stevens, the anly littoral municipality of the three, has fine beaches.All three municipalities are criss-crossed by regional and national bicycle routes, while a national scenic route designed for motoring passes through Ryslinge and Stevns, but not Rangstrup.In total, the three municipalities reflect the diversified distribution of facilities for rural tourism and recreation in Denmark (Hall, Roberts & Mitchell, 2005).

Examples of Rural Tourism in Korea
Planning for rural development should be based on development capabilities and advantages of each village so as to form the development plan of each village based on its potentials.Hence, regarding the fact that planning capability for rural development of these two villages is tourism, its development plan should be based on tourism.
Regarding the close relation of tourism development and bio-environmental, economical, socio-cultural, and legal-political factors, it is necessary to consider the capabilities and limitations of these factors.So development strategies and operational ways about these factors were determined and are shown in tables 4 and 5.For the aim of determining the appropriate strategies, and because the aim has been the removal of the limitations to implement the tourism programs, the basis for this decision-making has been the weaknesses and the threats concerning the study area (Mahmoudi, Haghsetan & Meleki, 2011).

Factors Strategy Way
Bio

Examples of Rural Tourism in United Nations
Rural tourism appeals to many travelers: 62% of all U.S. adults took a trip to a small town or village in the U.S. in the past three years, according to a travel poll by the U.S. Travel Association (USTA, www.ustravel.org).This translates to 86.8 million U.S. adults.A majority of these trips (86%) are for leisure purposes, and the most popular reason overall for traveling to a small town or rural area is to visit friends or relatives (44%).Baby Boomer travelers are more likely than younger or older travelers to visit small towns or villages for reasons other than visiting friends and relatives.More than half (55%) of travelers to rural locales travel with their spouse; 33% travel with children.Six percent (6%) of rural travelers go with their parents; 17% travel with other family members.Some travel with friends (11%) or as part of a group tour (3%).Another 11% travel alone (The 2011-2012Travel & Tourısm Market Research Handbook, 2011).

Examples of Rural Tourism in Turkey
Turkey has a favourable geographic, cultural and humanity structure for rural tourism.Through all these rich resources, the increasing demand for rural tourism can be met, a considerable amount of share can be gained and many advantages can be taken.However, as in all types of tourism, it is essential to express that local analysis be carried out while dealing with rural tourism.The determination of local facilities for rural tourism is very important in that strategies of tourism all across the country should be identified in a more realistic way.It is necessary that the strengths and weaknesses, threats and opportunities of each region having the potential to develop in terms of rural tourism be exhibited in detail, creating a roadmap.

Rural tourism organizations
According to Soykan (2000); rural tourism is a planned an organization.
In the contemporary world, an increasing number of enterprises, including rural tourism businesses, employ marketing methods and knowledge in their activities.Rural tourism has an exclusive link with nature.For this reason its services became very popular.Its development is furthered by the right marketing system and an expedient EU and national support.Rural tourism becomes a new field of activities, which makes good income and returns in rural areas and enables to change from agricultural production to service trade (Ramanauskienë, Gargasas & Ramanauskas, 2006).Morrison (1998) identified the impotance of co-operation in the tourism sector particularly for those who are located in a peripheral region or area.She defines co-operation as that which is 'between one or more tourist product providers, whereby each partner seeks to add to its marketing competencies by combining some, but not all of their resources with those of its partners for mutual benefit'.
Regarding an organization to be founded, mostly subjects such as creation of opportunities regarding marketing, provision of a good price and utilization of state support and aid are notable.Subjects of education and cooperation follow these.
Answers given to the question of in what areas the organization to be founded for ecotourism would be effective were included in the cluster analysis in terms of the answers.Agro-tourism is an innovative operation that is not bound to providing accommodation and catering services, but also gives the local community the opportunity to develop, maintain its folklore, bring back to life long-forgotten skills and crafts and produce traditional products (woven items, embroidery, preserves, jams, pasta, aromatic herbs etc).It also helps in the revival of local customs and the organization of traditional events.In achieving the ambitious aims of agrotourism, the contribution of women is of primary importance.Women develop various agrotourism activities through private companies (individual or corporate enterprises) or cooperatives (Aggelopoulos, Kamenidou & Pavloudi, 2008).
Women's organizations of rural tourism and the related projects and educational studies in Turkey are evaluated and some selected significant information is presented.

 Karaburun Women Agro-Tourism Cooperative
Being the first agricultural tourism project of Turkey, Karaburun emerged as a product of the efforts of Winpeace, Turkey-Greece Women's Initiative towards bridging the women in respective countries.Established by a group of women inhabiting Küçükbahçe, Sarpıncık and Parlak villages of İzmir's Karaburun district, "Karaburun Women Agro-Tourism Cooperative" presents a very diverse understanding of tourism.The women in these three villages seek to make a contribution to home economics by turning their houses into guesthouses.Guests who can participate in activities such as cooking bread, preparing traditional dishes, carpet weaving, horse riding, trekking and picking up olives pass a nature-friendly holiday.In addition, agricultural tourism tries to preserve the traditional products subject to be forgotten such as jam, handicrafts and aromatic plants.
For the education of women in Karaburun, similar cooperatives in Greece were visited and educational trips were organized to the villages in Turkey that are excelled in running guesthouses.This project aims at achieving the economic independence of women villagers who previously worked as unpaid family workers and their social enhancement.The project in Karaburun employs 18 people in total.The Karaburun example clearly shows that once the project extends in the whole of Turkey, it would be greatly beneficial in every respect (Anonymous, 2005).

Mersin-Erdemli District Kösbucagı village agricultural tourism development project
The project location, Kösbucağı village, is in 12 km distance from Erdemli and it has some Roman and Byzantine ruins.The main source of income of the village is agriculture and animal husbandry.The project aimed at contributing to the development and extension of agricultural tourism, providing employment opportunities other than agriculture, increasing household income by direct acquisition of local products to the consumers, developing collaboration in the locality, and preserving and utilizing the agricultural product diversity, natural resources and cultural assets.The target group of the project is principally women since women have the potential to fulfill the essentials of agro-tourism.It endeavored to make women obtain income by using the education provided.Social status of the women with income tends to increase and consequently contributes to the domestic decision making mechanism.With a thorough marketing, this project is expected to cause major social, cultural and economic changes (Anonymous, 2009a).Carried out between 2003 and 2006, the project aimed at reducing the regional unevenness in the Çoruh Valley in North-Eastern Anatolia by developing community-based tourism as an economic activity that could both be an alternative to agriculture and increase the value added of agricultural sector and at making the local community benefit from the produced income to the utmost.The activities within the scope of the project concentrated on rendering the Çoruh Valley, which has a cultural heritage and natural wealth, an ecotourism destination point in demand by both the domestic and foreign tourists (Anonymous, 2009b).
The project team provided consultancy in issues such as organization, legislation forming, and determining an action plan to the 4 non-governmental organizations that were in the establishment stage within the project (Uzundere Sapanca Association, İspir Sıra Konaklar Tourism Association, İspir Women's Association, Uzundere Women's Labor Association).
With the mobility created by the project, 18 new guesthouses went into operation and the local community opened up their houses to foreign tourists as guesthouses in the Çoruh Valley, extending from Uzundere to İspir to Yusufeli.The local youth and the women actively participated in the tourism sector also thanks to the provided educational training.
The foot paths between Uzundere-İspir-Yusufeli-Ayder (Çamlıhemşin) were merged to determine trekking tour routes in the form of a spider web and 23 local youngsters were trained as guides specifically.

 Ecological Agriculture Tourism Education Project
Ecological Agriculture Tourism Project is a European Union support project with a budget of 62.000 Euro.9 educators from Samsun 19 Mayıs University Faculty of Agriculture were assigned to the project and the training took place in Uzungöl with the participation of 28 women and 12 men.Since mostly women are involved in agriculture, running guesthouses and hotels in the town, the majority of the participants were women.Not only the participants did have training, but they also went to ecological agriculture farms in all around Turkey to examine them on site.Some facilities that are engaged in both ecological agriculture and tourisy accommodation in Kuşadası and Fethiye were visited.Moreover, course certificates were provided (Anonymous, 2009c).

 Halfeti Eco Tourism Project
Initiated by GAP Regional Development Administration, the project aimed at, among others, establishing eco tourism infrastructure in Halfeti in the province of Şanlıurfa in order to give prominence to characteristics and cultural richness of the rural area and its inhabitants, and to provide socio-economic development and employment by creating income earning employment opportunities for the local community.In addition, contributing to the revitalization and the utilization of the regional tourism and helping protect the environment are among the goals.
The following were included within the scope of the project: founding Halfeti Eco Tourism Women's Cooperative, restoration of some selected unique Halfeti houses to be used for accommodation, promotion of traditional product production (food, medicinal herbs, handicrafts etc.) to endow the local community with skills, provision of theoretical and practical trainings on "running guesthouses", "traditional product production and presentation" and "eco tourism" to raise the awareness of the local community (Anonymous, 2009d).
Rural Development within the concept of sustainable economic, social, cultural and environmental development is considered.In addition, rural development is an important factor in increasing levels of prosperity in rural areas.At this point, all this is carried out with rural tourism organizations.An established co-operative organization, especially in rural tourism is used as important requirement in achieving these objectives.Participation and democracy in cooperatives play an important role for sustainability development of the local people.In addition, in rural cooperatives creates employment for rural development in rural areas.
Activating the local potential, getting women to take part in their organizations and generating activities for income increase significance of these organizations (Özdemir, Kiper &Başaran 2009).

Conclusion
Rural tourism is a good opportunity for agricultural based communities but the setting of objectives and the final tourism development plan needs caution.For better results the whole range of the stakeholders have to participate in the planning stage.Slow and stable steps needs for this kind of planning in order conflicts and mistakes to be avoided (Douglas & Derrett, 2001;Mathieson & Wall, 1992;Butler, Hall& Jenkins,1998;Richards & Hall, 2000).
In the broadest definition, planning is organizing the future to achieve certain objectives' (Inskeep, 1991).In other words planning may be explained as deciding for the future by the knowledge of past and now.Planning action includes various aims including economic development planning, urban and regional planning, land use planning and infrastructure planning etc.
The benefits of tourism planning for a country (Gürsoy, 2006):  By the tourism plans, precautions and tools that are deemed necessary for tourism development are identified through the identification of future objectives  Tourism plans provide a disciplinary order for the achievement of the objectives  Tourism plans provide assurance for the financial resources and opportunities that the activity requires  Tourism plans provide the dispersion of the responsibilities and the control on implications If rural tourism is considered to have economically, socio-culturally and environmentally positive impacts on the region, it is clear that it is definitely necessary to utilize rural tourism potential.Traditional production styles should be arranged according to needs of rural tourism and should be integrated with rual tourism.
The issue is sustainable use and conservation.In the attempts of conservation; the views, opinions and active participations of the local people must also be obtained.This is because a step taken without considering conditions of the local people or the practices influencing their economic and sociological life styles might lead to the worse results.Starting from these, in all these practices, policies and investments taking the priorities of the local people into consideration and making them an active actor would make protective and sustainable precautions more active.Forests have not contributed the district economically.Within this scope, some recommendations have been made to increase ecotourism opportunities to be developed in rural areas.The forest areas should be preserved and evaluated within the scope of rural tourism.Old houses should be preserved via lodging and boutique hotel identity in tourism.
In order to hand down the natural and cultural heritage of the local people, who pursue their traditional life styles without losing cultural infrastructures, to the next generations, and to preserve and evaluate within the scope of rural tourism, awareness raising programs should be carried out.In this context, the fact that ecotourism is an economic opportunity should be emphasized in order to preserve the local people and culture and to hand down a preserved nature to the next generations.Besides, it should be emphasized in the awareness-rising programs that an ill-planned, underdeveloped and unorganized tourism development might cause disturbance of natural landscapes of rural areas, might threaten wildlife and biological diversity, may cause poor quality of water sources, may leads to the immigration of local people and the erosion of cultural traditions.With the objects of diversification of the sources of income of the people and of offering alternatives, side income generating sources in the areas especially like rural tourism, organic agriculture; agricultural product processing and merchantable plants growing should be put in practice.
Rural tourism plans are the parts of a general rural region development plans and planning study is the duty of the official administrative units which have the responsibility of rural development or tourism development.It should be a national or regional administrative unit but it may be a tourism or agriculture administration institution according to the role of the agri-tourism development of the national aim.Rural tourism should be developed with the aim of enhancing agricultural production or tourism development; therefore agriculture and the tourism ministries are the primary responsible institutions for rural tourism planning.Especially in developing countries, 'it is necessary the national intervention for development in any kind of tourism'.Whether agricultural or tourism ministry manages the process, coordination among the all administrative units, also forestry and environment ministries take role in the process, is the must.Network regarding conservation works among the government agencies, universities, NGOs and private sector should be constituted and this network should be strengthened.Task sharing should be made among these institutions and organizations and the coordination should be ensured.
Rural development carried out by rural tourism organizations and cooperatives increases the levels of welfare people living in rural areas.
In conclusion, rural tourism activities which are not performed according to the purpose, the principles and the characteristics cause the disturbance in environmental, economic and socio-cultural fields due to over-intensification to be occurred especially in sensitive ecosystems like rural areas.Therefore, in order to provide sustainability in the rural tourism, it is necessary to know environmental, social and economical effects of rural tourism activities and to consider these effects during the planning.From this point of view, informing the local people, who are the most affected group by rural tourism, about the effects caused by the rural tourism to be developed in their region is primarily important., (2005).http://www.milliyet.com.tr/2005/06/26/business/bus05.html.Anonymous, (2009a).http://www.yurthaber.com/haber/kirsal-koylerin-kalkinmasi-icinagro-turizm-modeli-151493.htm.Anonymous, (2009b). www.datur.com, Anonymous, (2009c).

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Effective marketing of products related to rural tourism,  Increase of the value of products,  Provision of technical support regarding the issues of farming, cultivation, operation, marketing and export and of education facilities,  Utilization of nature and culture effectively,  Provision of government subsidies and aids,  Active cooperation with other firms.

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DATUR Uzungöl Tourism Development Project DATUR is the Eastern Anatolia Tourism Development Project initiated by Efes Beverage Group, part of Anadolu Holding, with the support of United Nations Development Project (UNDP) and Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

Table 2 .
Activities and facilities in different zones