Resumen de Motives, rural images, and tourism brokering roles of rural accommodation entrepresneurs in South Western Ontario, Canada
Barbara A. Carmichael, Kelley A. McClinchey
This study focuses on the rural images of rural accommodation operators, their motivations in terms of �lifestyle� aspirations, and their �brokering� role in the understanding of tourists� needs and experiences in rural areas. We know little about the rural image perceptions of tourism entrepreneurs, the importance that they place on a rural lifestyle, and how they infl uence their guests� experiences of rural life. Similarly, little is known about knowledge transfer between hosts and their guests. The study area for this research is in a rural region of small towns and villages in South Western Ontario, Canada. Through personal interviews, rural entrepreneurs showed a strong interaction with tourists, a sound knowledge of tourist motivations, and where tourists go in the region. They performed a role of validating and recommending tourist activities and thus infl uencing consumption patterns. Their role as tourism �brokers� is important because as well as recommending the tourism product, they can get feedback on the quality of tourist experiences in the region. This article supports the notion of lifestyle entrepreneurship as the norm in rural tourism, at least in this region, and emphasizes the importance of the rural landscape to quality of life for both hosts and guests.
