The mediating role of integrated agritourism cluster development on regional development in Indonesia

ABSTRACT

The advancement of agritourism is a crucial component of regional economic growth, but the integration of the cluster development has received insufficient attention. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze the role of integrated agritourism cluster development in mediating the role of the government in regional growth. It used a quantitative approach in contrast to previous study, which adopted a qualitative approach. Data were gathered from 400 respondents in North Sumatra Province, Indonesia, through structured questionnaires and subsequently analyzed using path and regression analyses. The results showed that integrated agritourism cluster development positively mediates the role of the government in regional growth. Furthermore, the provincial government should construct tourism infrastructures and facilities, formulate a legal framework for integrated agritourism cluster development to create more opportunities and benefits, promote the integration of the local governments, raise public participation, and improve regional development. Future study could examine the most significant aspects of agritourism clusters that impact regional development by exploring additional independent variables such as social capital, information technology, and diverse resources. The finding contributes to the existing literature as the first study to evaluate the mediating role of integrated agritourism cluster development regarding community empowerment and policy setting.

KEYWORDS:

• Government role
• regional development
• agritourism cluster
• economic growth
• Indonesia

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This study received no specific grant from any funding agency.