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

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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LO.201753

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Published

10.11.2017

How to Cite

Torquati, B., Tempesta, T., Vecchiato, D., Venanzi, S., & Paffarini, C. (2017). The Value of Traditional Rural Landscape and Nature Protected Areas in Tourism Demand: A Study on Agritourists’ Preferences. Landscape Online, 53. https://doi.org/10.3097/LO.201753

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Research Article