Agritourism in Rural Development

Agritourism in Rural Development

Agritourism has been practiced in different areas in Iran to promote rural development. This includes economic activities done in a farm to entertain guests, helping the locals to generate income for themselves and at the same time contribute to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) on a macro-level. This form of tourism gives more job opportunities to rural farmers. It promotes rural sustainability by utilizing the generated tax in rural area development. It also provides additional income to the local residents.

In the last decades, rural communities have faced various problems such as low prices of products along with high prices of raw materials, economic recession, low demand over high supply, and the likes. Consequently, local farmers came to think of possible income-generating alternative that will help them make up of the lost. Research suggests that during inevitable economic circumstances and crisis, agritourism can serve as a complementary method of income generation for rural farmers.

On another note, along with the onset of agritourism industry, local officials should also ensure that these economic activities are done properly to avoid any negative effects in the long run. Providing proper infrastructures and proper education and training, allocating proper budget, and observing proper waste management are key to promote sustainability.

Reference: Lak and Khairabadi. (2022). Leveraging Agritourism in Rural Areas in Developing Countries: The Case of Iran. Retrieved from: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frsc.2022.863385/full

Photo: Tehran Times

Article contributed by Vincent Allen Fernandez, CCComDev intern

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