Exploring Andalusia’s Rich Heritage through Surveys: Pastoral Livestock Farming as a Tourist Attraction Resource

Abstract

This study aimed to analyze the interest, willingness to pay, and profile of tourists participating in specific agrotourism activities linked to extensive livestock farming in order to encourage the development of those activities that are most demanded by tourists, as well as to support the proposals for improvements to promote this kind of tourism in the region of Andalusia (Spain). For this purpose, a survey was conducted, which was organized into six sections: (i) sociodemographic data, (ii) general aspects of tourism, (iii) rural tourism, (iv) livestock farming and tourism, (v) benefits of extensive livestock farming, and (vi) tourism activities linked to livestock farming. A total of 892 responses were received, out of which 753 were analyzed. The results show that the respondents are interested or motivated by the proposed activities. The most attractive activities are those related to livestock farming, which involve some kind of workshop on the production of handicrafts. Despite tourists having low-to-medium knowledge of extensive livestock farming, they all express a highly positive perception of the associated attributes. Developing strategies to enhance the willingness to pay for agrotourism activities is crucial, with the overall experience being a key element of their success.

University Students’ Perception of the Dehesa and the Associated Traditional Trades

“…Nevertheless, all the proposals put forward in this study linked to the practice of grazing assumed a good valuation, as was the case in other studies [49]. This fact reveals that the students are interested in this practice, even though they have hardly participated in experiences related to it.…”

“…This study revealed that the most valued teaching methodologies and activities are those that directly involve students and promote direct visits to the natural environment [35,41,62,63,91,92]. Specifically, the results showed a vivid interest in experiencing the gastronomic culture, which reveals the importance of sensory experiences in the appreciation and understanding of the rural environment and its traditions [49,52,[93][94][95].…”

“…In rural areas, heritage-based tourism can play an important role in counteracting population decline, economic hardship and the loss of trades and traditions [44]. Specifically, intangible cultural heritage can promote sustainable tourism development in rural areas [45][46][47][48][49]. This is due to their ability to attract visitors and boost local commerce (economic sustainability), promote social cohesion and a sense of belonging (social sustainability), help protect biodiversity and improve knowledge about the sustainable use of natural resources (environmental sustainability) and facilitate the exchange of ancestral knowledge and know-how (cultural sustainability) [50].…”

“…The presence of an exclusive and particular intangible heritage is an added factor of attraction and appreciation, especially for contemporary tourists [46,47,49,51]. Immersion in local culture and learning opportunities have become key aspects for modern travelers, who value the possibility of participating in traditional activities, sharing emotions, learning about local history and customs and establishing genuine connections with rural communities [41,[52][53][54][55].…”

“…In this sense, transhumance, as part of the intangible heritage [30,56], has become a real tourist attraction, as it adjusts to the interests of the demand [49]. In addition, it has a great attraction for pedagogical work at different educational levels [35,57].…”