The importance of sustainable tourism in reversing the trend in the economic downturn and population decline of rural communities

Across the world there is an ever increasing trend of human migration from rural areas and in particular small settlements to urban centres. Migration to urban centres is most prevalent in the young adult age groups, which affects traditional industries such as agriculture and associated services, and thus threatens the sustainability of rural settlements. In some rural towns, a decline in population and agriculture has led to their social and economic deterioration. This paper presents small settlements, two in Italy and two in Australia, which have leveraged locality very effectively to develop a thriving tourist industry. The study provides a comparison and evaluation of data on visitor numbers and tourism expenditure in these regions demonstrating success and growth trends. It is shown how various industries other than tourism often in conjunction with unique characteristics or assets of an area create a major draw card for tourists. Thus providing significant economic, social and environmental benefits to these areas.