Can a training course foster value co-creation in rural tourism? An exploratory study of a local community initiative

This study investigates whether a structured training course can serve as a platform for value co-creation in the context of rural tourism development. Grounded in the DART model of value co-creation and the concept of sense of community, the researchexamines changes in participants’ perceptions of collaboration, value co-creation perceptions and sense of community. Adopting a simple pre-post design, the study revealed a significant decrease in perceived collaboration and a moderate but not significant improvement in perceived dialogue. These findings suggest that training initiatives can enhance awareness of cocreation mechanisms but can also reveal existing relational and structural limits within local communities. The study contributes to the limited literature on educational platforms for value co-creation in rural tourism contexts and offers practical insights for strengthening cooperation among local stakeholders in tourism development.