Agritourism in Extremadura, Spain from the Perspective of Rural Accommodations: Characteristics and Potential Development from Agrarian Landscapes and Associated Activities

Abstract

The boom of rural tourism in Extremadura (Spain) has been promoted by different administrations, both national and European, through multiple initiatives carried out for several decades. However, it has been developed in a generic way, ignoring the potential of agricultural landscapes for the development of agritourism as a specific variety. Therefore, this research aims to know the opinion of rural lodging owners in order to understand how the activity can be reoriented towards a more specific one, taking advantage of the potential of this type of tourist attraction. For this purpose, information has been collected through surveys to these owners. By carrying out a statistical analysis and a territorial analysis, it is possible to know their socio-demographic structure, as well as the characteristics of the accommodations and other aspects related to the activities they offer to tourists. Following the analyses, characteristics such as age, level of education and sources of income were identified, revealing a lack of knowledge of agritourism. It was also discovered that many lodgings could offer agritourism activities due to the presence of farms and attractive landscapes for tourists. However, there was a lack of activities related to agriculture and livestock, which represents a missed opportunity for the development of agritourism. The territorial analysis showed patterns of activity supply in certain areas, suggesting the possibility of promoting the sustainable development of rural areas through the diversification of tourism activities. Perhaps the main conclusion that can be drawn is the need to take advantage of the attractive landscape and the presence of activity companies to promote the economic and social development of rural areas, contributing to the conservation of traditions and the fight against depopulation.