Assessing Locals’ Perceptions on the Environmental, Economic, and Socio-Cultural Impacts of Agritourism Versus Conventional Farming in Tanzania

Abstract

Agriculture and tourism are two critical sectors with a considerable influence on the socio-cultural, economic, and environmental aspects of Tanzanian society. These two sectors not only offer substantial employment opportunities but also contribute significantly to income generation and foreign exchange earnings. Nevertheless, the success of these sectors depends upon the participation and support of local communities, whose engagement is closely linked to their perceptions. In recent years, agritourism has emerged as a unique form of diversification in the agricultural sector, offering Tanzanian farmers a potential avenue to introduce a blend of agriculture and tourism-related activities and open a new income stream. Furthermore, since the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on conventional farming and agritourism was different, post-pandemic opinions in the local community are likely to differ. Therefore, this study aimed to provide insights into the locals’ perceptions and the factors that influence their perceptions to support a sustainable post-pandemic recovery. The study was conducted in the Arusha and Mwanza regions of Tanzania, and a total sample of 191 respondents was selected randomly for interviewing and filling out the questionnaires. To analyze the data, descriptive analysis, and principal component analysis were used. The findings indicate that locals’ perceptions of conventional and agritourism farming are, on average, positive. Despite both sectors being perceived positively, the underlying reasons for the perception and support were different. For agritourism, the positive perception was primarily associated with the economic benefits, including income generation and the creation of employment opportunities. Whereas, for conventional farming, positive perception was associated with environmental conservation, economic benefits, food security, and community cohesion.