The Attitudes of Residents towards Agro-tourism Impacts and Its Effects on Participation in Agro-tourism Development: The Case Study of Vietnam.

• Main Authors: Nha Thi Huynh Nguyen, Asst. Prof. Dr. Suvit Suwanno, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Weerapon Thongma, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Parichart Visuthismajarn
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: AfricaJournals 2018-08-01
• Series: African Journal of Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure
• Subjects: residents’ participation; residents’ attitudes; agro-tourism impacts; agro-tourism development
• Online Access: https://www.ajhtl.com/uploads/7/1/6/3/7163688/article_11_vol_7_4__2018.pdf

This paper investigates the residents' participation in agro-tourism development by examining their attitudes towards the impacts of agro-tourism on economic, socio-culture, and environment. The data was obtained from a survey of residents in Thai Phien Village based on a random sampling method. Factor analysis, descriptive statistics, and comparing means and multiple linear regression were employed to analyze the data. The results reveal that agro-tourism mostly brings positive impacts that outweigh the negative ones on the local community, such as educating visitors about agriculture, enhancing the community pride about local culture, capturing the demands of tourists on the local agricultural products, diversifying local economic activities, encouraging cultural exchange, and also improving public infrastructure and the area appearances. The study also indicated the demographic characteristics of residents are likely to affect their attitudes towards agro-tourism impacts. Using a regression model, the findings yield that the positive impacts of both economic and socio-culture have contributed positively, meanwhile the negative impacts of socio-culture indicate a negative relationship with regard to the participation of local community in agro-tourism development. Thus, the locals’ positive attitudes towards agro-tourism impacts play a vital role, thereby influencing their willingness to active participation in developing agro-tourism of the community. In order to improve the residents’ positive attitudes, the local authorities can develop educational programmes or agro-tourism business model courses to apprise locals of the interests of agro-tourism to individuals as well as the community. It can also build up strategies based on local media, via local media, to provide the panorama of agrotourism and its benefits on locals.