Rural revitalisation, rural tourism and countryside capital: a rural society redux

The allure of the rural fringe for touristic activity is longstanding. The prominence of rural tourism was heightened during the pandemic of 2020–2023 as the rush to the countryside intensified. This revaluation of rurality gave rise to proximity tourism–travel to places close to home for vacationing and remote working. Accordingly, rural tourism is considered a viable pathway towards developing livelihoods and economic diversification, and it has become central to rural revitalisation endeavours. The relevance of countryside capital has renewed importance as communities look within to identify areas for comparative advantage. This has seen the rise of tourism-based rural economies as an antidote to the decline of traditional and extractive industries. In coalescing three concepts–rural tourism, rural revitalisation and countryside capital–rural tourism opportunities are optimised when countryside capital is nurtured, and with an eye on ensuring that local communities remain central to development and expansionary concerns.