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Abstract
As rural tourism evolves into diversification, the connection between the individual and
local resource management is becoming an important issue for the sustainable evolution of
rural tourism. To explore this point, we investigated conceptually and empirically whether
rural tourism operators’ individual satisfaction enhances utilization of local resources and,
if so, what mechanism works for it by focusing on rural tourism accompanied by an
educational program, i.e. a farm-stay with farm and rural experience services implemented
as a part of school trips in Matsuura, Japan. From statistical tests and an econometric
estimation based on a questionnaire survey of rural tourism operators we found that
operators’ individual satisfaction gained from interchange with visitors and direct feedback
can positively enhance locally exerted effects that stimulate operators to recognize
opportunities within their community and raise the potential for local resource use. Thus,
we should strengthen this connection to eventually create a new viable activity.