Flagship Attractions and Sustainable Rural Tourism Development: The Case of the Alnwick Garden, England

Abstract

This paper proposes an alternative approach to rural tourism that returns to a more
\ntraditional model of development: large, flagship attractions that act as a ‘growth pole’
\nfor the local economy and community. It questions some of the accepted beliefs about
\nsustainable rural tourism development current in recent years. It is based on a case
\nstudy of Alnwick Garden in Northumberland, England. It suggests that, under certain
\ncircumstances, flagship or mega-attractions can not only increase substantially the
\nnumber of visitors to rural areas but also, through appropriate policies and processes,
\ncan underpin the longer-term, sustainable development of those areas.