Agritourism-A Sustainable Approach to the Development of Rural Settlements in Jordan: Al-Baqura Village as a Case Study

Abstract

Agritourism is gaining growing recognition in both developed and developing countries. In developing countries, it is considered as an instrument, not only for sustainable rural development but also for local community poverty alleviation. Al-Baqura is an important agricultural village in the north of Jordan. In 2019, Jordan retrieved control over it after 25 years of leasing to external investors. Thereupon, the Jordanian government should encourage investments in this area and improve its agricultural production in terms of quality and quantity. The objectives of this study were to explore the perspectives of local farmers on the launch of agritourism in this village and to identify the variables that affect farmers' motives for engagement in agritourism activities in their locality. In addition, the study aimed at determining the agritourism-associated difficulties faced by the residents who seek to boost their livelihoods through tourism. The study followed the quantitative research approach and used a questionnaire as the data collection tool in a survey of 163 residents of Al-Baqura village. The results of the analysis uncovered a high potential for economic, environmental, and socio-cultural benefits of agritourism in this village. In particular, it will empower the women to improve their social status in society, provide the rural population with increased revenue and new job opportunities, and improve the quality of the environment. However, for agritourism development in this area, the government should support the local families and help them in establishing and operating tourism enterprises.