The development of agro tourism in Chalkidiki

Abstract

The focus of this dissertation is on how agro tourism is developing in Chalkidiki, a part of Northern Greece famous for its coast but now more recognized for its farms and countryside. The research seeks to understand how strongly agro tourism reflects what modern tourists and in particular Gen Z, care about such as being sustainable, using technology and enjoying new experiences. This research uses both research findings and interviews to explore the motivations and what participants know about agro tourism before they attend. This research uses both survey data from 131 participants and qualitative information obtained from watching and interacting with participants and discussing with informal stakeholders. The data shows that people between the ages of 18 and 24 engage most with agro tourism, mainly to relax outdoors, taste specialty foods and use digital technology. On the other hand, older people are not as interested or aware, proving there is a difference in travel behaviors by age. Price sensitivity, being sustainable and convenient access is all seen as important parts of choosing rural tourism. Despite the big possibilities for agro tourism in Chalkidiki thanks to olive trees, vineyards, beekeeping and cultural fairs, there are still some big problems with infrastructure. Such issues are limited infrastructure, a lack of consistency in marketing and depending heavily on the season. Regardless, the research results suggest that by investing intentionally in digital marketing, improving infrastructure and teaming up with stakeholders, Chalkidiki’s agro tourism could be a successful and long-term replacement for mass tourism helping rural areas recover. All in all, this research improves both academic and practical knowledge of agro tourism by giving results on what consumer’s value and ways to grow regionally. Chalkidiki is seen as an excellent case to study sustainable rural tourism in Greece.