Rural Tourism Development: A Case Study of the Shawnee Hills

Rural Tourism
Development: A Case
Study of the Shawnee
Hills Wine Trail in
Southern Illinois
Sylvia Smith, Ph.D., Department of
Animal Science, Food & Nutrition,
Southern Illinois University - Carbondale
Nicole Davis, Ph.D., Department of
Animal Science, Food & Nutrition,
Southern Illinois University - Carbondale
Presentation Outline
Shawnee Hills Wine Trail
Background
Study Methods
Results
Conclusions
Questions
Shawnee Hills Wine Trail
http://shawneewinetrail.com/history.htm
The Shawnee Hills Wine Trail created in 1995 with
a partnership between 3 wineries,
wineries the Carbondale
Convention and Tourism Bureau, and the
Southernmost Illinois Tourism Bureau.
2009,
2009 the wine trail boasts 12 wineries and
vineyards across two counties and a variety of bed
and breakfasts, unique boutiques, and the scenic
background of southern Illinois.
Annual visitation rate of approximately 100,000
guests per year.
Shawnee Hills Wine
Trail Map
Southern Illinois
Located in the rural Midwest
Unemployment rates range from 6.1% to 10.9%,
much higher than the national rate of 5.4% (IDES,
2008).
Median household income in the 28 counties
averages approximately $11,000 below the Illinois
median of $47,711 (U.S. Census Bureau, 2008).
Continued tourism development is a long-term
strategy that will help alleviate economic distress
in the region.
Rural Tourism Development
Rural Tourism Defined: “A place of safety, with solid
values, surrounded by open space and natural beauty,
where one is treated respectfully and friendly” (Long, 1998).
Ecomomic Research Service (ERS) communities < 2500 residents
U.S. Census as non-urban areas < 50,000 residents
Rural destinations are primarily used by local
tourists and do not cater to international
clientele (Gartner, 2004).
Single (attribute) market interest vs. benefits
Cultural, Heritage or Agri-tourism experience
Vision for Illinois Agriculture (2008)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Collaborate with USDA Rural Development
Establish a Grow Rural Illinois initiative
Establish regional and community strategic
plans
Develop community based mentoring
programs
Develop and implement tools to support
business growth in small communities
Sustainable Tourism
“Meets the needs of the present without
compromising the ability of future
generations to meet their own needs” (Ratz &
Puczko, 1998).
Economic, environmental and sociocultural
impacts of tourism
“Tourism should be seen as a tool for
development and not as an end in itself”
(McCool & Moisey, 2001).
Wine Tourism
Definition – Visitation to vineyards, wineries, wine
festivals and wine shows for which grape wine
tasting and /or experiences the attributes of a grape
wine region are the prime motivating factors for
visitors (Hall, Sparples, Cambourne, and Macionis, 2000).
Wine tourism is noted as meeting the needs of the
tourists who are considered the cultural tourist by
providing aesthetic, as well as experiential
involvement.
Seeking a lifestyle to include the experience of wine
at its source: landscape, culture, food (Carlsen, 2004).
Environmental Wine Tourism (Barber, 2009)
Wine Tourism, cont.
According to Hennehan and White (1990) winery
performance is effected by external factors such
as:
Proximity of wineries to each other
Proximity of wineries to other tourist attractions
Scenic beauty of the area.
Understanding the perceptions and behaviors of
winery tourists may be imperative to developing
marketing programs focused on the necessity to
attract tourists (Dodd & Bigotte, 1997).
Research Objectives
Develop a profile of visitor segments from the
Shawnee Hills Wine Trail.
Examine activities beyond wine that wine tourists
engage in while experiencing the rural landscape.
A priori segmentation based on travel distance: 50
miles or more, one way, to an area visited is
considered a “Tourist”(Goeldner & Ritchie, 2003, p. 8).
Methodology
Sample
Mailing list from UnCorked Tours: Wine Tour
Company (http://www.uncorkedtours.com/)
Online Survey Time Frame: May 5, 2008-May
19, 2008
Sample Size (N=260): Response rate (n=104) or
40%
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CiLCu6G39fA&feature=related
Methodology, cont.
Survey Instrument
The questionnaire was divided into 4 sections, to
include: wine involvement, satisfaction, activities, and
socio-demographic variables.
Activity questions were measured on a 5-point likert
scale for importance (1=not at all important, 5=very
important).
Pilot Tested
SPSS 16
“Dillman Method”
Results: A Priori Segmentation
Results: Age (p = .001)
Wine Tourists (n=40)
Local Wine Visitors (n=60)
Results: Education (p = .001)
Wine Tourists (n=40)
Local Wine Visitors (n=62)
Results: Income (p = .05)
Wine Tourists (n=38)
Local Wine Visitors (n=62)
Results: Marital Status (p = .05)
Wine Tourists (n=38)
Local Wine Visitors (n=62)
Results: Travel Characteristics
Table 1. Travel Characteristics of Groups
Over 60% of both
groups had heard
about the tour through
Friends/Family, Wordof-Mouth.
12% of Wine Tourists
had heard about the
tour through other
wine tours.
Variable
Primary Reason to Attend
Friends/Family
Enjoy the Entertainment
To See and Taste the Wines
Business
Accomodations
Hotel/Motel
Bed & Breakfast
Campground
Friends/Family
Other
Length of Stay
0 Days
1 Day
2 Days
3 Days
4-6 Days
7+ Days
Other Wineries in the Past 2 Years
Yes
No
A Priori Segmentation
Wine Tourists
Local Wine Visitors
Frequency Percent Frequency Percent
10
2
28
0
25%
5%
70%
0%
16
8
34
4
26%
13%
55%
6%
8
6
0
10
12
22%
17%
0%
28%
33%
0
6
0
4
30
0%
15%
0%
10%
75%
4
14
10
6
2
2
11%
37%
26%
16%
5%
5%
34
1
0
2
2
0
71%
21%
0%
2%
2%
0%
24
16
60%
40%
38
24
61%
39%
Note: Number of cases under frequency excludes missing observations
Activities
Shopping
Camping
Photography
Fishing
Visiting Historic Parks and Houses
Visiting Local Orchards
Wineries
Skeet Shooting
Skateboard Parks
Biking
Horseback Riding
Golfing
Rock Climbing
Perform ing Arts
Hunting
Local Dining
Fine Dining (Tom ’s, M ary’s)
Visiting a Buffalo Farm
ATV and Dirt Biking
Miner’s Baseball (Minor League)
Hiking
Hot Air Balloons
Sky Diving
Museum
Canoing
Spas
Fairs and Festivals (Apple, Irish, and BBQ
Local Site-Seeing Attractions
Casinos
National Parks (Shawnee)
Repelling
Clubs and Bars
Bird Watching
Antiques
Not a t a ll
Important
S omew hat
Im porta nt
Ne ither
Important or
Not
Important
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
Important
Ve ry
Important
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
Results: Important Activities
Wine Tourists (n=40)
Local Wine Visitors (n=62)
Factor Analysis of
Important Activities
Activities
Factor 1
Camping
Skeet Shooting
Skateboard Parks
ATV and Dirt Bikes
Water Sports
Casinos
Factor 2
Biking
Rock Climbing
Hiking
Factor 3
Horseback Riding
Golf
Hunting
Factor 4
Hot Air Balloons
Sky Diving
Bird Watching
Factor 5
Wineries
Fine Dining
Spas
Clubs and Bars
Factor 6
Photography
Visiting Historic Parks and Houses
Orchards
National Parks
Factor 7
Local Dining
Fairs and Festivals
Factor 8
Performing Arts
Museums
Factor 9
Shopping
Antiques
Ttoal Variance Explained
Factor
loading
%
Variance
Eigenvalue explained
8.524
11.61
0.65
0.60
0.77
0.61
0.53
0.81
3.239
10.95
2.887
9.72
2.17
8.79
1.65
8.11
1.47
7.98
1.42
7.38
1.28
6.59
1.19
5.72
0.70
0.75
0.68
0.59
0.80
0.74
0.86
0.75
0.53
0.63
0.57
0.73
0.79
0.58
0.63
0.79
0.55
0.80
0.70
0.84
0.58
0.78
0.68
76.85
Results: Outcome Variables
Overall Satisfaction and WOM recommendations
were significantly higher for the local wine visitors
compared to the wine tourists.
Table 2. Group Comparison of Satisfaction, WOM, and Repeat Visit
Overall Satisfaction
Recommendation
Repeat Visit
A Priori Segments
Wine Tourists
Local Wine
(n=40)
Visitors (n=62)
4.00
4.39
4.20
4.61000
4.35
4.35000
t value Significance
-3.444*
0.001
-3.342*
0.001
-1.467*
0.145
Respondents utilized a five-point likert scale to rate their level of agreement with the items.
*Equal variances assumed.
Results
Wine Tourists to the southern Illinois
wineries are older, have higher incomes, and
education compared to the Local Wine
Visitors.
Local Dining, National Parks, and Fine Dining
were most important activities to the Wine
Tourist, whereas Local Dining, Site Seeing
and Photography were the activities most
important for the Local Wine Visitor.
Conclusion
Uncorked Tours could offer additional touring
packages to compliment the wineries, e.g., Culinary
Tourism, Heritage Tourism (National ParksOrchards & Photography), etc.
Results suggest marketing approaches to
incorporate images of a variety of activities while
visiting the rural destination.
Southern Illinois wineries should consider
collaborating with other rural promotional
campaigns to include leading attractions cited by
winery visitors.
References
Barber, N., Taylor, C., and Strick, S. (2009). “Wine Consumers
Environmental Knowledge and Attitudes: Influence on Willingness to
Purchase.” Conference proceedings.
Dodd, T. and Bigotte, V. (1997). Perceptual differences among visitor
groups to wineries. Journal of Travel Research, winter, 46-51.
Gartner, W. C. (2004). Rural Tourism Development in the USA.
International Journal of Tourism Research, 6, 151-164.
Goeldner, C. R., & Ritchie, J. R. (2003). Tourism: principles, practices,
philosophies. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons.
Hall, C., Sharples, L. Cambourne, B. and Macionis, N. (eds) (2000).
Wine tourism around the world: Development, management and
markets. Boston, MA: Butterworth-Heinemann.
References
Henehan, B. and White, G. (1990). Evaluation of wine trails in New York
State. Research Rep. A.E. Res. 90-13. Ithaca: Agriculture and life
sciences department, New York State College.
Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES). (2008). Illinois
unemployment rate by county. Retrieved March 6, 2008, from
http://lmi.ides.state.il.us/pdfs/countymap.pdf
MacDonald, R. and Joliffe, L. (2003). Cultural Rural Tourism. Annals of
Tourism Research, 30 (2), 307-322.
Ratz, T. and Puczko, L. (1998). “Rural Tourism and Sustainable
Development,” paper presented at the September 1998 “Rural Tourism
Management: Sustainable Options” conference.
United States Census Bureau. (2008). State and country quick-facts.
Retrieved March 6, 2008, from
http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/income/income06/statemhi2.html
Vision for Illinois Agriculture. (2008). Report
Bon Appetit !
Sylvia Smith, PhD, CHE
Southern Illinois University
Department of Animal Science, Food and Nutrition
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 618-536-7567