SOCIAL CONDITIONS OF INNOVATION DEVELOPMENT IN RURAL TOURISM IN THE OPINION OF UNIVERSITY AND SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS

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1 SOCIAL CONDITIONS STOWARZYSZENIE OF INNOVATION DEVELOPMENT EKONOMISTÓW IN RURAL ROLNICTWA TOURISM IN THE I OPINION AGROBIZNESU OF UNIVERSITY... Roczniki Naukowe tom XVI zeszyt Michał Roman Warsaw University of Life Sciences SGGW, Poland SOCIAL CONDITIONS OF INNOVATION DEVELOPMENT IN RURAL TOURISM IN THE OPINION OF UNIVERSITY AND SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS SPOŁECZNE UWARUNKOWANIA ROZWOJU INNOWACYJNOŚCI W TURYSTYCE WIEJSKIEJ W OPINII STUDENTÓW I UCZNIÓW Key words: rural tourism, innovation, motives behind innovation, effects of innovation activities, cooperation in the field of innovation Słowa kluczowe: turystyka wiejska, innowacyjność, motywy wprowadzania innowacji, efekty działalności innowacyjnej, współpraca w zakresie innowacyjności Abstract. The article aims to present social conditions of innovation development in rural tourism. The first part of the article deals with the essence and types of innovation in the tourist industry in rural areas. Next, the article discusses the opinions on social conditions of innovation expressed by 139 students of the University of Life Sciences in Warsaw and 35 students of Jadwiga Dziubińska Agricultural Education Centre Schools in Golądkowo. In the students opinion, the most important interpersonal features and skills of agritourism farm owners useful for innovation in rural tourism are: creativity, openness to tourists needs and diligence. All the survey respondents believed that service providers should first of all initiate cooperation in the field of innovation with other companies of the tourism sector and obviously also with tourists. Introduction Rural tourism can help to increase the number of domestic and foreign tourists visits to rural areas. It is a significant element of diversification and enrichment of economic activity in rural areas, which creates new work places and new sources of income apart from farming. One of the forms is agritourism, which involves farmers organizing a stay for tourists on their own farms [Wiatrak 1996]. Focusing on tourism entities, including the agritourism ones, it is necessary to say that they are innovative if their owners can develop new products, produce them efficiently and promote them successfully. Thus, they should be capable of raising finance in a way that is adequate to the changing conditions and have skills to introduce new technologies and organizational methods necessary to meet the changing targets of development [Roman 14]. The problems connected with innovation faced by the tourism sector are similar in many countries. Innovation occurs there rarely or is completely absent. However, the tourism industry, like any other, needs innovation. There are many reasons for the low level of innovation in tourism. Apart from those that are shared with other service sectors, there are also some specific ones that are only typical of tourism. Many of them are connected with human resources, e.g. a low level of personnel education, big workforce turnover (resulting from seasonal employment) and a lack of professional development opportunities [Hjalager 2]. Randomness of discoveries still constitutes a considerable source of innovation in tourism. However, technological progress and resulting economic development are too important for the development of the tourist industry to rely on only one source. As a result, it is not possible to attribute the development of a new product or a technology only to a sudden stroke of inspiration or continuous experiments. All these activities are strictly connected with each other and influence the development of innovation in tourism equally. To a big extent, many examples are based on the principle of imitation, i.e. copying, repeating what others have done.

2 256 Michał Roman Research objective and methods The article aims to present social conditions of innovation development in rural tourism in the opinion of university and secondary school students. In order to identify these factors fully and objectively, the empirical material has been gathered with the use of surveys and their adequate research technique (a questionnaire). It was sent to 174 respondents, including 125 extramural students of the Faculty of Economic Sciences of the University of Life Sciences in Warsaw (46 first year students of the BA studies in the field of Economics, 3 first year students of the MA studies in the field of Finance and Accounting and 8 students of MA studies in the field of Management), 14 extramural students of the fourth year of the Faculty of Farming and Biology (the field of Farming) and 35 students of Jadwiga Dziubińsla Educational Training Centre Schools in Golądkowo (12 students of the 1 st form trained in Agribusiness, 18 students of the 2 nd form trained in Farming Mechanization and 5 students of the 2 nd form trained in Veterinary). The respondents were both men and women Most of them (64.4) live in rural areas and 15.5 in towns with the population below 1,, 4.6 in towns with the population below 5, and other respondents in cities with the population above 5,. The respondents formed three groups, i.e. those who attend a secondary school, those who have started studying and those who are going to complete university education soon. Essence and types of innovation The concept of innovation was introduced to economic sciences by Schumpeter at the beginning of the twentieth century [Kalinowski 1]. According to this author, innovation should be understood as [Schumpeter 19]: manufacturing of newly introduced products or improved ones; introduction of a new or improved method of production; opening of a new market; use of new methods of sales and purchase; use of new materials or semi-finished products; introduction of a new organization of production. Innovation applies to economy as a whole but can also be analysed with regard to the development of tourist services [Paget et al. 1], including particular types of companies (e.g. farms, companies or tourist facilities). The question: What innovations, in your opinion, do agritourism farms owners introduce to their facilities (or into rural tourism in general)? was not answered as most respondents, especially secondary school students, do not have an opinion on that and believe that innovations in rural tourism occur very rarely if ever. It must be mentioned, however, that prospective university graduates demonstrate better knowledge. Detailed data on the topic are presented in Figure Brak wiedzy na dany temat/lack of knowledge on the topic Posiadanie wiedzy/possession of knowledge Uczniowie/Secondary school students * Respondents could indicate more than one answer/ Ankietowani mogli wskazać więcej niż 1 odpowiedź Figure 1. Possession of knowledge about innovation introduced by agritourism farm owners into their facilities or in rural tourism in the opinion of the respondents, n = 174 Rysunek 1. Posiadanie wiedzy na temat innowacji wprowadzających przez właścicieli gospodarstw agroturystycznych w swoich obiektach lub też w turystyce wiejskiej w opinii respondentów, n = 174

3 SOCIAL CONDITIONS OF INNOVATION DEVELOPMENT IN RURAL TOURISM IN THE OPINION OF UNIVERSITY The research shows that the respondents treat innovation in rural tourism mainly as product and process innovations, e.g. producing organic food on an agritourism farm and cooking regional dishes together with tourists. In the respondents opinion, it is also necessary to mention participation in handicraft workshops, baking bread, making tools used in farming and everyday life. The respondents would adjust farm facilities to be centres for singles or spas and sports ones. In their opinion, innovation would require improving the quality of services (upgrading rooms, building car parks, raising the accommodation standard and providing health services, e.g. saunas, swimming pools etc.). According to them, a tourist offer should address companies, e.g. organisation of events for employee integration, banquets, receptions, fishing competitions, culinary contests or any other event organisation, e.g. weddings. Innovation in rural tourism should be connected with the adjustment of provided services to the needs of people with mobility impairment and should include health services, massages, hypnotherapy, and activities involving contact with animals (breeding regional subspecies and growing regional plants). Argitourism farm owners should enable tourists to book online and the services should be advertised on the farm s fan page on Facebook. A tourist resting on an agritourism farm should have an opportunity to use cycling and trekking trails with a qualified guide. In the respondents opinion, theme villages should be built in rural areas and agritourism farm owners should use renewable energy resources, e.g. photovoltaic panels. Agritourism farm owners interpersonal features and skills useful for introducing innovation Human personality is an important element in the process of introducing innovations. Figure 2 shows a comparison of personal features and interpersonal skills that a person involved in innovation in agritourism should have, according to the respondents. University and secondary school students are of the opinion that creativity, openness to tourists needs and decency are the most important personal character features and interpersonal skills useful for the introduction of innovative solutions to rural tourism. Prospective graduates in general expressed the same opinion uregulowania prawne/regulations 2. wysokie koszty/high costs 3. brak środków finansowych/lack of funds 4. zbyt dużo obowiązków/too many responsibilities 5. wysokie oprocentowanie kredytów/high interest rates on loans 6. zbyt wysokie ryzyko ekonomiczne/too high economic risk 7. brak informacji na temat innowacji/lack of information on innovation 8. brak nacisku ze strony turysty/lack of pressure from the tourist 9. brak przykładów sukcesu/no examples of success brak współpracy z nauką/lack of cooperation with science Uczniowie/Secondary school students * Respondents could indicate more 11. niski poziom współpracy z gosp. agro./lack of cooperation with agrotourism farm than one answer/ankietowani mogli wskazać więcej niż niski poziom współpracy z samorządem/lack of odpowiedź cooperation with the local government 13. ograniczony dostęp do usług doradczych/limited Uczniowie/Secondary access school students to advisory services Figure 2. Personal characteristic features and interpersonal Studenci 4 roku/4th skills year useful students for owners of agritourism farms in innovation introduction in rural tourism in the opinion of university and secondary school students, n = 174 Rysunek 2. Cechy osobowe i umiejętności interpersonalne właścicieli gospodarstw agroturystycznych przydatne przy wprowadzaniu innowacji w turystyce wiejskiej w opinii studentów i uczniów, n = 174

4 258 Michał Roman Motives behind innovation and its effects According to T. Sztucki, the concept of motivation should be understood as a set of factors triggering human purposeful activities [Sztucki 1995]. Thus, to make a motive occur, it is enough to make a person realize its real and illusory need and convince them that meeting this need is possible and even indispensable. The research looked for the answer to the question connected with the motives behind innovation in agritourism (Fig. 3). According to the youngest respondents, adjusting services to new trends in the tourist industry is the priority motive behind innovation in agritourism. The opinion of students starting their university studies is the same. According to prospective graduates, however, competition is the most important motivational factor. The expected effects are a very important element in the introduction of innovations (Fig. 4). The most common expectation connected with the introduction of innovations, in the respondents opinion, is the increase in the number of tourists and the improvement of the quality of the provided services. This interdependence is recognised by the youngest respondents, i.e. secondary school students. 8 Uczniowie/Secondary school students * Respondents could indicate more than one answer/ankietowani mogli wskazać więcej niż 1 odpowiedź 1. uwagi zgłaszane przez turystów/comments made by tourists 2. działania podjęte przez konkurencję/actions taken by competitors 3. dostosowanie do nowych trendów/adapting to new trends 4. przyjęcie nowej strategii/adoption of a new strategy 5. prace badawcze, rozwojowe/research, development 6. inne/other Figure 3. Motives behind innovation in agritourism activities in the opinion of university and secondary school students, n = 174 Rysunek 3. Motywy wprowadzania innowacji w działalności agroturystycznej w opinii studentów i uczniów, n = Uczniowie/Secondary school students * Respondents could indicate more than one answer/ankietowani mogli wskazać więcej niż 1 odpowiedź 1. Uczniowie/Secondary zwiększenie liczby turystów/increase school students the number of tourists 2. Studenci poprawa 1 jakości roku/1st świadczonych year students usług turystycznych/ improving the quality of tourism services 3. Studenci efektywniejsze 4 roku/4th wykorzystanie year students posiadanych zasobów gospodarstwa/efficient use of available resources the farm 4. wprowadzanie nowych trendów w działalności turystycznej/introduction of new trends in tourism activities 5. zadowolenie turystów z usługi/satisfaction of tourists from service 6. inne/other Figure 4. The effects of innovative activities on agritourism farms in the opinion of university and secondary school students, n = 174 Rysunek 4. Efekty działalności innowacyjnej w gospodarstwach agroturystycznych w opinii studentów i uczniów, n = 174

5 SOCIAL CONDITIONS OF INNOVATION DEVELOPMENT IN RURAL TOURISM IN THE OPINION OF UNIVERSITY Cooperation in the field of innovation Cooperation of service providers in the field of innovation in agritourism can take various forms. Detailed data on that topic are presented in Figure 5. According to the respondents who have not started higher education yet, cooperation should be undertaken mainly with agritourism associations. All the respondents expressed an opinion that service providers should cooperate in innovation with other tourist companies operating in the industry sector as well as with tourists. This is connected with the importance of word of mouth in marketing and optimization of customer satisfaction. A tourist can inform many people about their satisfaction and this can result in the increase of customers who are eager to buy tourist services in rural areas, too * Respondents could indicate more than one answer/ankietowani mogli wskazać więcej niż 1 odpowiedź Uczniowie/Secondary school students Figure 5. Cooperation of agritourism farms owners in the field of innovation development in the opinions of university and secondary school students, n = 174 Rysunek 5. Współpraca właścicieli gospodarstw agroturystycznych w sferze rozwoju innowacyjności w opinii studentów i uczniów, n = 174 Conclusions 1. Uczniowie/Secondary z innymi właścicielami/with school studentsother owners 2. z podmiotami z branży turystycznej/with stakeholders in the tourism sector 3. Studenci z firmami 4 roku/4th konsultingowymi/with year students consulting companies 4. z placówkami naukowymi/with scientific institutions 5. z jednostkami B+R/with research 6. z nieoficjalnymi grupami/unofficial groups 7. z zagranicznymi instytutami/with foreign institutes 8. z turystami/with tourists 9. z samorządem terytorialnym/with local government 1. z ODR/of agricultural advisory centers 11. ze stowarzyszeniami agro./associations agritourist 12. z LGD/of local action groups 13. inne/other Based on the conducted research and the author s own observations the following conclusions can be formulated: 1. Randomness of discoveries still constitutes a considerable source of innovation in tourism. However, technological progress and economic development resulting from it are too important for the development of the tourist industry to rely on only one source. 2. University and secondary school students are of the opinion that creativity, openness to tourists needs and decency are among the most important personal character features and interpersonal skills of agritourism farm owners which are useful for the introduction of innovative solutions to rural tourism. 3. According to the youngest respondents, adjusting services to new trends in the tourist industry is the priority motive behind innovation in agritourism. The opinion of students starting their university studies is the same. According to prospective graduates, however, competition is the most important motivational factor. 4. The most common expectation connected with the introduction of innovations, in the respondents opinion, is the increase in the number of tourists and the improvement of the quality of the provided services. 5. All the respondents expressed an opinion that service providers should cooperate in innovation with other tourist companies operating in the industry sector as well as with tourists.

6 2 Michał Roman Bibliography Hjalager A.M. 2: Repairing innovation defectiveness in tourism, Tourism Management, no. 23, 47. Kalinowski T. 1: Innowacyjność przedsiębiorstw a systemy zarzadzania jakością, Oficyna Wolters Kluwer Business, Warszawa, 13. Paget E., Dimanche F., Mounet J.P. 1: A tourism innovation case. An actor network approac, Ann. Tour. Res., vol. 37, no. 3, Roman M. 14: Teoria innowacji i jej zastosowanie w turystyce, [in:] K. Nuszkiewicz, M. Roman (eds.), Innowacje w rozwoju turystyki, Wyd. Zespołu Szkół Centrum Kształcenia Rolniczego im. Jadwigi Dziubińskiej w Golądkowie, Golądkowo, 23. Schumpeter J.A. 19: Teoria rozwoju gospodarczego, PWN, Warszawa,. Sztucki T. 1995: Promocja, sztuka pozyskiwania nabywców, Wyd. AW-P PLACET, Warszawa,. Wiatrak A.P. 1996: Wpływ agroturystyki na zagospodarowanie obszarów wiejskich, Zag. Ekon. Rol., no. 1, 35. Streszczenie Celem pracy było zaprezentowanie społecznych uwarunkowań rozwoju innowacyjności w turystyce wiejskiej. Przedstawiono istotę i rodzaje innowacji w działalności turystycznej na obszarach wiejskich, następnie zaprezentowano społeczne uwarunkowania innowacyjności w opinii 139 studentów Szkoły Głównej Gospodarstwa Wiejskiego w Warszawie oraz 35 uczniów Zespołu Szkół Centrum Kształcenia Rolniczego im. Jadwigi Dziubińskiej w Golądkowie. W opinii studentów i uczniów do najważniejszych cech i umiejętności interpersonalnych właścicieli gospodarstw agroturystycznych przydatnych do wprowadzania innowacji w turystyce wiejskiej należą: kreatywność, otwartość na potrzeby turystów oraz pracowitość. Wszystkie ankietowane osoby wyraziły opinię, że usługodawcy powinni przede wszystkim nawiązywać kooperację w zakresie innowacyjności z podmiotami z branży turystycznej oraz w zdecydowanym stopniu z turystami. Correspondence address PhD. Michał Roman Warsaw University of Life Sciences Faculty of Economic Sciences Department of Education Economics, Communication and Counselling Nowoursynowska St Warsaw phone: (22) michal_roman@sggw.pl