Integrating agroecology and sustainable tourism: applying geodesign to farm management in Aotearoa New Zealand

Abstract

In Aotearoa New Zealand, Māori land is frequently owned by local communities and managed by trusts. For such arrangements on rural holdings, land managers often wish both to provide for their communities and implement agricultural management practices in a culturally responsive manner. Agroecology offers an alternative model of land management and provides opportunities for the development of visitor programmes to learn about and observe traditional practices. This paper reports on the integration of agroecology and tourism on a working farm in Te Wai Pounamu South Island, Aotearoa New Zealand. The programme successfully applied spatial analysis in a geographical information system (GIS) within an iterative geodesign framework to plan a route for visitor access across the farm, with suitable areas identified for information platforms located strategically along the way. These agritourism related features were visually communicated through maps generated by the GIS. Such visualisation makes the possible consequences of change more accessible and understandable to decision makers. As well as satisfying the need to verify the approach empirically, there are plans underway to apply GIS in this way to other similarly managed farms in Aotearoa New Zealand.

• Highlights:

• Iterative geodesign approach used to evolve sites for access paths and information platforms

• Approach is of public interest, hence the need for planning farm access facilities for tourists

• Agroecology-based plan for managing a traditionally run farm in Aotearoa New Zealand

• Local cultural values addressed by GIS for positive environmental and economic impact

     

Antecedents and consequences of managerial behavior in agritourism

Drawing from contingency theory and the concept of entrepreneurship, this study investigates the viability of small-scale agritourism business. Specifically, this paper identifies the antecedents (i.e., external environment and internal conditions) and consequences (i.e., financial and non-financial benefits) of managerial behaviors (i.e., innovation, pro-activeness, and aggressiveness) that exist when operating an agritourism business. Based on responses from the USDA census of agriculture, the results of this research reveal the heterogeneous effects of antecedents that contribute positively and negatively to managerial behavior. The varied influences of managerial behavior on different types of business performance are identified. Also, theoretical implications of the development of agritourism studies as well as managerial implications for owners, consultants, and policymakers related to the small tourism business in rural areas are provided.     

An ecologically and socially inclusive model of agritourism to support smallholder livelihoods in the South Pacific

The neglect and marginalisation of smallholders in economic and development policy contributes to increasing vulnerability of rural communities. Underinvestment in agriculture, climate change impacts and growing competition for land and water places further pressure on smallholders. In this context, this paper examines the current focus in the South Pacific on strengthening the linkages between tourism and agriculture through agritourism. The paper seeks to merge multiple discourses, by firstly reviewing the development model that is driving tourism and linkages to agriculture in the South Pacific. Secondly, agritourism as it is conceptualised in the tourism literature and thirdly sustainable tourism discourse, to identify economic activities within agritourism that contribute to enhancing smallholders’ livelihoods in the South Pacific. An ecologically and socially inclusive model of agritourism is put forward based on principles of sustainable tourism and agroecology – referred to as agroecological tourism. Agroecological tourism strengthens the linkages between tourism and agriculture while fostering sustainability principles.     

The effect of agritourism experience on consumers’ future food purchase patterns

Recent studies on agritourism share a common voice in that the economic benefit of agritourism to farms is significant but rather small. However, the majority of studies examine only the short-term economic impact of agritourism. This suggests that the potential long-run economic impacts of agritourism may not have been empirically investigated yet, leading to underestimation of its net impact. Meanwhile, theories on mere exposure and product familiarity suggest that agritourism may lead tourists to change their agriproduct purchasing patterns after the experience. Thus, this study examines the effect of agritourism experience on consumers' future grocery purchase patterns. Household-level consumer panel data on grocery expenditure is estimated through the Almost Ideal Demand System (AIDS) approach. The results indicate that agritourism experience significantly alters consumers' expenditure patterns in the food categories of grain, vegetable, fruit, meat, and fish. Implications for research and practice are discussed along with the findings of the study.     

Social interactions and intentions to revisit for agritourism service encounters

This study addresses how agritourists' social interactions affect their satisfaction and, in turn, revisit intentions. Adopting social exchange theory and resource theory, the study proposes that social interactions with service providers, local residents, companion tourists, and other customers influence satisfaction, which in turn affects revisit intentions. For this, an onsite survey was conducted to examine the proposed model and test the hypotheses. Subjects (N = 266) were tourists who visited farms. All, but one of the hypotheses were supported or partially supported by the data and the proposed model also had an acceptable fit. Results provide direction for the development of a theoretical framework to understand revisit intentions by seeking to improve the social exchange relationships with agritourists. In addition, the results call for the incorporation of social interactions as a component of the agritourism servicescape.     

Agroecological tourism: bridging conservation,food security and tourism goals to enhance smallholders’ livelihoods on South Pentecost,Vanuatu

Smallholder farmers continue to make up the largest proportion of the world's disadvantaged. Rural smallholders in the South Pacific are particularly vulnerable to climate change, underinvestment and growing competition for land and resources. Strengthening synergies between agriculture and tourism through avenues such as agritourism has been widely discussed; however, very little research has approached these concepts from a sustainability perspective. This case study of rural Ni-Vanuatu smallholders uses the Agroecology and Sustainable Rural Livelihoods Framework (ASRLF) to explore tourism's potential contribution to improved conservation and food security outcomes. Data collection combined participatory methods such as “storian sessions” with analysis of secondary data.

The findings highlight minimal current opportunities for rural Ni-Vanuatu smallholders to gain significantly from the tourism sector in Vanuatu. The shift from traditional gardening systems to cash cropping monocultures is also conflicting with tourism and conservation goals. This paper puts forward agroecological tourism as a strategy for integrating positive conservation, food security and livelihood outcomes for rural smallholders. It defines agroecological tourism as having a primary focus on the interpretation of sustainable traditional agroecosystems which exhibit cultural and heritage significance. Agroecological tourism has potential to support traditional practices, enhance the preservation of cultural knowledge and promote sustainable farming practices.     

Elite governance of agritourism in the Philippines

Abstract

Agritourism, particularly in the West, is imagined to be an organic assembly of family farms driven by urban middle class demand for new rural tourism experiences. In the developing world, it is increasingly advocated as a rural development tool with the promise of uplifting the lives of small farmers in sustainable ways. We challenge the assumption of the farm family at the helm of agritourism development, advocating instead for a more complex understanding of agritourism governance. We argue that agritourism involves multisectoral governance networks that are subject to the political economic realities of where these networks are situated. Thus, agritourism may endure the same social inequalities one would find in other rural development initiatives in the Global South. Agritourism in the Philippines is a case in point. Based on qualitative research, our findings show that agritourism in the Philippines is driven by a complex elite network involving state and private entities that are engaged in patronage politics. The uneven power dynamics associated with this governance arrangement create conditions that favor old and new landed elites and exclude marginalized small farmers, contradicting any official statement that promises inclusive rural development.     

REGIONAL DESTINATION MARKETING: A COLLABORATIVE APPROACH

This article explores how small neighboring destinations with limited tourism products and resources can collaborate in marketing their destinations. Based on a critical literature review, a conceptual framework was developed and empirical data was collected via document analysis, a focus group interview as well as in‐depth semi‐structured interviews with senior executives of three convention and visitors bureaus (CVBs) in Ohio. The research findings suggest that forming partnerships among neighboring destinations is beneficial for all participating CVBs in terms of enhancing product portfolio, cost reduction, and efficiency. However, there can be major challenges in developing and sustaining such long‐term partnerships which include differing priorities, different marketing directions, and limited resources. The research findings further suggest that achieving results from such a partnership may take a considerable amount of effort and time. The research findings imply that executives of CVBs need to be informed and educated not only about advantages of forming such partnerships and how they can form such partnerships but also how they can overcome potential challenges together in this endeavor. The research results also suggest that informal working relationships and trust among executives of neighboring CVBs are crucial in forming and maintaining such a partnership. Discussions and implications based on the study results are also provided.