The Value of Traditional Rural Landscape and Nature Protected Areas in Tourism Demand: A Study on Agritourists’ Preferences

Biancamaria Torquati; Tiziano Tempesta; Daniel Vecchiato; Sonia Venanzi; Chiara Paffarini

doi:10.3097/LO.201753

Authors

Biancamaria Torquati University of Perugia, Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, Borgo XX Giugno 74, Perugia, 06121, Italy
Tiziano Tempesta University of Padua, Department Land, Environment, Agriculture and Forestry, Via dell'Università 16, Legnaro (PD), 35020, Italy http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6445-4744
Daniel Vecchiato University of Padua, Department Land, Environment, Agriculture and Forestry, Via dell'Università 16, Legnaro (PD), 35020, Italy http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4652-3961
Sonia Venanzi University of Perugia, Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, Borgo XX Giugno 74, Perugia, 06121, Italy http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0357-3977
Chiara Paffarini University of Perugia, Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, Borgo XX Giugno 74, Perugia, 06121, Italy http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0653-4655

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3097/LO.201753

Keywords:

Agritourism, Biodiversity, Discrete choice experiments, Italy, Natura 2000 sites, Traditional rural landscape

Abstract

This study focuses on how traditional rural landscape and proximity to a Natura 2000 Site of Community Importance (SCI) might influence consumers’ choice of an agritourism farm for a weekend stay. Data were collected in Umbria region’s (Italy) agritourism farms in 2014 by interviewing 160 tourists. Results from a discrete choice experiment reveal that the most important feature affecting the interviewees’ propensity to pay a premium price to stay in an agritourism farm is the well-preserved traditional landscape (willingness to pay 32.32€/night for two people), followed by the availability of a swimming pool (willingness to pay 20.95€/ night for two people), the proximity to a historical village (willingness to pay 18.37€/night for two people) and, the location in a Natura 2000 SCI (willingness to pay 13.57€/night for two people). Furthermore, the results underline how the preservation of the traditional landscape and protection of the surrounding environment play a strategic role in developing agritourism and provide economic benefits to local communities.

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