Pergamon

PII: S0261-5177{97)00039-3

71mri,~m Management, Vol. 18, No. ~. pp. 357-3~5, 1997

L~: 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd All rights reserved. Printed in Great Britain

11261-5177/97 $17.1)0 + I).011

The vacation farm sector in Saskatchewan: a profile of operations

David B Weaver Faculty of Business and Hotel Management, Gr!ffith University GoM Coast Campus, PMB 50 Gold Coast Mail Centre, Queensland 4217. Austrafia

David A Fennell Faculty ~/ Physical Activi O, Studies, University Of Regina, Regina, Saskatchewan $4S 0.41, Canada

A self-administered questionnaire to vacation farm operators in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan revealed that the typical enterprise was established during the 1990s in order to supplement the income base, consisted of a 459-hectare site, offered 6.2 visitor bed spaces, and operated mainly in the summer. Major visitor activities included wildlife viewing, hunting, and casual photography. The provincial government was identified by many respon- dents as an impediment to their business. Recommendations for enhancing the sector as an effective vehicle for rural diversification include improved linkages with adjacent public spaces, ecotourism training, facilitated dialogue with the government, the formation of operator 'consortia', and an expansion of the sector to 500 enterprises within the next 10 years. © 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd

Kcywords : wtca t ion farms, S a s k a t c h e w a n , rura l tour i sm, ru ra l d e v e l o p m e n t

I n t r o d u c t i o n

Declining rural economies and lifestyles constitute a serious structural problem within the industrialised world, and there is a growing awareness that tourism can and should play a critical role in the ameliora- tion of this decline. Few other jurisdictions are experiencing rural decline as dramatically as the Canadian prairie region, yet there is scant evidence that any tourism-based strategies are being pursued as part of the effort to reverse the problem. The purpose of this paper is to focus upon the vacation farm sector in the Canadian province of Saskatch- ewan as an embryonic mode of rural tourism which has the potential to contribute more effectively to a sustainable rural strategy for the region. Following a brief overview of the global vacation farm sector, the specific circumstances of Saskatchewan and its vacation farm sector arc outlined. This sector is then described on the basis of questionnaire-derived data, and recommendations are made as to how this industry can be expanded and managed to function more effectively as a tool of rural development for the Canadian prairies and similar environments. The

experience of other vacation farm case studies is drawn upon where appropriate.

B a c k g r o u n d

Tile vacation farm phenomenon

Vacation farms are rural enterprises which incor- porate both a working farm environment and a commercial tourism componen t . ' '. While existing as an organised industry for over 100 years in certain parts of Europe, and Austria in particular? the growth of the sector has been especially significant in the post-World War Two era, as evidenced most dramatically by an increase in France from 145 units in 1954 to 28000 in 1980,', and in Spain from 384 to 8312 between 1967 and 1977.-" Western and central European destinations such as England, France, Germany and Austria currently dominate the global vacation farm industry with 20000-30000 enter- prises each. In contrast, only about 2000 units were estimated to be operating in the USA during 1969: and 700 in Canada during 1992.". Pearce estimates that 1000 farms in New Zealand were hosting

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The vacation farm sector in Saskatchewan: D B Weaver and D A Fennell

visitors on a regular basis in 1988, 7 while estimates of the Australian sector, which only began in the 1970s, range from 1000 to 1500 participants. ~

The contemporary growth of the vacation farm sector is attributable to the interaction of two trends which have dramatically affected rural environments within industrialised capitalist societies over the past 50 years. First, the cost/price squeeze and associated crisis of agricultural overproduction have threatened the viability of the small-scale farm economy, prompting surviving farmers to seek financial stability through both on- and off-farm diversifica- tion. Secondly, rising real incomes and increased discretionary time within the non-farming sector have resulted in a sustained growth in the demand for recreational opportunities, rural-based and otherwise. Vacation farms, representing a ~symbiotic relationship between agriculture and tourism',' constitute in theory a logical diversification option. Moreover, being typically small (some jurisdictions stipulate thresholds of five or ten bed spaces, for example), locally owned, and integrated within an existing rural economy, these entities should possess a high proclivity to sustain the culture and character of host communities, and to promote a viable rural lifestyle over the long term without inducing sprawl- like resort development." '~ From a market perspec- tive, the vacation farm experience also exemplifies thc shift in demand toward ~alternative' forms of tourism which are perceived to provide an authentic, personalised, wholesome and physically beneficial recreational experience. '-~ '"

Despite its growing significance and potential, the vacation farm phenomenon is not well represented in the availability of relevant data or literature. This dearth of knowledge is attributable in part to the low visibility which derives from the dispersed spatial structure of the sector and from the small individual and cumulative size of units. The total number of vacation farms in Canada, for example, is equivalent to a single medium-sized Las Vegas resort hotel. In addition, the low-profile, small- business character of operations lends itself to a more idiosyncratic management and record-keeping style, and to the usual exclusion of such entities from most accommodation guides. '7 That vacation farms account for a relatively small proportion of both farm enterprises and total accommodation units, especially within North America, also fosters a perception that the sector is not important within the overall tourism context. Given that the sector in relative and absolute terms is more important in Europe, it is not surprising that most of the avail- able literature is based upon the experience of such destinations as Austria' ......... and the UK. 4,-~''-2~ Other studies have considered Germany, '7 Europe as a whole '~ and the USA? A recent study of Namibian vacation farms is unusual in its focus upon a 'less developed country'. 24 No studies of the Canadian

experience were identified by the authors, and the present study of Saskatchewan therefore represents perhaps the first attempt to introduce a Canadian perspective into the literature.

S a s k a t c h e w a n a s a c a s e s t u d y

The focus upon Saskatchewan in this study owes mainly to its status as the most 'agrarian' Canadian province. Agriculture accounted for 16% of the provincial labour force in 1993, compared with 3% nationally. -'~ The 60840 farm operations enumerated in 1991 were exceeded only by the 68633 of Ontario, which, however, has 10 times the popula- tion of Saskatchewan (10 million vs one million)?' Farm consolidation and abandonment owing to the cost/price squeeze have resulted in a decline in farm numbers from an estimated 101000 units in 191427 to current levels, thereby contributing to a pattern of stagnation which has seen the provincial popula- tion increase only marginally from 925000 in 1931 to 989000 in 1991. ~'' Such statistics clearly suggest a need for effective rural development strategies, and it is here that tourism, and vacation farming in particular, could potentially play a greater role. Only 83 vacation farms were operating in Saskatchewan during 1995, -'~ representing just over 0.1% of all farms. While factors such as market accessibility likely preclude the attainment of the 25% participa- tion rate of Devon (UK) during the late 1960s,-'" or even the 6% and 3% levels of Austria and New Zealand respectively,'" the Saskatchewan rate has scope for significant expansion.

Methodology Information relevant to the topic was obtained through a self-administered questionnaire mailed directly to all 83 operators listed in the 1995 Saskatchewan Accommodation Guide, on the assumption that the operators themselves were the preferred source for comprehensive information about their own enterprises. The accommodation guide lists all of the province's known self-defined vacation farms, including the 42 members of the Saskatchewan Country Vacation Association, the industry organisation for the province which requires members to meet basic accommodation standards as assessed during regular mandatory inspections. The nine-page questionnaire included both closed and open-ended enquiries, and was designed to be completed in half an hour or less. Seven sections solicited information about (in order): site characteristics, visitor activities, markets, marketing, government programme participation, barriers and opportunities, and economic data. An area was also provided at the end of the survey instrument for open-ended comments.

In June 1995, the questionnaire was mailed to the operators. After seven weeks, the questionnaire was

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sent again to the non-respondents. Forty usable questionnaires were ultimately obtained, repre- senting a majority of the population after the original number of 83 was adjusted to 76 due to closures and other factors. This indicates a mid-range response rate compared to Vogeler ' s 32% response rate (n = 257) in a survey of US vacation farms, and Oppe rma nn ' s 67.6% rate in a southern Ge rman study (n -- 119). '-'~

A n a l y s i s

Because the populat ion of vacation farms was small, and a bare majority successfully solicited, the analysis was restricted to simple descriptive techniques. As most of the questions allowed for multiple responses, the cumulative statistics for such enquiries often exceed 100% and 40 in total. The seven components of the quest ionnaire are synthe- sised and summarised below in the following four sections: (1) Opera t ion characteristics; (2) Visitor characteristics; (3) Barriers and opportunit ies; and (4) Open-ended comments . Tables 1 and 3 sum- marise the described infl)rmation.

Operation characteristics

As befits the agricultural setting of southern Saskatchewan, the typical opera t ion occurred within

Table 1 Saskatchewan vacation farm sample characteristics (n = 40)

Setting Prairie 32 Parkland 10 Boreal Forest 3

Condition Modified 30 Semi-wilderness 11 Wilderness 6

Size of land base Range (hectares) 2-2835 Mean 459 Standard deviation 1281

"I~pe of accommodation Operator's home 23 Outbuildings 14 Camping 12 Other 2

Number of bed spaces I-2 6 3-4 13 5-6 11 7-10 6 > 10 4 Mean 6.2

Gross farm income from vacation farm component 1% or less 12 2-5% 4 6-10% 5 11-511% 8 100 % 3

The vacation Jarm sector in Saskatchewan: D B Weaver and D A Fennell

Table 2 Saskatchewan vacation farm visitor activities

Activity n Mean * s.d.

Wildlife viewing 34 3.82 1.51 Hunting 36 3.47 1.73 Casual photography 35 3.64 1.22 Touring 36 3.31 1.49 Hiking 35 3.29 1.43 Camping 35 2.83 1.48 Professional photography 31 2.68 1.51 Horseback riding 34 2.53 1.69 Petting zoo 36 2.53 1.75 Cultural tourism 31 2.42 1.46 Specialty meals 37 2.35 1.57 Cross country skiing 32 2.34 1.36 Conference/retreats 32 2.11~ 1.50 Study/research 32 LO t) 1.311 Cycling 34 2.tl3 1.29 Fishing 31 1.90 1,16 Snowmobiling 30 1.87 1.20 Purchasing souvenirs 32 1.78 1.21 Assist in farm work 34 1.62 0.92 Canoeing 30 t .50 1,25 Ice fishing 30 1.43 0,86 Boating 30 1.33 0.88 Barn dancing 32 1.25 0.80

*Based on a five-point scale: 1 = "not at all important', 5 = 'very important'.

a modified, mainly 'prairie ' environment . However, indicative of a potential for ou tdoor recreational opportunit ies was the indicated presence of 'semi- wilderness', 'wilderness', woodland and wetland components by significant portions of respondents. The average vacation farm property size (459 hectares) approximates the mean of 470 hectares obtained in a 1977 US sample (which also revealed a similarly diverse range), ' but greatly exceeds the average European operat ion size, In addition to their own sites, operators indicated that adjacent public lands, such as national and provincial parks, were also used by clients for recreational purposes.

All respondents except one provided overnight accommodat ion , most commonly within the opera- toe's house (often using rooms made available by the depar ture of grown children), but including a range of other facilities as well. The average number of bed spaces in the Saskatchewan sample conforms to the 6 - 8 bed space average reported in Austria, Germany, Ireland and the UK, l~ even though opera- tions in those countries involve substantially smaller property bases. The recent establishment of most Saskatchewan operat ions (the earliest surveyed operat ion began in 1971) corroborates the earlier data from other jurisdictions that the vacation farm sector is a relatively recent phenomenon , al though it is not known how many Saskatchewan operat ions no longer exist.

The 47 reasons stated by the sample operators for establishing their vacation farms were collated by the authors into several discrete categories. Finan- cial motivations (n = 26) were dominant and diverse, and included income generat ion (n = 10), oppor-

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The vacation farnl sector in Saskatchewan: D B Weaver and D A Fennell

tunities to access a potential client b a s e b e c a u s e of location (e.g., proximity to a provincial park) or the availability of spare rooms (n = 9), and vacation farming as a vehicle for diversification (n = 7). The literature from other jurisdictions also emphasises the importance of financial motivations, with Pizam and Pokela attributing this factor as the primary motivation for one-half of US operators. ' Similarly, one-half of operators in an early 1980s survey of Herefordshire (UK) vacation farms became involved in order to increase annual income or offset a falling income from agriculture? Next in importance for the Saskatchewan sample was a sharing the rural experience category (n = 8), which emphasised the desire of operators to share the farming lifestyle and/or outdoor experience with others, and especially those from urban areas. This particular category does not appear to have any equivalent in any of the vacation farm literature. Social considera- tions (e.g., enjoying the company of others) motivated six operators, while two stressed satisfac- tion as an underlying reason for involvement in vacation farming.

Table 3 Saskatchewan vacation farm sample characteristics (n = 40)

Annual visitor intake 1995 expected range 2-71)00 1995 mean expectation 626 1994 actual mean 431 1993 actual mean 384 1992 actual mean 332 1991 actual mean 358 1990 actual mean 431

Average visitation by season Spring 15% Summer 55% Fall 24% Winter 7%

Average client origins Local (within 80 kin) 13% Other Saskatchewan 28% Manitoba or Alberta 10c;~ Other Canada 26 ~'/c USA 156/~ Other foreign 9c,~

Average duration of stay Day use only 14~ 1 night 47c~ 2-3 nights 21~ 4-6 nights 11 fTc > 6 nights 5{~

Means of advertising Brochures 28 Associations 20 Word of mouth 20 Govt. publications 12 Trade shows 10 Newspapers 10 Direct mail 8 Highway signage 8 Other 15

Beyond the actual operator(s), the vast majority of vacation farms reported having no full-time employees, while only four reported employees in a part-time, mostly seasonal capacity. While it is therefore clear that the vacation farms do not generate numerous jobs, almost all of those opera- tors who did hire employees did so from within the local community. The study confirmed that the tourism component does not contribute substantially to gross farm revenucs, with most respondents attri- buting 5% or less of the latter to the vacation farm component. A 1981/82 survey of 116 UK vacation farms found that over 70% of operators also reported a contribution of 5% or less, -~-" while the a v e r a g e contribution to Austrian vacation farms w a s 4%. 4 While apparently minor, such proportions may, however, constitute the difference between survival or bankruptcy for some operators. The apparently small Austrian contribution, for example, w a s considered decisive to the survival of those farm operations. With respect to the actual income, 23 respondents indicated earnings of less than Canadian $10000 pcr year from the vacation farm clement. However, the fact that this component can be a substantial rcvenue generator is revealed in the three operators who reported income in excess of Canadian $50000, mainly by catering for large day-use tour groups, meetings and social events.

Visitor characteristics

"Wildlife viewing' (self-defined) was ranked as the most important visitor activity, followed by 'hunting' and 'casual photography'. This is significant in that the literature on wildlife viewing and hunting confirms incompatibilities with rcspect to participant attitudes and motivations.-'". Of interest, therefore, are the 16 operations where both pursuits were perceived to be 'very important ' to clients. Birds were the most common wildlife attraction, attesting to Saskatchewan's strength in migratory fowl populations and diversity. One concern is that despite the importance of wildlife viewing, 33 opera- tors reported no relevant formal training. The low responses to "horseback riding', 'fishing', 'barn dancing' and 'assisting with farm chores' contrasts with the 1977 national survey of US vacation farms? which listed horseback riding, hiking, swimming, cookouts, farm chores and fishing as the most preva- lent activities according to customer ranking. Although swimming and cookouts were not listed as options in the Saskatchewan questionnaire, none of the sample respondents elected to add these activi- ties in the space provided for 'other ' pursuits. While it may be that the prairie environment is less than conducive to quality swimming or fishing opportuni- ties, the lack of farm-centred activity is more curious, especially whcn contrasted against the US pattern. Also notable is the low profile of cold- weather activities such as snowmobiling and cross-

36()

country skiing, given the length of the southern Saskatchewan winter. The most likely explanation, corroborated by the seasonality statistics below, is that vacation farms tend to cease operations during that time because of the climatic restrictions on the potential client activity spectrum.

Overall, mean visitation levels did not increase between 1990 and 1994 (the last completed year at the time of the survey), although substantial increases were anticipated for 1995 (though these should be viewed cautiously since the questionnaire was administered in mid-year). The high summer patronage owes mainly to the availability of holiday time, and to the relative consistency of warm, pleasant weather during that period; wildlife viewing and hunting are actually best in the spring and fall, but the weather tends to be more capricious. Non-local residents of Saskatchewan (i.e., from beyond a radius of 80 kin) constituted the largest client group, contributing to brief average lengths of stay which occurred mainly over the weekend (58%). The average foreign client percentage is misleading in that just a few operations specialise in a foreign clientele while many others report no involvement. On average, three-quarters of visitors were first-time clients, a proportion which signifi- cantly did not decrease among the more established enterprises.

The popularity of brochures as a marketing device owed to their low cost of production, and to their wide distribution at provincial information centres, local stores, and other outlets. The proportion reporting "associations' corresponds to the propor- tion indicating membership in the provincial vacation farm association. Very few respondents cited use of the Internet or other new technologies, perhaps reflecting the lack of computer accessibility within the farm population. The diversity of marketing options revealed in Table 3 contrasts with evidence from other jurisdictions such as Austria and the USA, where word-of-mouth was reported as the clearly dominant mode2 .''''~'

Barriers" and opportunities

This open-ended segment of the questionnaire sought responses on the perceived environmental, cultural, political, economic and infrastructural barriers and opportunities faced by operators. The environment was overwhelmingly perceived as an asset, entailing comments about the natural or unspoiled surroundings (n = 6), pleasant or beautiful scenery (n = 5), the rural atmosphere (n =3) and peacefulness (n = 3). Surprisingly, no citations were made about wildlife, even though wildlife viewing was the most prevalent client activity. Negative environmental comments included the effect of rainy weather on road access, of drought upon wildlife numbers or water supply, and of the winter upon visitation patterns. Cultural and social factors

The vacation farm sector in Saskatchewan: D B Weaver and D A Fennell

did not elicit notable reaction either way, although there were references to the negative effects of certain agricultural practices (i.e., an odour- producing neighbouring chicken farm, access- restricted private pasture lands, and reduction of prime recreation land through the clearance of natural habitat for pastures). Positive citations concerned local cultural and historical attractions, with three respondents making particular note of the potential of aboriginal culture for attracting clients and augmenting the range of existing activities.

Eighteen operators offered a total of 24 barriers related to government and politics. The largest category consisted of unnecessary, expensive, complex, or contradictory regulations (n = 12), with a distinct subgroup targeting provincial and federal policies (e.g., gun registration legislation) which were perceived as hindrances to the participation of American-based hunters. A smaller set of com- plaints focused upon the expenses associated with government services, while taxation policies, govern- ment incompetence and limited access to govern- ment financing each solicited two comments. This section, it should be noted, evoked some of the strongest reactions from the operators, as with the operator who suggested that there was not enough room on the form to adequately express his frustra- tions, and another who appended the comment 'and the list goes on and on" to an already substantial list of grievances. Another respondent assumed (incor- rectly) that the questionnaire was yet another government study involving a squandering of substantial public monies. This high level of dissatis- faction with government was also encountered in a recent survey of ecotourism-related site operators in Manitoba displaying similar attributes of scale and income marginality. 3'' While 16 government-related opportunities were also cited, 13 of these concerned the single aspect of marketing, almost all of it involving the highly successful Saskatchewan Accommodation Guide. The strength of disgruntle- ment against the government is made even more apparent in the analysis of economic barriers and opportunities. Most of the former implicate govern- ment policies which either restrict access to financing or which are perceived as costing too much money. Other barriers included the negative financial climate and the difficulties in obtaining liability insurance. So as not to over-emphasise the economic situation, it should be noted that 17 operators cited no such barriers, while six others left this section blank. Nine opportunity-related responses were dominated by local and provincial agencies and programmes which did provide needed direct or indirect financial assistance. Regarding infrastructure, the 14 negative responses centred upon the poor condition of grid roads which connected operations to main highways. Given

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The vacation farm sector in Saskatchewan: D B Weaver and D A FenneH

recent government moves to reduce expenditures on the maintenance of rural infrastructure, such complaints may be expected to become even more frequent in the future.

Open-ended comtnents

The non-specific open-ended written comments offered by 17 respondents were extremely valuable in providing a forum for the free expression of opinions which, presumably, were felt strongly enough to warrant the extra time and effort involved in their articulation. Some of these comments re-emphasised views already expressed elsewhere in the questionnaire, while others represented entirely new information or summations of information. A majority of these comments were pessimistic in tone, with five stressing marketing difficulties associated with being a small, isolated operation. Two others cited prohibitively high insurance costs. One respon- dent's comments summarised the frustration felt as they struggle to survive in the vacation farm industry:

when the tally is taken we find that we extend great effort for insignificant financial gain...it's a great idea for the energetic, self-motivated, healthy person, who is happy to work hard for little money...

Among several ambivalent comments, two opera- tors indicated strong intrinsic motivation and a high degree of personal, if not financial, satisfaction with the business. For example:

B&B [bed and breakfast] is my hobby! If it breaks even, good! Even if it didn't ! would still do it, because nearly all hobbies cost! I feel that our years in the business has [sic] been an education in itself. I will continue to operate as long as I am physically able to do it myself.

There were two unequivocally positive remarks, both of which cited the possibilities of accessing an international clientele. One stressed the 'unlimited potential of the European market', while another revealed a methodical will to attract the inter- national tourist:

We are going to establish a niche market with the service, quality, and packaging we offer. We are excited about the opportunities we have with our business, particularly in attracting international visitors. We have done the research. We know what we want to do and are seeing it come to fruition.

Recommendations The following management-oriented recommenda- tions, derived from the questionnaire data but augmented by other case study experiences, are proposed as general guidelines to strengthen the vacation farm industry within Saskatchewan and similar destinations.

Foster enhanced linkages between vacation farm operations and pubfic spaces

Although vacation farms are private sector opera- tions, clients commonly utilise adjacent or nearby public land, some of which provides a high-quality venue for outdoor recreation because of its protected status. There is scope for the development of synergies between the vacation farms and such spaces, as for example through reciprocal fee reduc- tions and the packaging of tour itineraries which include both agricultural and 'natural' attractions. While the high-profile and well-organised National and Provincial Park entities are best positioned for such a linkage, the recreational potential of lesser- known and utilised public lands, such as Provincial Community Pastures and Wildlife Habitat Protec- tion Lands, should also be explored?'

Investigate the relationship between consumptive and non-consumptive wildlife-based visitor activities

Wildlife viewing and hunting are both accommo- dated by a significant portion of operators. The fact that no resulting conflicts were reported could mean, pending further investigation, that the incom- patibility issue is a red herring, or that strategies are being implemented to avoid conflict. Given that the survival of many vacation farms may depend upon patronage by both groups, there is a danger that the ascendant ecotourism market ~2 ~" may be alienated by the presence of hunting activity, which despite declining participation levels 34-'' retains government support.

Implement product and marketing strategies to increase the local and international clientele

The small local market base may be due to the fact that the latter may already have lower-cost access to the types of outdoor opportunities available on vacation farms. However, such nearby facilities may be locally attractive as venues for social activities such as wedding receptions or dances. In addition, such products could serve to extend the conven- tional vacation farm season, as they are not as seriously constrained by climatic considerations. With respect to the international market, there are indications of a strong latent demand for the vacation farm experience. A recent survey in Germany ~" found that while 38.7% of families with small children believed that a farm vacation would be ideal for their circumstances, only 2% had actually undertaken the experience. As to the ability of small prairie enterprises to attract a foreign clien- tele, a recent survey of small ecotourism operators in Manitoba revealed that the average business derived 43% of its clients from outside Canada, including 12% from Europe (vs 6% in the present Saskatchewan study)?" This could suggest an enhanced role for ecotourism-related activities in attracting non-Canadian guests.

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Determine the extent of, and factors underlying, the low rate of return visitation, and the concentration of visitation at weekends The high dependency upon first-time visitors is problematic in that operators are not benefiting financially from a predictable flow of return visitors (who also require little or no marketing). Given that older establishments also experience low return rates, this may indicate, when combined with the overall pattern of visitor number stagnation, a lack of satisfaction with the vacation farm experience in Saskatchewan. Conversely, an individual vacation farm may be the sort of operation which clients tend to patronise only once, whatever their level of satis- faction. Such hypotheses would best be tested using data obtained through a follow-up visitor-directed questionnaire and, from this evidence, appropriate strategies adopted to improve the product to raise the level of return visitation. The weekend concen- tration may result simply from the availability of market discretionary time during that period, although such markets as school groups could be exploited to increase the weekday visitation rates. From the provider perspective, it should also be determined whether operators prefer this concentra- tion, perhaps so that farm-related tasks can be emphasised during the week.

Enhance marketing effectiveness through the utilisation of more diverse advertising options The limited array of current marketing avenues could be augmented through the use of the Internet, video cassettes and other non-traditional technolo- gies. The use of web sites, in particular, could provide an inexpensive means of exposing Saskatch- ewan operators to the potentially lucrative but relatively inaccessible European and Asian markets, although the currently low levels of computer access among Saskatchewan operators would have to be redressed in order for this to become a feasible option.

Increase the availability of ecotourism-oriented training opportunities Although vacation farms already accommodate a significant amount of ecotourism-related activity, the future integrity of this component is threatened by the almost complete lack of relevant training among operators or their employees. Utilising the rapidly growing literature pertaining to the application of ecotourism techniques and guidelines, -'7-'~ training opportunities could be provided for individual operators or groups of farms (see 'Organise vacation farm operations into "consortia"', below). One appropriate vehicle for offering such training is the Saskatchewan Watchable Wildlife Association, which was established during the early 1990s as a provincial non-governmental organisation mandated

The vacation farm sector in Saskatchewan: D B Weaver and D A Fennell

to promote and co-ordinate the ecotourism industry within Saskatchewan.

Facilitate improved dialogue and relationships between the provincial government and vacation farm operators Government, especially at the provincial level, is clearly perceived by operators as far more an enemy than ally. Such negative attitudes are not unique to Saskatchewan, but nevertheless constitute an impediment to the effective and mutually beneficial interaction of the public and private sectors. Mechanisms for improved communication must be implemented so that the perceived strengths and weaknesses in the relationship can be articulated and appropriate remedies adopted. There may be some scope, for example, to reassess and reform those regulations and policies which are reasonably criticiscd as impeding the vacation farm operation.

Organise vacation farm operations into 'consortia' The current operation and management of the Saskatchewan vacation farm sector could be improved through the creation of an intermediate level of organisation between the individual opera- tion and the provincial sector organisation (which only represents about one-half of the enterprises). Such entities have existed for some years already in Europe as voluntary networks of 10-20 operators, labelled consortia, 4~'~ which utilise their collective resources to facilitate effective marketing, customer service, linked itineraries, data collection, employ- ment, etc. All of the recommendations suggested herein could, potentially, be most effectively under- taken by the consortia, rather than by individual operators or the entire association. They are not intended to usurp the functions of the sector organi- sation or the prerogatives of individual operators, but rather arc structured as loose alliances of geographically proximate farms to undertake functions most appropriate to this intermediary level. The association, for example, would continue to act as a vehicle for collective actions such as lobbying, internal interaction, co-ordination of policies and formulation of member standards (although a major weakness of the association is its lack of universality). This spectrum of responsibili- ties could potentially be expanded to include the co-ordination and facilitation of consortia inter- action. While consortia in Austria and the UK could be investigated to provide guidelines, the Saskatch- ewan model would have to take into account such differential- circumstances as the greater geographical dispersal of units and smaller regional markets.

Increase the participation rate of farms in the vacation farm sector to 1% within the next l O years Current levels of participation (0.1%), which do not exercise a significant overall influence on the rural

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The vacation farm sector in Saskatchewan: D B Weaver and D A Fennel1

Saskatchewan economy, could be substantially elevated through strategies requir ing relatively little government and private sector investment. Partici- pat ion rates at Aust r ian or even New Zea land levels may be unrealist ic in the short term, but a 1% target (or about 500 units) within the next 10 years should be considered attainable. This may then const i tute a critical mass for the effective funct ioning of consortia and the association, and thus in making a difference to the well-being of the rural economy.

Undertake a survey o f f o r m e r operators in order to identify, a m o n g other findings, the reasons fo r leaving the sector

Past government accommodat ion guides provide data on vacation farms no longer in operat ion. Extremely valuable informat ion could be obta ined from former operators as to the factors which led to their depar ture from the sector, and which thus n e e d to be taken into considerat ion by present and future operators, as well as other s takeholder organisations.

Conclusions

The vacation farm sector in Saskatchewan is an embryonic and apparent ly marginal industry which is not fulfilling its potent ial to contr ibute more effect- ively to the goal of rural diversification. This paper has described the results of a self-administered ques t ionnaire which was distr ibuted to all known vacation farm operators in the province, and has made a n u m b e r of r ecommenda t ions for the enhancemen t of the sector so that its potent ial contr ibut ions to Saskatchewan, and similar essen- tially rural jurisdictions, can be realised. A substan- tial increase in the n u m b e r of part icipants should be possible through the nur tur ing of a quality product which emphasises closer links with adjacent public spaces, diversity of available client activities through consortial linkages, a stress on ecotourism, and greater efforts to attract the local and non -Canad i an markets,

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