Empowering Agritourism in the Pacific
Agritourism is increasingly recognised as a powerful driver of sustainable rural development, especially in regions where agriculture, culture, and community life are deeply interconnected. As part of the AGRI-TOUR project, we conducted an extensive scientific research study to better understand how agritourism can empower individuals, communities, and rural economies across the Pacific Ocean region.
This research represents a key deliverable of Work Package 2 (WP2) and forms the evidence base for the educational and practical activities developed later in the project.
Why this research matters
Agritourism is more than a tourism niche. It has the potential to foster personal growth, community resilience, environmental responsibility, and cultural continuity. However, to unlock this potential, it is essential to understand how agritourism is perceived, experienced, and shaped by those who consume it and those who deliver it.
The core objective of the research was therefore to explore the empowerment potential of agritourism through four key dimensions:
personal empowerment,
social empowerment,
environmental and cultural sustainability,
and the gap between research and real-world practice.
A large-scale, participatory research approach
The study was designed as a multi-country, mixed-method research involving a total of 400 participants from AGRI-TOUR partner countries.
Two key stakeholder groups were included:
200 young people (aged 18–30) studying agriculture, tourism or gastronomy, representing the future generation of tourists and professionals;
200 agri-food and tourism workers, representing the supply side of agritourism and current rural business practices.
Each project partner contributed 50 respondents, ensuring balanced geographical representation and strong partner involvement in data collection.
Exploring both demand and supply perspectives
To capture both expectations and realities, the research adopted a two-phase design.
The first phase consisted of a structured survey addressed to both students and operators. While part of the questionnaire was shared, allowing for direct comparison between demand and supply, each group also responded to tailored sections reflecting their specific roles.
Students were asked about their recent experiences with rural tourism, their motivations, values, expectations, and future aspirations related to agritourism. Operators, on the other hand, reflected on the services they currently offer, how their businesses have evolved, what motivates innovation, and which challenges they face in meeting tourists’ expectations.
This approach allowed the research team to identify alignments and mismatches between what young people seek in agritourism experiences and what rural providers are currently able or willing to offer.
Going deeper: stories behind the data
The second phase of the research focused on in-depth qualitative interviews with a selected group of respondents from both categories. These semi-structured interviews explored personal biographies, motivations, values, and future visions related to agritourism.
For students, interviews traced how tourism preferences evolve over time and how rural spaces are emotionally and symbolically perceived. For operators, interviews documented the stories behind agritourism businesses — their origins, challenges, adaptations, and aspirations.
These narratives added depth and context to the quantitative findings, revealing agritourism not only as an economic activity, but as a space of identity, learning, and social innovation.
From research to action
The results of this research do not remain theoretical. They directly inform the design of the AGRI-TOUR Digital Course (WP3) and the Internship Protocol (WP4), ensuring that training content and practical pathways are grounded in real needs, expectations, and lived experiences across the Pacific region.
A scientific article based on this research has been prepared and submitted to a peer-reviewed academic journal. An extended abstract and the accepted manuscript are made available through the project website, while the final published version will follow once released by the journal. To ensure accessibility and inclusiveness, a summary of the research will also be published in the national languages of all participating countries.
Building empowered, sustainable agritourism futures
By listening to over 400 voices from education and practice, this research lays the foundation for a more inclusive, resilient, and empowering agritourism sector in the Pacific Ocean region. It highlights agritourism as a bridge between tradition and innovation, education and entrepreneurship, and local communities and global sustainability goals.
