The 2009 Rural Tourism Fair took place January 19-30. The fair is hosted each year by Planeta.com and friends.

"This year's event expands in Oaxaca, Mexico," explained Planeta.com founder Ron Mader, who created the fair in 2001 as a way of conducting an inexpensive grassroots event to bring together locals and visitors.

The objective is to highlight options visitors have exploring the rural countryside in a responsible manner while modeling what makes an authentic grassroots tourism event. The 2009 Rural Tourism Fair featured travel options around the world and encourages those using Web 2.0 tools including Facebook, Flickr and YouTube to document best practices. Among the highlights -- a walk with the weavers in the town of Teotitlán del Valle, dining adventures at the Caldo de Piedra restaurant, local food tastings, a video night and a hand's on visit to a community garden.

Details
http://planeta.wikispaces.com/ruraltourism2009

Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=35305169193

TIP - If you have photos of rural tourism, please share your pictures in the Rural Tourism Photography Group on Flickr