THE ROLE OF KNOWLEDGE STRUCTURES IN RECONFIGURING RURAL TOURISM IN RESPONSE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC: AN EXPLORATORY STUDY OF RURAL TOURISM IN ITALY AND KAZAKHSTAN

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to analyze changes in the notion and role of rural tourism provoked by the COVID-19 pandemic. The paper examines how rural tourism in the pandemic year 2020 has accommodated human needs for well-being: which touristic resources have been mobilized and what knowledge structures have contributed to mobilization of touristic resources. The authors use a qualitative multimethod approach to develop insights about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on changing roles played by rural tourism in Italy and Kazakhstan. The theoretical novelty of the research is that it conceptualizes tourism resource mobilization strategies as a result of the historical and emerging knowledge structures. It was found that while both geographical and ethno-cultural resources form the basis for rural tourism development, knowledge structures play a critical role in setting both the interpretative and institutional frames defining rural tourism forms and directions of development.

Keywords

• rural tourism
• pandemic
• resilience
• sustainable tourism
• italy
• kazakhstan