Economics of agritourism development: An Iranian experience

Abstract

Agritourism is known as a means of identification and realization of various on-farm and off-farm attractions existing in rural areas. This study aims at exploring the main determinants of agritourism development in Iran. Data were obtained via field survey and interview with 115 sample farmers from areas currently presenting agritourism services. By using a multinomial logit model, the impacts of theoretically expected variables were estimated. Findings/Originality: Education is the main driver of agritourism development. The programs aiming at increasing the knowledge of farmers regarding different advantages of agritourism should be paid special attention by the government. The result also indicates direct effect of diversified crops and services on probability to get involved in agritourism business. Provision of more crops and services on the farm generates more attraction for tourists and can lead to development of agritourism. Likewise, farm size revealed the same association, while the age of farmers has an adverse effect on provision of agritourism.

Sustainability Practices of Agritourism in Diffun, Quirino

“…Hence, the results may also be useful in researching the modeling of sustainable development in general in rural areas. In the last several decades, rural communities have experienced many challenges, such as migration, low prices of products, and economic recession (Askarpour et al, 2020;Pérez-Olmos & Aguilar-Rivera, 2021). Similarly, performing agritourism activities requires urban tourists to visit rural areas, which may trigger cultural issues between tourists and residents due to their unwillingness to conform to the tourists' lifestyle.…”

Practical experience in agritourism development and lessons for Vietnam

“…Ví dụ như nghiên cứu cho thấy bằng chứng về động lực của nông dân trong việc đa dạng hóa du lịch trong một nghiên cứu của Srikatanyoo & Campiranon 32 ở Thái Lan, và một số bằng chứng về sự phát triển du lịch nông nghiệp của Yang 33 ở Trung Quốc. Hoặc gần đây nhất là trường hợp của Iran trong việc tìm hiểu các yếu tố giúp xây dựng du lịch nông nghiệp thành công 34 . Ở Thái Lan, phát triển du lịch nông nghiệp bị ảnh hưởng bởi sự chuyển dịch cơ cấu trong nền kinh tế địa phương, liên quan đến những khó khăn kinh tế ngày càng tăng đối với ngành nông nghiệp (như đầu tư mới vào phát triển dân cư, du lịch, và tăng các nguồn thu nhập thay thế cho người dân nông thôn) 35 .…”

Leveraging Agritourism in Rural Areas in Developing Countries: The Case of Iran

“…In addition, it can improve the environment, enrich the local culture, and enhance the quality of life for both farmers and consumers (Khairabadi et al, 2020). In the last several decades, rural communities have experienced many challenges, such as migration, low prices of products, and economic recession (Varmazyari et al, 2018;Askarpour et al, 2020;Pérez-Olmos and Aguilar-Rivera, 2021;Rauniyar et al, 2021). Research findings show that in adverse economic circumstances (e.g., poor harvests or low prices), attracting tourists for agritourism purposes may be a complementary method of income generation for farmers (Biernacki and Waldorf, 1981;Strauss and Corbin, 1994;Barbieri and Mshenga, 2008;Corbin and Strauss, 2014;.…”

“…A potential advantage for agritourism in Iran is the existence of different climates, which makes it possible to grow a wide variety of crops. Iran's geography is suitable for various agritourism activities due to its specific rural life, the possibility of accommodation in villages, the combination of the methods of cattle raising, numerous cultural and rural festivals, and diverse flora, mainly medicinal herbs that can contribute to medical tourism (Varmazyari et al, 2018;Askarpour et al, 2020;Khairabadi et al, 2020). Although the arrival of tourists leads to an increase in income to invest in constructingcommercial infrastructure, rapid and unplanned urbanization and overtourism in rural and urban areas, if not managed, cause profound social and environmental consequences .…”