Analysis of the Influencing Factors of Farmers’ Willingness to Participate in the Integration of Tea and Tourism—An Empirical Study of Tea Farmers in Emeishan City

Abstract

This paper is based on a questionnaire survey of 277 tea farmers and the operating enterprises of Jia’e Tea Valley in Emeishan City. Using the theory of deconstructive planning behavior, the influencing factors of the willingness of tea farmers to participate in the integration of tea and tourism are analyzed. In order to unleash the enthusiasm and initiative of tea farmers, promote the organic integration of tea industry and tourism, increase their income, and promote rural revitalization. The results indicate that (1) Behavioral attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control have a significant impact on the willingness of tea farmers to participate in the integration of tea and tourism, but the influence of tea tourism integration concepts on tea farmers’ behavioral attitudes is not significant. (2) Individual characteristics such as age, education level, family labor force, and per capita disposable income have a significant impact on tea farmer behavior attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control, and have a significant indirect impact on the willingness to participate in tea tourism integration. Therefore, this article suggests that grassroots organizations should play a guiding role and increase publicity on the necessity and feasibility of integrating tea and tourism; Give full play to the leading role of village and community cadres, as well as the exemplary and driving role of tea farmers in the same village; Efforts will be made to enhance the recognition and trust of tea farmers in the enterprises they rely on, increase revenue expectations, expand participation channels, reduce participation thresholds and risks, and make tea farmers feel that they can make progress and gain through tea tourism integration, thereby enhancing their enthusiasm and initiative in participating in tea tourism integration.