An analysis of the regional expansion of agritourism in Italy since 2000 and an understanding of activities of nationwide support organizations.

Abstract

As a statistical study undertaken with respect to agritourism （AT） for rural development in Italy, by using a proposed new index of AT farmhouse density （ATFD, or the number of farmhouses per population of 10,000 in 110 provinces）, regional expansion since 2000 was analyzed. The results show that Trentino-Alto Adige, Tuscany and Umbria had high ATFD provinces, and that there was no sign of population decline in the top 15 provinces according to this index （more than 8.6 farmhouses/10,000 people）.

In order to clarify the outline of the nationwide support system for AT farmers and the role of each organization in Italy, semi-structured interview surveys with regional governments regarding the policy of supporting AT farmers in Tuscany and Umbria were carried out. In addition, the region of Lombardy, where the number of AT farmhouses was the third largest; and Apuglia, where the growth rate of AT farmhouses was the highest since 2002, were selected for inclusion in this survey. In addition, interviews were conducted with three typical AT farmers receiving various supports. To summarize these results: each regional government was responsible for overseeing AT regional law and business training; and three major agritourism associations were found to provide strong support in terms of consultation and promotion. It was also found that the European Union provides financial support such as renovation expenses for AT farms, and the Italian Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forestry Policies takes the lead with respect to quality assurance and the rating of AT farmhouse accommodations.