Saša Čekrlija
Ph. D., Professor, Independent University Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Abstract
Agrotourism in the rural areas represents a key instrument for improving the market position of agriculture and fostering sustainable rural development. Through the diversification of production and services, including the development and promotion of local products, direct interaction between tourists and producers, differentiation of services according to visitors’ preferences, as well as the preservation of tradition and cultural heritage through gastronomic and educational activities, farms generate additional income and strengthen their competitiveness. Local gastronomic products and specialties hold particular importance, as they enable an authentic rural experience and increase consumer confidence in product quality. In this way, agrotourism contributes to the economic, social, and environmental sustainability of rural communities, creating added value for households and promoting local culture.
Keywords: agrotourism, diversification, local products, sustainability
JEL: Q1, R1, R2, D1, D9
DOI: 10.52244/c2025.8
References
Antolini, F., & Truglia, C. (2023). “Prospects of Agrotourism Development in the Region.” MDPI, https://doi.org/10.3390/economies12120321
Čekrlija, S., Đuričić, Z., Jovanović, R., & Pešević, S. (2023). Managing the productivity process in agriculture, a framework for improving the market position of agriculture of the Republic of Srpska. Economics of Agriculture, 70(3), 855–865. https://doi.org/10.59267/ekoPolj2303855C
Dašić, G., Radosavac, A., Knežević, D., & Đervida, R. (2019). Preferences of customers and improvement of production and sales of organic products in Serbia. Ekonomika poljoprivrede, 66(1), 71–86. https://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/preferences-of-customers-and-improvement-of-production-and-sales-of-organic-products-in-serbia
DeDecker, J., Malone, T., Snapp, S., Thelen, M., Anderson, E., Tollini, C., & Davis, A. (2022). The relationship between farmer demographics, social identity and tillage behavior: Evidence from Michigan soybean producers. Journal of Rural Studies, 89, 378–386. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud.2022.01.001
Lane, B., & Kastenholz, E. (2015). Ruralni turizam: Evolucija prakse i istraživačkih pristupa – prema konceptu nove generacije? Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 23(8), 1133–1156. https://doi.org/10.1080/09669582.2015.1062023
Radosavac, A., Cvijanović, D., Dragojlović, A., & Ćirić, M. (2020). Residents’ support for sustainable tourism development: A case study of rural areas in Serbia. Sustainability, 12(22), 9438. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12229438
Tew, C. M., & Barbieri, C. (2022). “Agritourism in the United States: A Review of Research and Practice.” Tourism Review International, 26(1), 1–15. https://www.card.iastate.edu/products/publications/pdf/25wp672.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com
Yasin, A. S., & Bacsi, Z. (2025). “Agritourism and Rural Development: A Global Bibliometric Analysis of the State of Research, Limitations, and Future Directions.” Agriculture, 15(8), 866. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture15080866
Yusuf, E. S., & Wulandari, S. (2023). “Agritourism development: Designing an effective model for sustainable growth.” BIO Web of Conferences, 69, 04023. https://doi.org/10.1051/bioconf/20236904023