DEVELOPMENT OF RURAL TOURISM IN EU

Abstract

Rural Tourism is defined as tourism which produces a “rural environment” for visitors, by offering a combination of natural, cultural and human experiences which have typically rural character. It is the immersion of visitors in authentic, original and grassroots experiences which are the essence of rural life. Rural accommodation combines different forms of tourism that showcase rural life, art, culture and heritage in rural locations. Rural development, as an issue of regional policy, is a key instrument for restructuring the agricultural sector and making use of the villages potentially attractive to tourists. The subject of this paper is the development of rural tourism in EU and includes definition of rural tourism, the interdependence of rural tourism and rural development, the situation in EU and the experiences of some EU member states.