INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF TOURISM RESEARCH
Int. J. Tourism Res. 4, 459±478 (2002)
Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI: 10.1002/jtr.400
An Inspector Calls: Farm Accommodation
Providers' Attitudes to Quality Assurance
Schemes in the County of Devon
Rachel Hill1 and Graham Busby2*
1
Quoit-at-Cross Farm, Stoodleigh, Devon, UK
2
University of Plymouth, UK
ABSTRACT
Estimates suggest that 10 000 farms in the UK
offer bed and breakfast (B and B) serviced
accommodation. A thorough review of the
existing literature indicates over 50% of
Devon and Cornwall's farmhouse B and B
sector operate without participating in any
form of quality assurance inspection scheme.
This research executes a strati®ed postal
survey to gain a comprehensive
understanding of Devon's farmhouse B and
B product, with particular interest in
extracting providers' attitudes towards
quality assurance inspection schemes. The
very representative results suggest a
divergence of attitudes towards the notion of
quality inspections for all farmhouse B and B
providers. Copyright # 2002 John Wiley &
Sons, Ltd.
Received 3 September 2001; revised 19 June 2002; accepted 7
July 2002
Keywords: farm tourism; quality; inspection
schemes.
INTRODUCTION
I
t is thought that rural tourismÐ`tourism
which takes place in the countryside'
(Lane, 1994)Ðhas existed for almost 200
*Correspondence to: G. Busby, University of Plymouth,
Seale-Hayne Campus, Newton Abbot, Devon TQ12 6NQ,
UK.
E-mail: gbusby@plymouth.ac.uk
years in certain parts of Europe and America
(Sharpley and Sharpley, 1997). More speci®cally, farm tourism has been enjoyed for nearly
100 years (Frater, 1983). It is, however, particularly over the past 50 years that farm tourism
has been transformed into a product recognisable today in its own right (Davies and
Gilbert, 1992). The term `farm tourism' has
evolved over time; application of a universal
meaning is inappropriate owing to the diversity of activities (Busby and Rendle, 2000),
experiences and possible enterprises encompassed (Davies and Gilbert, 1992). A collection
of de®nitions has been compiled in Table 1.
Fundamentally, farm tourism incorporates
any provision of facilities for tourists on
working farms. It can be subdivided into three
categories: accommodation, activity and day
visitor (Davies and Gilbert, 1992). Although a
relatively new phenomenon (Hoyland, 1982),
the provision of serviced and self-catering
accommodation is recognised as the largest
sector by far (Frater, 1983; Denman, 1994).
The rapid development of farm tourism has
been attributed to government policy (Gasson
and Errington, 1993; Augustyn, 1998) encouraging change in the rural economy (Alexander
and McKenna, 1998), ultimately leading to a
more diverse rural activity base (An®eld, 1990,
cited in Clarke, 1999; Ilbery et al., 1998).
Traditional farming practises have been subjected to increasing pressure from falling
incomes (Evans and Ilbery, 1992; Lane, 1994;
Ilbery et al., 1998): as much as 90% in the ®ve
years 1995±2000 (Deloitte and Touche, 2000,
cited in Behar, 2000). Tourism is viewed as a
favourable option to alleviate these economic
strains (Frater, 1983; Maude and van Rest,
Copyright # 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
460
R. Hill and G. Busby
Table 1. De®nitions of farm tourism (adapted from Busby and Rendle, 2000)
`Any tourist or recreational enterprise on a working farm'
Dartington Amenity
Research Trust (DART),
1974
`Tourism enterprises that are present on working farms and yet are largely
supplementary to existing farm activities'
Frater, 1983
`Working farms, irrespective of type or size, where the primary activity is
agriculture and where tourism is a supplementary activity'
Wales Tourist Board
(WTB), 1986
`A trip, or overnight stay in, a countryside area which is either agricultural
or natural and has a low density of population'
Gilbert and Tung, 1990
`A form of rural tourism whereby paying guests can share in farming life'
Davies and Gilbert, 1992
`Farm tourism is just tourism in a farm setting'
Peebles, 1995
`Farm tourism as tourism products where the consumer, at a minimum, is
aware of the farming environment'
Clarke, 1996a
`All tourism or recreation enterprises located on working farms'
Clarke, 1996b
`A farm that has diversi®ed into tourism and still maintains agriculture as
its primary function'
South West Tourism
(SWT), 1999
`Rural tourism conducted on a working farm where the working environment
forms part of the product from the perspective of the consumer'
Clarke, 1999
1985; Davies and Gilbert, 1992; Oppermann,
1995). Major changes in British agriculture as
identi®ed in recent research can be seen in
Figure 1; the elements outlined have contributed to decisions taken by many farmers to seek
some form of diversi®cation. In acknowledging this choice, it should be noted that `the
reasons for adopting tourist enterprises are
diverse and often very individualistic ¼ in¯uenced by a range of factors both external and
internal to the farm' (Ilbery et al., 1998, p. 355).
Over 10% of English farms are now involved
in some area of tourism (ETB, 1993, cited in
Clarke 1996a; Denman, 1994; Shaw and Williams, 1994); this ®gure rises to over 23% in the
West Country, where tourism is thought to
involve one in four farms at any given time
(MAFF, 1999; SWT, 2000). Although a precise
®gure for the total number of farmhouse B and
Bs operating in the UK is unattainable, Hill
(1991) suggested that 10 000 farms offer serviced accommodation, whereas Miller (1993)
considered that about 14 000 farms within
England and Wales provide some form of
accommodation. Denman (1994) advises that,
Copyright # 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
although there are at least 5000 farm-based B
and B enterprises in Britain, only 60% are
registered with the English Tourism Council.
Farmhouses form 12% of the West Country
region's serviced accommodation establishment stock (Denman and Denman, 1990;
SWT, 2000; P. Aubrey, West Country Tourist
Board, Personal Communication, 1998 cited in
Busby and Rendle, 2000), 42% of which is
located in the county of Devon (Deakin, 1997).
Smaller establishments dominate the sector
(Denman, 1994; Oppermann, 1995; Beioley,
2000) and the average number of bed spaces
between 1989 and the mid-1990s was seven
(Deakin, 1997). This might suggest somewhere
between two and three bedrooms being let: a
realistic ceiling for most properties. Dartington
Amenity Research Trust (DART, 1974) concluded that supplementing household income
was the main motivator for 64% of farmhouse
B and B providers in starting their business
(Evans and Ilbery, 1992; Shaw and Williams,
1994; Beioley, 1999, 2000), logically, this was
most signi®cant on smaller farms (Embacher,
1994; Redclift, 1986, cited in Evans and Ilbery,
Int. J. Tourism Res. 4, 459±478 (2002)
Quality Assurance Schemes for Farm Accommodation
461
Figure 1. Factors in¯uencing change in British agriculture. Fawcett and Bleakley (1993) is cited in
Fawcett (1996)
1992; Marsden et al., 1989 cited in Evans and
Ilbery, 1992; Oppermann, 1995; Ilbery et al.,
1998).
Denman (1994) suggests that all farm B and
Bs provide visitors with four basic requirements: high levels of cleanliness, warm accommodation, comfortable beds and plentiful hot
water. Rising living standards lead visitors to
expect in their accommodation the amenities
they are accustomed to at home (Alexander
and McKenna, 1998) and, increasingly, farmhouse B and B providers feel this pressure.
Although there remains a market for non ensuite accommodation, it appears to be shrinking (WTB, 1994); anecdotal evidence from
many farm accommodation businesses suggests that they have reacted by providing ensuite provision. However, there remains over
half of all serviced accommodation in this
region without en-suite provision (Deakin,
1997). Another aspect of farmhouse B and B
Copyright # 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
is the provision of a traditional evening meal;
although not the most ®nancially attractive
element, it is thought to attract business
initially (Deakin, 1997). A steady decrease has
been noted in the number of farms offering
evening meals in the West Country region,
from 54% in 1994 to 42% in 1999 (Deakin, 1997),
in part owing to the steady reduction in farm
labour (Williams, 1999).
According to MAFF (1999), consumers tend
to select farmhouse B and Bs for an overall
different `experience' from that offered by
hotels or even by rural accommodation not
located on farms. Traditionally, farmhouse B
and Bs conjure up images of home cooking, a
friendly, homely atmosphere, personal contact
with the farming family, good value for
money, peace and quiet, all set in an attractive
location (ETB, 1990; Clarke, 1996a; Beioley,
2000). These elements, undoubtedly, remain
the strength of the sector today. For Voase
Int. J. Tourism Res. 4, 459±478 (2002)
462
R. Hill and G. Busby
Figure 2. Maslow's hierarchy of needs.
Source: adapted from Maslow (1970, cited in Rees 1996) and Balmer and Baum
(1993).
(1995, p. 160), their advantage is not solely
physical but mental also, `staying in a farmhouse bed & breakfast and enjoying familystyle hospitality, is a form of tourist game
which is psychologically the opposite of the
city break'. The farm B and B offers a sample of
British life, an opportunity to meet the locals in
a manner that hotels are unable to replicate
(Beioley, 2000), the relationship between the
host and guest is central to the success of farms
(Alletorp, 1997, cited in Busby and Rendle,
2000; Busby and Rendle, 2000).
Increasingly, it appears that emphasis is
placed on higher levels of service and facilities
as consumer expectations rise (Fawcett, 1996).
The primary considerations when choosing
farmhouse B and B have been identi®ed as
high standards of hospitality (Fawcett, 1996);
overall standards of cleanliness and friendliness (Lockwood et al., 1992; Balmer and Baum,
1993); and value for money (Denman, 1994;
Lockwood et al., 1992; Fawcett, 1996; Balmer
and Baum, 1993). The latter is an important
factor for 95% of domestic holiday makers
(Deakin, 1997). Therefore, a `quality treadmill'
now exists in the farmhouse B and B sector,
relentlessly fuelled by intense competition,
rising customer expectations (Swarbrooke,
Copyright # 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
1994) and pressures from tourism authorities
demanding inspected accommodation provision. Quality assurance inspection schemes
endeavour to bridge the inevitable gaps and, in
doing so, improve the farmhouse B and B
product (Evans and Ilbery, 1989; Evans, 1990,
cited in Clarke, 1999; Clarke, 1999).
The aim of this research was to investigate
attitudes towards quality assurance inspection
schemes from the perspective of Devon's
farmhouse B and B providers. The primary
research took the form of a strati®ed postal
survey, followed by analysis of the responses
both quantitatively and qualitatively, using
predetermined hypotheses to test for any
signi®cant associations between key variables.
QUALITY APPROACHES IN TOURISM
As competition intensi®es in tourism worldwide (Augustyn and Ho, 1998), the quality of
service received is becoming increasingly
important. Facilities associated with relatively
high graded establishments 10 to 15 years ago
are today being sought and demanded by
customers of all levels. The key differentials
between establishments come less in the form
of physical attributes and more in the level of
Int. J. Tourism Res. 4, 459±478 (2002)
Quality Assurance Schemes for Farm Accommodation
463
Table 2. Service attributes (Berry et al., 1990, cited in Ingram, 1996)
Attribute
1. Reliability
2. Responsiveness
3. Competence
4. Access
5. Courtesy
6. Communication
7. Credibility
8. Security
9. Rapport
10. Appearance
Description
Consistent in performance and dependability
Willingness, readiness to provide service
Knowledge and capability of contact personnel
Approachability, ease of contact
Politeness, respect, friendliness
Informing and listening to customers
Trustworthiness and honesty
Freedom from danger, risk or doubt
Understanding the customers individual needs
Physical look of facilities and personnel
quality and service offered (Balmer and Baum,
1993). Initial interest and research into aspects
of quality has evolved from manufacturing
companies, who based ®ndings on the physical characteristics of products, quality being
re¯ected in the ®nal price. Given the variety of
tourism products, quality measurement is an
extremely dif®cult and subjective task (Harrington and Lenehan, 1998); quality has been
de®ned as `to do consistently what you say you
are going to do so that the customer gets what
he or she reasonably expects' (National Economic Development Of®ce, 1992, p. 7).
Tourism products are inseparable, that is to
say they are produced and consumed simultaneously; they cannot be displayed or touched
(Shostack, 1977). Replacement or exchange is
not always an option, therefore, suggesting
that a zero defects policy is required. Retaining
this notion and acknowledging that tourism
consumers are becoming more sensitive (Augustyn and Ho, 1998), sophisticated, knowledgeable and discerning, it is a belief that high
quality is essential and is increasingly demanded in farmhouse accommodation (Fawcett, 1996).
Accommodation attributes may contribute
positively to quality or detract from it. Johnston (1955, cited in Johns et al., 1997) divides
them into `satis®ers' and `dissatis®ers' that
draw parallels with Herzberg's `hygiene' and
`motivation' factors (Johnston and Silvestro,
1990; Balmer and Baum, 1993). Hygiene
factors, commonly associated with tangible
aspects of the accommodation product (Johns
et al., 1997) can be re¯ected in the ®rst three
levels of Maslow's (1970) Hierarchy of needs
Copyright # 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
(Figure 2), which in turn compare to the ®rst
three standards of accommodation classi®cation. Tourists at these levels are expecting to
satisfy the basic requirements as outlined
earlier; if these are absent or not met, dissatisfaction will occur (Balmer and Baum,
1993). Motivational factors on the other hand,
represent the intangible `quality service' aspects of accommodation, they assume basic
needs are met and seek ful®lment of esteem
and egoistic needs, those at the higher levels of
classi®cation. However, it is quite likely that a
three diamond establishment will ful®l all of
the needs for some people and, indeed, they
may feel uncomfortable in a four or ®ve
diamond establishment.
Service quality is linked inextricably to
customer expectations and whether these
expectations are reached by the experience,
`when buying a holiday, one is in fact buying
the expectation of an experience' (Harrington
and Lenehan, 1998, p. 16). Service quality
perceptions result from a comparison of tourist
expectations of elements an organisation
should provide and the actual performance
or experience (Harrington and Lenehan, 1998;
Swarbrooke 1994; Ingram 1996; Zeithaml and
Bitner, 1996, cited in Clarke, 1999).
It is argued that in order to satisfy a
customer, quality should not only reach but
also exceed expectations (NITB, 1995, cited in
Fawcett, 1996; Ingram 1996). Although this
appears a reasonable suggestion, consumers
harbour unique expectations and consequently
`use subjective and inconsistent frames of
reference to judge the quality of services,
presenting dif®culties in satisfying the custoInt. J. Tourism Res. 4, 459±478 (2002)
464
R. Hill and G. Busby
Table 3. Quality assurance inspection schemes
Inspection authority
Operation level
Devonshire Heartland Tourist Association
Dartmoor Tourist Association
Cartwheel
Which? Guide to Bed and Breakfast
Michelin Guide
mer' (Ingram, 1996, p. 30). This can make the
challenge of exceeding expectations an extremely complex task, yet ultimately `what
counts is quality as it is perceived by the customers' (Gronroos 1990, cited in Harrington
and Lenehan, 1998, p. 37). A framework
(shown in Table 2) developed by Berry et al.
(1990, cited in Ingram, 1996) proposes ten
criteria considered to shape consumers' expectations and perceptions of service quality.
These dimensions have been developed
further by Brogowicz et al. (1990, cited in
Local
Local
Regional
National
National
Ingram, 1996) into a conceptual model named
SERVQUAL, fundamentally a tool capable of
measuring the gap between customer expectations and actual delivery of service quality.
Although offering an indication of what to
expect from accommodation, price can never
be relied upon to make presumptions about
the accommodation (Swarbrooke, 1994). Facilities and tangible elements of accommodation
are the most common basis on which to judge
quality. Additionally, the then English Tourist
Board recognised that components such as a
Table 4. Diamond ratings (ETC, 1998)
Classi®cation
^
^^
^^^
^^^^
^^^^^
Requirement guidelines
Clean and comfortable
Full cooked or continental breakfast
Other meals, when provided, must be freshly prepared
Clean bed linen, towels and fresh soap
Adequate heating and hot water at no extra cost
Acceptable overall level of quality and helpful service
All the above
Higher level of quality and comfort
Greater emphasis on guest care in all areas
All the above
Good level of overall quality
Well maintained, practical deÂcor
Good choice of dishes for breakfast
Other meals, where provided, will be freshly prepared using quality ingredients
A greater degree of comfort and guest care
All of the above
A very good level of quality and comfort
A very good degree of guest care
Extra attention given to cleanliness and warmth of welcome
All of the above
Excellent overall level of quality and comfort
Ample space and a degree of luxury
Fine quality bed, furniture and interior design
High proportion of bedrooms with en-suites or private facilities
Other meals, where available, made with fresh, seasonal local ingredients
Excellent levels of guest care
Copyright # 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Int. J. Tourism Res. 4, 459±478 (2002)
Quality Assurance Schemes for Farm Accommodation
warm welcome, hospitality and value for
money perception were as, if not more,
important to the visitor (ETB, 1990). Johns et
al. (1997) agree that these elements tend to be
the most differentiating aspects of accommodation quality, those that are either satis®ers or
dissatis®ers (Johnston, 1955, cited in Johns et
al., 1997; Balmer and Baum, 1993).
It is argued that an experience is based on
three main elements: the individuals underlying values (ideas and expectations); the
uncontrollable elements, such as weather;
and the controllable elements (Harrington
and Lenehan, 1998). It is only the latter element
that the accommodation provider has control
over; consequently, it is this which the accommodation inspection schemes have been
forced to concentrate on. In a bid to offer a
high quality tourism product, the English
Tourism Council (ETC, 2000) has emphasised
that accommodation quality must be as high or
higher than competitor destinations.
Quality assurance inspection schemes
In the UK, there are three main nationally
accepted inspection bodies: the English Tourism Council (ETC), Automobile Association
(AA) and the Royal Automobile Club (RAC)
backed by regional and local initiatives (see
Table 3).
Following harmonisation of the national
ETC, AA and RAC schemes, farmhouses are
inspected along with all guesthouses using
universal criteria. Inspectors award a classi®cation of one to ®ve diamonds, an assurance to
the visitor indicating the standard of accommodation offered. `Classi®cation is a term used
to subdivide the stock of accommodation into
categories, each category consists of speci®ed
facilities and services ¼ grading is a qualitative assessment of the speci®c facilities' (Callan, 1998, p. 20). The harmonised standards, as
shown in Table 4, have taken into account and
aim to re¯ect changing visitor expectations.
Previously, it was felt that the schemes focused
too narrowly on facilities, often misrepresenting the actual quality of the accommodation on
offer by awarding an inaccurate classi®cation
(Ingram, 1996). As the AA's web-site states,
`bed and breakfast accommodation is assessed
in a different way to hotels, with the emphasis
Copyright # 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
465
on guest care and quality rather than provision
of extra facilities' (www.thea.com, 12 June
2002).
It is estimated that only 42% of farmhouse B
and B providers in Devon and Cornwall are
inspected (Deakin, 1997). For those who do not
currently participate, a stepping-stones initiative has been introduced as a practical 11stepped approach to achieving national quality assurance standards. A blueprint for
improving standards, it starts on a local level
and is adaptable to local circumstances (Lane,
2000). The industry is moving to `stimulate
continuing improvement in quality standards
across the whole of the industryÐthe adoption
of a national compulsory grading scheme
would ensure that at least minimum standards
are met by all operators' (SWT, 1999, p. 12). On
the other hand, Ilbery et al. (1998, p. 362)
suggest that `quality standards can raise the
entry barriers to the relevant sectors and act
against new entrants, the undercapitalised and
those wanting to be low-cost producers competing on price': this may, undoubtedly, deter
some farm accommodation providers but not
all.
The quality of farmhouse bed and breakfast
accommodation
Farmhouse accommodation is becoming more
sophisticated (Denman, 1994), often facilities
provided are of a higher level than other
serviced accommodation, including hotels
(SWT, 2000). Over the past 5 years, inspectors
for the Which? Bed and Breakfast Guide have
reported signi®cant improvements in standards. They suggest the emergence of a new
breed of high quality establishments offering
services and facilities to rival many hotels
(Beioley, 2000). This performance can be
attributed partly to the growing need for
establishments to be inspected in order to
participate in marketing opportunities, a primary concern for most B and B providers
(WTB, 1996; Ilbery et al., 1998).
Initiatives requesting compulsory inspection
include, nationally, Farm Stay UK (renamed
from the Farm Holiday Bureau in December
2000); locally, the Heart of Devon Farm Holiday Group (Deakin, 1997) as well as publications including international British Tourist
Int. J. Tourism Res. 4, 459±478 (2002)
466
Authority guides (Ingram, 1996) and, regionally, the Cartwheel Project (G. Woodcraft,
Cartwheel Project, Personal Communication,
1999). Unfortunately, `despite some good
quality professional operations there still
remain a large number of farms where there
is no guarantee of quality or facilities' (Deakin,
1997, p. 17). Research suggests a de®nite
quality gap between those participating in
inspection and classi®cation schemes and
those not, emphasising the need to improve
those not currently inspected (Deakin, 1997).
Ingram (1996) suggests that inspected farmhouse B and B providers entertain concerns
regarding unregulated establishments. Resenting competition from `cowboy' operators,
compulsory registration of establishments
was favoured, aimed at enhancing the overall
reputation of accommodation within an area.
The resistance to participate in schemes,
despite the clear need for assured quality is
based on the feeling that to upgrade would be
to the detriment of the character of farmhouses
or is simply not practical in reality (Deakin,
1997). `There is a danger of meeting standards
for accommodation and facilities but by doing
so losing the very uniqueness of farmhouse B
and B' (ETB, 1990, p. 31). It is argued that the
cost of registration is also a deterrent. O'Neill
and McKenna (1994, cited in Fawcett, 1996)
warn that in striving towards quality, a
compulsion for standardisation does not follow. `Farm accommodation is too important a
diversi®cation to be harmed by ®xed criteria
and further confusion about standards' (Williams, 1999, p. 4).
Sceptics argue that over 60% of domestic
tourists make no use of the classi®cation
schemes when selecting accommodation in
any event (WTB, 1994), therefore they are
hardly a worthwhile investment. In contrast,
however, some accommodation providers feel
that in order to compete effectively with hotels
they should be inspected using the same
criteria (Williams, 1999). As the tourism
industry strives to raise overall quality standards, `the challenge to rural tourism accommodation providers will be to offer facilities
which match increasingly demanding market
requirements whilst respecting and enhancing
the quality and integrity of the countryside'
(ETB, 1990, p. 1).
Copyright # 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
R. Hill and G. Busby
METHODOLOGICAL APPROACH
The sampling framework
A strati®ed approach was taken in collecting
the data, principally to establish whether the
individual stratum would express distinct
attitudes towards quality assurance inspection
schemes, key to achieving the stated objectives.
Fowler (1993) describes the technique of
strati®cation as a method more likely to re¯ect
the total population than a simple random
sample, thus reducing sampling error (Mangione, 1995). Representation of the entire
population is paramount if the research is to
be valued, yet statistically there is no method
for detecting how representative a strati®ed
sample is in relation to the entire population
(Fowler, 1993).
Questionnaires were sent to 215 farmhouse
B and B providers within Devon, selected from
®ve strata dependent on which, if any, inspection scheme the farmhouse B and B participated in.
(1) Stratum A. Farm Stay UK members (for
whom a membership requirement is inspection by a nationally recognised
scheme). Fifty out of a possible 77 from
the local wing (Devon Farms) were contacted.
(2) Stratum B. Farmhouse B and Bs inspected
by the English Tourism Council diamond
rating scheme. Fifty from the total population of 115 (in Devon) were selected.
(3) Stratum C. Farmhouse B and Bs participating in either the Automobile Association or
Royal
Automobile
Club
inspection
schemes, from total populations of 32 and
30, respectively, 46 were contacted.
(4) Stratum D. Farmhouse B and Bs selected
and inspected for their merits by the
Which? Good Bed and Breakfast Guide.
The entire population of 19 was contacted.
(5) Stratum E. Farmhouse B and Bs currently
not inspected by a nationally recognised
scheme. Although the exact population is
unknown, it is thought to be in excess of
100 establishments, 50 of whom were
contacted.
Initially, a sample of 50 providers from each
stratum was sought; however, after contacting
Int. J. Tourism Res. 4, 459±478 (2002)
Quality Assurance Schemes for Farm Accommodation
the respective organisations and consulting
holiday guides it was apparent that this would
not be possible. Firstly, a number of farmhouse
B and Bs fell into more than one stratum
(having taken up more than one inspection
opportunity), consequently the strati®cation
process was not as accurate as hoped. Removing duplications left smaller populations than
was ®rst appreciated, yet in these cases full
representation was achieved as the entire
population was contacted. Clearly, any remaining establishments occupying more than
one stratum might pollute the responsesÐ
research is never perfect.
A postal survey was chosen as the most
practical method of data collection given that it
allows access to a widely dispersed sample
and can be accomplished using minimal human resources at relatively low cost (Mangione, 1995). These are particularly important
considerations according to Fowler (1993),
who advocates that the data collection method
should re¯ect the research topic of study, the
sample frames and their characteristics. In
conformity with this advice, face-to-face and
telephone survey were deemed impractical as
the sample consisted of working farmers,
scattered across Devon with limited spare
time.
Questionnaire design
Questions using Likert scales are used to
determine the importance placed on theoretically established (Denman, 1994) tangible and
intangible aspects of the B and B business.
Dif®culties in assessing objectively the contentious issue of individuals' attitudes towards
inspection schemes were overcome by using a
set of nine attitude statements. Owing to the
topical nature of the research it was hoped that
strong attitudes would be apparent and be
captured best with this style of questioning.
Lastly, space was allocated allowing for
further comments to be made within the
boundaries of the research subject. Although
open questions are notably harder to analyse
(Brunt, 1997), it was felt that the opportunity
for further comment should be available with
the prospect of incorporating a limited qualitative review.
Copyright # 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
467
The pilot survey
Prior to conducting the pilot survey, South
West Tourism and Devon Tourism (Devon
County Council) were contacted and asked to
respond to the proposed questionnaire. As a
result of this pre-pilot contact, wording was
slightly altered and a further attitude statement was added. In the pilot survey, two B and
B providers from each stratum were contacted
and sent questionnaires to complete. Feedback
gained was utilised to amend the wording of
an attitude statement.
RESEARCH FINDINGS
Quantitative data analysis
In order to analyse statistically the data
gathered, the responses to questions 1 to 13
were coded individually and entered into
SPSS, a Statistical Programme for the Social
Sciences. From the assembled data, frequency
and cross-tabulation tables have been constructed and stated hypotheses have been
analysed using chi-square tests. A number of
hypotheses were prepared in two forms, null
hypothesis (H0) and experimental or research
hypothesis (H1) (Frankfort-Nachmias and
Nachmias, 1992). Following statistical analysis
using the Pearson chi-square test, the null and
research hypotheses either have been accepted
or rejected according to the signi®cance of the
relationship between the independent and
dependent variables. For the purpose of this
research, the 5% level (0.05 level) of signi®cance has been used.
Qualitative data analysis
The ®nal question in the survey was left `open'
in order to allow the respondent freedom to
express further comments, attitudes or experiences that they felt might be relevant to the
research. A qualitative approach was adopted
in the analysis particularly as this style question `tends to collect a great deal of `rich'
information' (Veal, 1997, p. 129). Interestingly,
responses indicated recurrent themes that
could easily be applied to the framework
method (Ritchie and Spencer, 1994).
The survey provided a useable response rate
of 67% (n = 143) allowing for an accurate analysis
Int. J. Tourism Res. 4, 459±478 (2002)
468
R. Hill and G. Busby
Table 5. Whether B and B provided on a working
farm according to stratum
Working farm?
Stratum
Yes
No
Total
Farm Stay UK
South West Tourism
AA/RAC
Which? Guide
Non-inspected
Total
35
16
20
7
20
98
3
13
13
9
7
45
38
29
33
16
27
143
of results to be conducted. Consideration was
given to the notion that attitudes towards
accommodation inspection schemes would be
in¯uenced by several underlying factors. The
following quantitative analysis breaks down
responses given to the closed questions.
Quantitative ®ndings
The frequency of responses received from each
stratum shown according to whether the B and
B is provided on a working farm can be seen in
Table 5. Despite the term `farmhouse B and B',
almost one-third of respondents (31.5%) were
not conducting B and B on a working farm. Of
the 98 that were offering accommodation on a
working farm, 87 had started the business
themselves.
The results regarding motivations for starting or taking on the B and B business compare
favourably with the literature review (Frater,
1983; Evans and Ilbery, 1992; Beioley, 1999;
2000). Table 6 re¯ects DART's (1974) research
(Evans and Ilbery 1992) illustrating that for
over two-thirds of respondents (71%), econom-
Table 7. Cross-tabulation of economic motivation
against whether B and B is provided on a working
farm
Working farm?
Economic bene®t
(recorded)
Not at all important/
not very important
Neither
Important/very
important
Total
Yes
No
Total
4
2
6
6
85
6
36
12
121
95
44
139
ic bene®t was by far the most important
motivator. Frater (1983) advocates that in some
cases social bene®ts outweigh the economic
bene®ts, and 53 respondents deemed social
interaction either `important' or `very important'. The three most common `other' reasons
given in descending order were; `suitable use
for a large farmhouse and spare bedrooms',
`ability to work and bring up a young family'
and `B and B works well with farming life.'
By recoding the Likert responses to economic bene®t as a motivator and cross-tabulating
them with whether the B and B is on a working
farm, Table 7 was constructed. The importance
placed on ®nancial gain is obviously signi®cant for all types of farmhouse B and B, not
only those who rely on income from agricultural activities.
In establishing a core understanding of
farmhouse B and Bs in Devon, respondents
were asked how long they had been running
the business. Over 50% (74) started their
business during the past 10 years, re¯ecting
similar research by Denman (1994) and Beioley
Table 6. Matrix of importance placed on motivators for starting or taking on the B and B business
Economic bene®t
Social interactions
Additional occupations
Other
Not at all
important
(%)
Not very
important
(%)
Neither
(%)
Important
(%)
Very
important
(%)
Missing
(%)
0
17.5
22.4
4.2
4.2
18.2
16.1
2.6
8.4
25.2
22.4
2.1
13.3
23.1
16.8
2.1
71.3
14.0
18.9
10.5
2.8
2.1
3.5
N/A (78.3%)
Copyright # 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Int. J. Tourism Res. 4, 459±478 (2002)
Quality Assurance Schemes for Farm Accommodation
Table 8. Cross-tabulation of length of time operating B and B business and whether it is provided on
a working farm
B and B
business age
0±5
6±10
11±15
16±20
21‡
Total
Working farm?
Yes
No
Total
19
19
20
13
27
98
19
17
2
3
4
45
38
36
22
16
31
143
469
Table 10. Cross-tabulation of whether currently
inspected against B and B provision on a working
farm
Currently
inspected?
Yes
No
Total
(2000). One provider had been operational for
just three months whereas 31 had been
operating for over 21 years. Eighty-seven per
cent of the oldest business segment is found on
working farms (Table 8); two surprisingly had
been operating for over 40 years.
Echoing SWT's (2000) ®ndings, almost twothirds (92) of farmhouse B and Bs consist of
four to six bed spaces. Cross tabulations
revealed this size accommodation was predominantly (73%) found on working farms. As
Ingram (1996) notes, farmhouses receiving
more than six visitors are liable for business
rates and compliance with ®re regulations.
Respondents at either boundary of the range
were almost evenly split with 22 (one to three
beds) and 20 (10‡ beds) establishments. A
closer examination of the number of bed
spaces compared with the number of en-suite
rooms, uncovers that although en-suite provision has increased by 18% in the West Country
since 1989 (Deakin, 1997), there remains a
signi®cant number in Devon (57) without any
en-suite rooms. Sixty-eight respondents have
Working farm?
Yes
No
Total
90
8
98
40
5
45
130
13
143
en-suite provision in one to three of their
rooms, which re¯ects the higher proportion of
small B and Bs (up to six beds).
Respondents were asked which associations
they were members of to allow exploration of
whether this in¯uenced inspection participation and subsequent attitudes towards quality
schemes. Although 71% indicated membership
of more than one association (as shown in
Table 9), over half the respondents (79)
belonged to either a local tourist association
or marketing bureau, the most common being
Devonshire's Heartland Tourist Association
(18), Dartmoor Tourist Association (17) and
North Devon Marketing Bureau (16). Over 50%
were members of South West Tourism and the
`other' category highlighted membership of
DACOM (Devon and Cornwall Overseas
Marketing), Colyton Business Association
and Sustrans West Country Way. Most of
these organisations do not have strictly comparable roles and, presumably, this accounts
for multiple membership: for example, South
West Tourism is concerned with marketing at
a different level to the Dartmoor Tourist
Association.
Table 9. Association membership frequencies
Association
South West Tourism
Farm Stay UK
Devon Farms
Cartwheel
Local Farm Holiday Group
Tourist association/marketing bureau
Other
Copyright # 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Number of respondents
Percentage (%)
76
65
62
18
56
79
34
53.1
45.5
43.4
12.6
39.2
55.2
23.8
Int. J. Tourism Res. 4, 459±478 (2002)
470
R. Hill and G. Busby
most frequently used.
Respondents were given the opportunity to
indicate reasons behind participation in inspection schemes; 73 and 83 respondents,
respectively, recognised the need to improve
standards and to increase business. The most
frequent response (104), re¯ecting WTB (1996)
research, suggested inspection was a requirement for some other form of marketing,
accounting for the high number of quality
inspected establishments. The majority of
these (75) participated in the ETC quality
assurance scheme. Conversely 85% of those
not inspected attribute this to the high cost
involved; similarly, 54% saw little advantage
as they had suf®cient business without a
quality grading. `Other' views suggested a
warm welcome and good rapport with guests
were more important than tangible aspects as
well as stating the inspection and subsequent
grading process was a complication not understood by the average visitor.
In determining the importance placed on
certain tangible and intangible aspects of the
accommodation experience, a Likert scale was
adopted, results of which are conveyed in
Table 12. An assessment was sought to conclude whether aspects highlighted in the
literature review deemed important by consumers corresponded to providers' opinions.
The overall impression considered intangible
aspects most important by far. Attractive rural
setting, peace and quiet and warm welcome
achieved positive (either important or very
important) responses from 133 (93%), 127
(89%) and 141 (99%) respectively. Value for
Table 11. Inspection authority used
Number of
respondents
Inspection authority used
English Tourism Council (through
SWT)
Automobile Association
Royal Automobile Club
Michelin
District Council
Local tourist association/marketing
bureau
Other
95
32
7
3
3
23
13
An indispensable element of the research
reported that 91% of respondents currently
participate in some form of quality assurance
inspection scheme. This ®gure is high in
comparison with previous studies (Deakin,
1997), attributable to the chosen stratum and
the possibility that predominantly lower quality establishments tend to peter out (SWT,
2000). Table 10 con®rms that 90 of the
inspected establishments are working farms,
highlighting commitment from this sector of
respondents towards their business with the
aim of providing a quality experience for
guests.
Exploring participation further, Table 11
records frequency of inspection authority
chosen; 34 respondents indicated use of multiple schemes. The most widespread used was
the ETC inspection (66%), followed by the AA
(22%), with local tourist association or marketing bureau inspections (16%) charting the third
Table 12. Matrix of importance placed on selected tangible and intangible aspects of the farmhouse B and B
product
Attractive rural setting
Tea/coffee making facilities
Peace and quiet
Bedrooms with washbasins
Value for money
Bedrooms with en-suites
Warm welcome
Availability of evening meal
Not at all
important
(%)
Not very
important
(%)
Neither
(%)
Important
(%)
Very
important
(%)
Missing
(%)
0.7
4.2
0.7
16.1
0
2.8
0
20.3
0
7.0
0
8.4
1.4
3.5
0
14.0
6.3
23.1
9.8
14.7
4.2
9.1
1.4
18.9
17.5
28.0
24.5
10.5
26.8
11.2
6.3
18.9
75.5
35.0
64.3
26.6
67.1
67.1
92.3
13.3
0
2.8
0.7
23.8
0.7
6.3
0
14.7
Copyright # 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Int. J. Tourism Res. 4, 459±478 (2002)
Quality Assurance Schemes for Farm Accommodation
471
Table 13. Responses to attitude statements
Number of respondents
Attitude statement
Agree
Accommodation standards are necessary to raise quality
standards across whole industry
Inspections do not improve the standards of quality in
farmhouse accommodation
Inspections allow farmhouse B and Bs to compete on the basis
of quality with other accommodation
Inspections do not allow freedom for individuality
Inspections and subsequent grading assist the visitor in
choosing appropriate accommodation
Accommodation inspections are a necessary investment
All accommodation should be inspected to ensure minimum
facilities, quality and legal requirements
Participation in inspection schemes should be up to the
individual accommodation provider
Accommodation inspections should be compulsory for all
tourism businesses
money and the provision of en-suites were
both deemed very important by 96 (67%)
respondents. The availability of an evening
meal was considered least important, with 49
providers indicating negative (either not at all
or not very important) responses.
In order to obtain a detailed objective
evaluation of quality assurance inspection
schemes, all providers were asked to respond
to a series of attitude statements as shown in
Table 13. Many respondents believe that
inspections are a necessary investment (64%)
to ensure minimum requirements (73%), they
assist visitors with choice of accommodation
(77%) and raise overall quality standards
(84%). Results conclude that 39% of respondents feel inspections do not allow freedom for
individuality and 58% agree that participation
should be up to the individual provider.
Respondents were equally split as to whether
`inspections should be compulsory for all
business', with 46% both agreeing and disagreeing.
To extend the research beyond one of
frequencies and cross-tabulation, the analysis
considered variables of particular interest to
the overall aim and sought to test a number of
hypotheses; four are remarked upon here.
Copyright # 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Do not
Disagree have view
Missing
120
20
2
1
35
101
7
0
114
19
9
1
55
110
77
23
11
10
0
0
91
105
37
32
14
6
1
0
83
52
7
1
66
65
10
2
Hypothesis 1. H0. There exists no relationship
between whether the respondent is inspected
and attitudes towards accommodation inspection schemes.
H1. There exists a relationship between
whether the respondent is inspected and attitudes towards accommodation inspection
schemes.
In this case a signi®cant relationship was
found between whether the proprietor participated in an inspection scheme and their
response towards the ®nal attitude statement
(see Table 14). Fifty per cent of those inspected
agreed with the statement whereas 42% of
inspected B and Bs disagreed that inspections
Table 14. Cross-tabulation showing whether currently inspected against attitude towards compulsory inspections
Compulsory
for all
Agree
Disagree
Do not have view
Total
Currently inspected
Yes
No
Total
65
54
10
129
1
11
0
12
66
65
10
141
Int. J. Tourism Res. 4, 459±478 (2002)
472
R. Hill and G. Busby
Table 15. Chi-square test results: association membership and choice of inspection authority
Association
South West Tourism
Farm Stay UK
Devon Farms
Local Farm Holiday Group
South West Tourism
Farm Stay UK
Devon Farms
Local Farm Holiday Group
South West Tourism
Farm Stay UK
Devon Farms
Local Farm Holiday Group
Tourist Association
South West Tourism
Farm Stay UK
Devon Farms
Local Farm Holiday Group
Inspection authority
Chi-square value
English Tourist Board
English Tourist Board
English Tourist Board
English Tourist Board
AA
AA
AA
AA
Tourist Association Inspection
Tourist Association Inspection
Tourist Association Inspection
Tourist Association Inspection
Tourist Association Inspection
Other Inspection
Other Inspection
Other Inspection
Other Inspection
63.830
40.656
36.592
37.267
15.179
12.585
11.038
9.312
30.092
27.310
24.606
14.545
11.201
16.070
18.897
20.356
16.796
should be compulsory for all. With the chisquare value at 10.986, the research hypothesis was accepted and the null hypothesis
rejected.
Hypothesis 2. H0. There is no relationship
between whether the B and B is provided on
a working farm and the length of time the
respondent had run the business.
H1. There is a relationship between whether
the B and B is provided on a working farm and
the length of time the respondent had run the
business.
A signi®cant association (valued at 21.457)
was found between the two stated variables,
allowing for con®dent acceptance of the
research hypothesis and rejection of the null
hypothesis.
Hypothesis 3. H0. There exists no relationship
between whether the B and B is inspected and
the association(s) it has membership with.
H1. There exists a relationship between
whether the B and B is inspected and the
association(s) it has membership with.
The chi-square test revealed a signi®cant
association between variables. The relationships are as follows: member of South West
Tourism and currently inspected (chi-square
value = 11.865); member of Farm Stay UK
Copyright # 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
and currently inspected (chi-square value =
11.917); member of Devon Farms and currently
inspected (chi-square value = 10.946); member
of Local Farm Holiday Group and currently
inspected (chi-square value = 9.205). Appropriately the null hypothesis was rejected and
the research hypothesis accepted. This relationship was expected.
Hypothesis 4. H0. There exists no relationship
between the association(s) a B and B has
membership with and the inspection authority
used.
H1. There exists a relationship between the
association(s) a B and B has membership with
and the inspection authority used.
A signi®cant relationship was revealed
between several association memberships
and choice of inspection authorityÐagain, this
was to be expected. The null hypothesis was
®ttingly rejected on acceptance of the research
hypothesis. The chi-square test values have
been placed into Table 15 for ease of analysis.
Qualitative ®ndings
Respondents were given the opportunity to
comment further on the research topic. A
qualitative approach was applied to analyse
question 14 completed by 55% (78) of responInt. J. Tourism Res. 4, 459±478 (2002)
`The cost for a
small B and B
prevents people
participating in
the scheme'
`I have been
forced to put in
an en-suite this
year which I
can't afford to
do'
`I feel
inspections
should be
compulsory and
free of charge'
`If they are not
inspected they
should not be
doing B and B'
`Anyone
offering
accommodation
should be
inspected ¼ it
should be
against the law
just to put up a B
and B sign'
Theme 2: cost of
inspections
`¼ make sure
everyone meets
legal
requirements,
only one bad egg
ruins it for the
rest'
Theme 1:
inspections are
necessary
Copyright # 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
`¼ inspectors
move goal posts
according to
personal tastes'
`¼ inspections
do vary too
much according
to the individual
inspectors'
`The inspectors
are subjective,
different
inspectors have
different ideas
on the detail ¼
the detail can
make a
difference to
your grading'
Theme 3:
subjectivity of
inspectors
`The inspection
criteria is not
¯exible enough
for the
peculiarity of
farmhouses'
`¼ inspectors
are unable or
unwilling to
allow for
individuality'
`There must be
some ¯exibility
on the part of the
inspectors, or
they will destroy
the individuality
of each
establishment'
Theme 4:
in¯exible
inspections
`¼ people who
stay in ordinary
B and B's are not
interested if you
have so many
stars'
`¼ inspections
are very
overrated ¼ I
get very little
extra business'
`¼ from 58
bookings from
an `A' board at
the top of the
lane ¼ not one
(visitor) asked
me if the
premises had
been inspected'
Theme 5:
inspections are
overrated
Theme 6: too
much focus on
facilities
`Inspectors look
for quality in
®tments and
paint but not
designs, for
example we
offer 6 different
breakfast
options Ð the
inspector always
has to order the
`Full English
Breakfast'
`¼ just went on
about having 240
watts of light in a
bedroom,
they've got all
their priorities
wrong'
`We provide a
quality service
which cannot be
awarded stars ¼
homemade
bread, fresh eggs
from our hens,
¯owers in all the
bedrooms
straight from the
garden'
Table 16. Emergent themes and representative quotes from `any further comments' question
`¼ too many
petty rules, this
is meant to be a
farm/home not
a ®ve star hotel!'
`¼ inspections
try to make
farmhouses like
hotels'
`It would be
criminal to
standardise the
peculiarities of
the (farmhouse)
buildings/
accommodation'
Theme 7:
unsuitable for
farmhouses
`Devon's
inspectors seem
to be more nitpicking than
other areas'
`¼ inspectors
sometimes nitpick'
`¼ the inspector
was over critical
and picky, left
me feeling very
de¯ated and that
I won't bother
again'
Theme 8:
inspectors are
over critical
Quality Assurance Schemes for Farm Accommodation
473
Int. J. Tourism Res. 4, 459±478 (2002)
474
dents. Following familiarisation, eight common
themes emerged allowing for broad categorisation using colour co-ordinated indexing.
Three representative quotes from each theme
have been `lifted' and charted into Table 16 for
analysis. As suggested by the headings, the
overwhelming tone of comments regarding
inspections was negative.
The dominant theme, referred to by 26%,
was one of the high cost of inspection. Several
raised issues surrounding lack of ¯exibility in
the current inspections (13) with particular
reference to their unsuitability to farmhouse
accommodation (13). Worryingly, one-sixth
expressed dissatisfaction with the variances
and subjectivity of different inspectors, in
particular seven suggest that inspectors were
critical and nit-picked, leaving behind a
negative feeling. Calls for compulsory quality
assurance inspection schemes were reiterated
by 17 (22%) respondents, who identify that one
bad farmhouse B and B experience has serious
repercussions for all.
DISCUSSION
The overall aim of the research was to understand the attitudes of farmhouse B and B
providers towards quality assurance inspection schemes. The postal survey of Devon
farmhouse B and B providers uncovered an
array of issues, which following analysis can
be related back to the emergent themes of the
literature review. Although the vast majority
of farmhouse B and B providers agree with
tourist industry authorities that are seeking to
both improve and maintain quality through
inspections for all accommodation, several
reservations concerning this proposal have
been revealed.
The changing and increasingly competitive
global tourism market sees rising customer
expectations; quality assurance inspection
schemes are a tool designed to address this
situation. The concept of quality changes over
time, and as Swarbrooke (1994) advocates it
should permeate through every aspect of the
experience that contributes in any way to
satisfying customers needs. Augustyn and
Ho (1998) describe quality as the `winning
strategy for tourism in the new millennium'.
The distinct appeal of tourism, particularly B
Copyright # 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
R. Hill and G. Busby
and B, to farmers has become evident with
economic motivation remaining prominent
throughout the history of research (Evans
and Ilbery, 1992; Beioley, 1999, 2000). The
importance placed on this form of pluriactivity
has reached the extent where many farmhouse
B and Bs thrive on farms that are no longer
`working' in the agricultural sense. The surge
of serviced accommodation, indicated in the
research by the majority of respondents having
opened during the past 10 years, has contributed to an increasingly competitive sector.
The study indicated that, in the main,
providers participated in some form of inspection. This replicates conclusions that farmhouse participation in quality assurance
inspection schemes is high (Deakin, 1997)
resulting in a high quality product. The ®ercely
competitive market-place means that those
offering lower standards tend not to survive,
thus higher levels of quality are maintained.
Mostly inspections had been undertaken enroute to other marketing opportunities, which
highlights concerns that in other circumstances
they would not have taken place. This points
towards making inspections compulsory for
all, regardless of size or commitment from the
provider.
Local tourist associations and authorities
providing a compulsory basic inspection as a
prerequisite for marketing initiatives and
publication advertising have initiated the
ETC's stepping stone approach. This assurance
assists the industry as much as the visitor
regarding the quality of accommodation offered. Data collected corresponds with WTB
(1994) studies that suggest inspections actually
assist visitors in selecting appropriate accommodation, informing customers what to expect, reducing the risk of an unsatisfactory
experience. Past research (Beioley, 1999) proposed that although this maybe true, relatively
few were actually aware of the intricacies.
Criticism from respondents described current
schemes as confusing and providing little
additional business.
The ®nancial outlay was the single greatest
concern and restricting element of the inspection schemes voiced by respondents. Examples
of ETC inspection charges indicated a cost of
£200 for farmhouses with up to three bedrooms (ETC, 2000). An issue broached by the
Int. J. Tourism Res. 4, 459±478 (2002)
Quality Assurance Schemes for Farm Accommodation
large number of smaller establishments, and
referred to by Conway (1999), was that, since
harmonisation, the three national schemes
continue to make separate charges. Alarmingly, several comments implied the inspection of®cers were picky, unhelpful and subjective, previously discovered by the WTB
(1996) and Conway (1999). Unless eliminated,
this problem will continue to fuel sceptical
providers who view inspections merely as
money spinning opportunities for authorities,
and less for the bene®t of the provider or
indeed the visitor. It should be noted that the
harmonisation process referred to assessment
criteria and not to activities such as marketing.
Common attitudes expressed agreement
that accommodation standards are necessary
tools in raising quality across the sector. The
core farmhouse B and B segment is well
established and attracts a loyal following
(Frater, 1982, 1983; Denman, 1994), in order
to maintain and improve this further, inspection must ensure that minimum facilities,
quality standards and legal requirements are
met. A concern highlighted most frequently by
those inspected properties, suggests they
resent non-inspected establishments who
trade illegally, irresponsibly or let the side
down by providing substandard accommodation. One respondent poignantly suggested `I
strongly believe that if a farmhouse takes B
and B for one night a year they should still
always be inspected'. In adopting compulsory
inspections the farmhouse B and B sector
would be better prepared to meet rising
customer expectations and subsequently compete effectively with other types of accommodation.
The overriding view, however, indicated
that inspection ultimately should be voluntary.
This attitude coincides with WTB (1996)
research stating freedom of choice with regards to inspection is essential. Respondents
feel that accommodation can be equally good
quality without inspection. Those not quality
inspected advocate there still remains a market
for basic clean, friendly accommodation, irrespective of how many diamonds have been
awarded.
There exists an underlying need to improve
the quality of some farmhouse accommodation, however; maintaining the individual
Copyright # 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
475
charm and character of the property remains
paramount. Concerns over the pressure exerted by tourist boards to conform to national
`uniformity' (Clarke, 1999) has been voiced by
providers who feel current inspections are
restrictive. Participation reluctance has led to
requests for criteria for farmhouses to take into
account the invariable uniqueness. Denman
(1994) promotes the importance of farms
retaining a special atmosphere, unspoilt by
modernisation and commercialisation, suggesting use of the `standards without standardisation' approach.
Widely held opinion concurs that intangible
aspects of the accommodation experience,
particularly value for money, peace and quiet,
attractive rural setting and warm welcome, are
key differential aspects (Balmer and Baum,
1993; Johns et al., 1997). These apparent
strengths mirror previous research based on
customer expectations of the farmhouse experience, suggesting that the majority of
providers are aware of consumer expectations.
Essentially, accommodation is not a standardised product, dif®culties are encountered
in measuring the quality of it, thus the
suggestion of some form of inspection as the
best approach to maintaining an acceptable
product return. Whether the inspection is preplanned or spontaneous is another area for
debate, the former allowing time for preparations and an uncharacteristic experience to be
provided. A compromise may be the most
acceptable option allowing the provider choice
between a basic health and safety assessment
or participation in a recognised quality assurance scheme. Moreover the quantity and
quality of this relatively unregulated sector
needs formal recognition if it is to maintain
and improve its respected repute for future
success.
CONCLUSION
Customers increasingly see quality assurance
as an issue; inspection schemes offer a means
of addressing this. As highlighted, a weakness
of farmhouse accommodation lies in the
uncertain quality, a gap exists between those
participating and those choosing not to. The
simple conversion of existing resources without compulsory registration or inspection for
Int. J. Tourism Res. 4, 459±478 (2002)
476
smaller establishments makes this diversi®cation an attractive option. The farmhouse B and
B market has witnessed a steady ¯ow of new
entrants making for an intensely competitive
sector.
The tourist industry must focus attention on
convincing non-participating providers of the
value of inspections along with the growing
need to continuously improve quality standards and facilities. A guarantee is needed to
assure customers of consistent high levels of
quality in the farmhouse accommodation
product. There does, however, need to be
further co-operation from the inspection
authorities regarding ¯exibility towards some
of the `hotel based' criteria used to measure the
farmhouse B and B product. Although evidently there is need for some form of inspection, current guesthouse standards often
restrict the farmhouse.
The attitudes of both participants and nonparticipants suggest an acknowledgement of
the importance of quality and subsequent
assurance schemes. However, reservations
have emerged focusing particularly on the
®nancial outlay required to participate, as well
as concerns over the subjectivity of the
individual inspectors. This study has uncovered many other issues surrounding quality
assurance inspection schemes; the underlying
conclusion drawn is the need for constant
improvement supporting the initial notion of a
quality treadmill becoming established. If the
sector is able to instil con®dence in the
consumer and guarantee a high quality B and
B product with support from a recognised
grading scheme, the future looks bright.
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