The role of agrotourism in tourist season extension in littoral croatia

Abstract

The issue of seasonality in tourism is a growing concern for Littoral Croatia and has led to this complex research. Agrotourism is defined as tourism on rural tourist family farms. Based on research results, the general model of agrotourism development in Littoral Croatia has been created, because agrotourism in Croatia still is not systematically used as a tool for revitalization, the impact of seasonality reduction and year-round tourism product creation. The methodological approach in this research is based on telephone surveys, field survey and interviews with owners of rural tourist family farms. The survey covered a total of 58 holders in the 39 cities / municipalities. The sample is very relevant because it makes up 84.1% of the total of 69 owners who provided accommodation service in Littoral Croatia in 2012T he results show that agrotourism in Littoral Croatia confronts numerous problems and is in the initial stage of development. As such, agrotourism has a small role in reducing the impact of seasonality, but is also a significant potential for development. Greater engagement of the owners of family farms engaged in this type of tourism, as well as greater involvement on the part of the authorities, is sure to lead to agrotourism becoming one of the core elements of the development that will generate the necessary changes in the rural area, as it already has in the rural areas of some European countries.