Agritourism—A Business Reality of the Moment for Romanian Rural Area’s Sustainability

Ramona Ciolac, Tiberiu Iancu, Ioan Brad, Tabita Adamov and Nicoleta Mateoc-Sîrb
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Ramona Ciolac: Faculty of Management and Rural Tourism, Banat’s University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine “King Michael I of Romania”, Calea Aradului No. 119, 300645 Timisoara, Romania
Tiberiu Iancu: Faculty of Management and Rural Tourism, Banat’s University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine “King Michael I of Romania”, Calea Aradului No. 119, 300645 Timisoara, Romania
Ioan Brad: Faculty of Management and Rural Tourism, Banat’s University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine “King Michael I of Romania”, Calea Aradului No. 119, 300645 Timisoara, Romania
Tabita Adamov: Faculty of Management and Rural Tourism, Banat’s University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine “King Michael I of Romania”, Calea Aradului No. 119, 300645 Timisoara, Romania
Nicoleta Mateoc-Sîrb: Faculty of Management and Rural Tourism, Banat’s University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine “King Michael I of Romania”, Calea Aradului No. 119, 300645 Timisoara, Romania

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 11, 1-29

Abstract: The agritourism activity can be a characteristic reality of the present, considering rural area’s sustainability, being at the same time a business reality for rural entrepreneurs and a “must have” for rural communities that have tourism potential. It is a form of tourism, through which the tourist can receive a qualitative product at a reasonable price, but also a field that can ensure sustainable development over time, being at the same time environmentally friendly. The purpose of this scientific paper is to identify the aspects that make agritourism “a possible business reality of the moment”, for Romanian rural area’s sustainability. We take into account the following areas: Bran-Moieciu area—considered “the oldest” in terms of agritourism experience, and Apuseni Mountains area, with a great inclination and potential for this activity. The study conducted for these two areas is focused on several aspects: the degree of involvement in agritourism activities, considering the number of years and managerial experience, the analysis of the types of activities/experiences offered by agritourism structures, the identification of the main reasons/motivations for the orientation towards agritourism and the manner in which this field is perceived. Aspects related to the marketing-finance part of the agritourism business are also taken into account: customers, distribution channels, financial sources, shortcomings observed by agritourism business owners and possible action directions so as to improve the activity/agritourism product. Agritourism may be “a possible business reality of the moment” for the studied areas and not only, but in the future, the entrepreneur/farmer must be constantly updated because of the changing situations that appear on the market, be able to make sustainable decisions for his/her own business, which in the future will ensure its viability and obviously its long-term profitability and development, and in the same time rural area’s sustainability.

Keywords: agritourism; business reality; rural area; sustainability (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (12)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:11:p:6313-:d:567726

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