Is Agrotourism ‘Agro’ or ‘Tourism’? Evidence from Agrotourist Holdings in Lesvos, Greece

ABSTRACT

This study examines the impact of agrotourism on farm characteristics (income, farming practices, investment) and rural population characteristics (age, sex, permanent residence). Results show that even if the agrotourism program appears successful as far as income improvement and willingness to stay in agriculture is involved, most of the agro-tourist holdings in Lesvos operate in the margin of mass tourism with the same ‘customers’ and the same product, without connections with agricultural production, local products promotion, or environmental and cultural landscape conservation. Agrotourism in Lesvos is tourism operated by farmers, but it is not agro-tourism as the later is defined.

Key words:

• agrotourism
• rural development
• Greece