Abstract

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