Development and Management of Small Agro-Tourism Enterprises: A Rural Development Strategy

Abstract

The development of agro-tourism which brings together the agrarian and tourism sphere, can contribute to the socio-economic development of rural regions and enhance the well-being of rural population, especially for the sustainable development of small-scale farms. The aim of this paper is to examine the development opportunities for small-scale farms through agro-tourism; moreover, to obtain comments that can inform government policy on the development of small-scale farms in agro-tourism; and lastly to determine the importance of agro-tourism in rural development. The study utilised a qualitative single case study that examined the views of a small-scale farmers on the prospects of introducing elements of agro-tourism in farm development. The results suggests that, for small-scale farms to continually develop and obtain sustainable success, it necessitates a well-constructed agro-tourism strategy. Furthermore, the significance of government support to small-scale farms sustainable development, as agro-tourism is recognised as an alternative farming activity that can diversify operations of small-scale farmers, and overall contribute to the sustainable development of a rural economy. Therefore, the development of a strategy for agro-tourism needs not only small-scale farmers understanding of government policy-decisions but should incorporate the small-scale farmers point of view on the subject to develop a sustainable agro-tourism destination.

Keywords

• agro-tourism
• strategic management
• rural economic development
• small-scale farm
• government support